The Importance of a Functional Outdoor Living Area

Blessed with a beautiful climate year-round, the Sunshine Coast boasts the ideal environment for outdoor living.

Brimming with incredible features, this stunning location welcomes an abundance of ways to maximise your outdoor space and soak up the natural beauty. Read on for our top tips on building the ultimate Sunshine Coast outdoor living area with functional flair.

Welcome in the warmth

Creating an effortless transition between your indoor and outdoor areas is one of the most important aspects to consider when designing your outdoor space. We recommended achieving this sense of connection by positioning your deck or outdoor entertaining area so that it flows directly into your indoor living space.

By blending the passage of the two spaces, you can create a desirable sense of flow as you pass between the indoor and outdoor areas. On top of optimising this space for socialising, this technique also lends itself to enhance the functionality of alfresco dining by ensuring streamlined access to the kitchen.

Accommodate for all temperatures

While the Sunshine Coast’s endless supply of sun is a blessing, it’s key to incorporate a source of shade for those days when the UV can become unforgiving. From our experience, we recommend extending the main roofline over your outdoor living space. This allows the roof and ceiling to be properly insulated and makes it easier to add lights and an outdoor ceiling fan to inject a breeze on those still and humid days. Take it a step further by installing recessed ceiling speakers and heat strips for winter, and you’ve got yourself an outdoor area that will let you reap the benefits of life on the coast all year-round.

patio heating you are guaranteed to reap the benefits of life on the coast year-round.

Build with durable materials

Living in tropical paradise also means being exposed to the elements. Building your outdoor space with materials that are both luxurious and durable is crucial to creating a long-lasting forever home on the Sunshine Coast.

Ensure the material palette for your outdoor living area includes durable products such as marine grade stainless steel, powder coated aluminium, toughened glass, stone, porcelain tiles or resilient timbers such as Australian hardwood varieties or even composite decking products for reduced maintenance. These kinds of materials are guaranteed to increase the longevity of your home and outdoor area, ensuring that it ages gracefully.

Make a splash

Although it’s an area blessed with incredible beaches, adding a pool or spa allows you to soak in all the glory of Sunshine Coast living from the comfort and safety of your outdoor space. If you have the space available in your outdoor plan, consider adding a pool to make a statement and stay cool. On the other hand, if your space calls for a more subtle water feature consider the reprieve of relaxing in a custom spa on a balmy summer evening. Of course, these luxuries come with a range of regulations – so consult your builder carefully to ensure that the safety requirements are ticked off.

Establish clear zones

When you’re planning the layout of your outdoor space, consider the area in terms of ‘zones of practicality’. By determining what the role of each element will be, you will ensure effortless functionality in every aspect of the space.

This can be achieved by allocating an area specifically for entertaining and cooking, and may include plans to integrate an outdoor bar or an island for storage and prepping. You may also consider a dining zone, fitted with enough space for a table and seating for your family and friends.

As builders that recognise the unique features of the Sunshine Coast climate, we also recommended clearly identifying the zone that receives the most sun and equipping the space with features such as lounging chairs and a form of shade.

If you’re searching for an experienced custom builder to bring your Sunshine Coast outdoor space to life, get in touch with SX Constructions today.