Indoor-outdoor living removes the barriers between home and nature. It invites you to live in harmony and relaxation.
Picture it: a seamless transition from your living room into a sun-kissed patio where the laughter of children bounces off the rustling of leaves. The murmur of guests accompanies the sizzles from the grill. All the dishes get washed after lunch in the indoor-outdoor kitchen sink. A 12-foot counter sparkles in the sunlight, with its induction surface disguised—and doubling as—extra counterspace.
Welcome to the epitome of opulence. Every breath feels fresher, and every gathering more vibrant, in the perfect indoor-outdoor space.
The challenge…
Running in parallel with the allure of this lifestyle are certain critical decisions that determine how long the dream will last. Your selections for an indoor-outdoor space are decisive. They don’t just determine the aesthetic of the space…they determine how well your indoor-outdoor paradise will hold up to the elements.
Materials that crack under the sun’s glare or falter at the first shower of rain will ruin your investment. This makes the stakes higher for an indoor-outdoor space than any other that you build or renovate.
The ultimate indoor-outdoor sanctuary is one that withstands the elements whileelevating your experience. Right?
An example of an indoor-outdoor paradise done right…
Take a glimpse into one project near and dear to our hearts…
This pool cabana just won the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s “Contractor of the Year” award for the Southwest Region of the United States. It won as a detached residential structure with meticulous selections.
Specifically, this project is an indoor-outdoor pool cabana designed for use in all four seasons…in North Texas! This meant our selections had to be perfect to withstand all four seasons.
The award-winning pool cabana fused functionality with finesse, from wood-looking weatherproof cabinets to a full kitchen, full bathroom, private gym, and hundreds of square feet of patio space.
One look at this pool cabana will inspire you…but then, you still need to know, how do you choose the right indoor-outdoor selections in your own renovation project?…
READ: these TWO selections will shape your indoor-outdoor living space
Crafting the perfect indoor-outdoor space is about combining luxury with longevity. Every choice you make could lead you one step closer to your dream retreat…the wrong step, though, can take you in the wrong direction…and if it’s one of your MAIN selections, it could be a big step!
These are the two most important selections for an indoor-outdoor space that make the difference—for better or worse:
- Tile (flooring, walls, counter surfaces, etc.)
- And cabinetry
Advice from the experts: insights from Arizona Tile
Choosing the right tile for an indoor-outdoor space seems straightforward. Right? Isn’t it just tile?…
Pause for a moment and consider the unique demands of an indoor-outdoor space and what tile is used for…from kitchen backsplashes to countertops to flooring and walls.
Knowing how to distinguish the tile selections that will withstand indoor-outdoor demands is trickier than it seems. Homeowners don’t even know what questions to ask, or how horribly wrong this selection could go.
Venture with us into the tile industry for a look behind the scenes at Arizona Tile, one of the premier tile distributors and retailers nation-wide. With exclusive interview questions we posed to Arizona Tile in relation to indoor-outdoor spaces, they provided us with information you’ll DEFINITELY want to know…
- What’s at stake if you make the wrong tile selections for an indoor-outdoor space?
Choosing the correct tile and working to make sure the ideal installation products and methods are used is critical.
For outdoor applications, natural stone can end up damaged with extreme weather since the material is naturally porous. Conditions where the ground freezes then thaws are especially challenging for a natural stone installation.
Instead, porcelain tile is well suited for both indoor and outdoor installations. It is not porous, so it doesn’t absorb moisture (which is what makes tile crack). It also will not fade when exposed to direct sunlight.
For outdoor or wet areas, our R11 Anti-Slip Finish is ideal. This unique finish adds a texture to the tile surface without altering its appearance at all.
Also choose your color of indoor-outdoor tile carefully. For example, in warm climates, it’s best to avoid dark colors due to heat absorption.
For any tile installation, the correct installation products and methods are just as important as the product, too. TCNA and ASNI guidelines should be followed to allow for joint expansion and specific setting materials, grouts, and sealants to be used (among other things). - What tile materials are best suited for indoor-outdoor spaces (and which definitely AREN’T)?
Porcelain is a great choice for indoor-outdoor spaces since it’s freeze resistant, and our R11 Anti-Slip Finish is just as helpful as the right material choice. (The same tile, in the standard finish, can be applied to indoor tile, creating the seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors that homeowners look for.)
The R11 Anti-Slip Finish makes indoor-outdoor tile safe and practical for areas exposed to water and moisture, especially in high-traffic spaces like patios, decks, and pools. The Outer Limits section of the Arizona Tile website has more information and resources on this.
If natural stone is a tile look you simply love and have to have, there’s also a sealer that can protect natural stone tile from the moisture and staining that compromise its longevity. The Miracle 511 Impregnator Sealer is recommended on natural stone to create a barrier from the elements outdoors. - What other strategies keep indoor-outdoor tile selections looking beautiful longer?
Choosing the perfect indoor-outdoor tile is about so much more than how it looks. The right material selection also has to be matched to the right areas and surfaces of your home (inside and out).
Is your tile selection for exterior or interior? Is it for a wall or floor application? What’s the look you just love? How is each selection option maintained?
For example, cleaning tile and natural stone with a neutral pH cleaner and sealing natural stone tiles are added steps to take to protect tile selections. Proper cleaning products must be chosen based on your tile selection, because some products can strip sealer off your tile. In an indoor-outdoor environment, this will leave tile exposed to the harshest elements…
It’s also a good idea to buy more tile than you need from the start, because if you do need to replace it at some point, the exact product might no longer be available. For selections like natural stone tile, each lot will look a little different, too. For a seamless look when pieces of tile are replaced, you’ll want extra from the original order.
(A good rule of thumb is to order 10% more than the square footage needed.)
Advice from the experts: insights from NatureKast Cabinets
The other critical element that demands the right selection in an indoor-outdoor space is your cabinetry. This unassuming yet indispensable fixture will serve as the backbone of your space. Cabinets provide your storage and set the tone for the whole ambiance…
When it comes to indoor-outdoor living, traditional cabinetry won’t cut it. No amount of sealers will protect wood cabinets from the elements.
Enter…NatureKast, an industry leader in outdoor cabinetry solutions whom we worked with to GREAT success in our award-winning pool cabana.
Learn what questions to ask for cabinet selections in your indoor-outdoor spaces, starting with what sets outdoor cabinets apart from their indoor counterparts…
- What are the certifications someone should look for when selecting outdoor-graded cabinetry?
The outdoor kitchen sector is still in its infancy, so there aren’t a lot of official certifications in place yet. This also means that some manufacturers try to get by doing the bare minimum since few legal hurdles are set up to regulate the industry.
Other manufacturers (like Viking LLC) are working on establishing guidelines for planning outdoor spaces, but their training is geared more towards inserts rather than cabinetry.
Many NatureKast dealers already have kitchen sector skills and design principles, practices, and technologies that give them a solid foundation to train on the differences of outdoor-grade cabinetry and designing around the requirements of local climates. The number-one requirement for outdoor cabinetry is that every component of the cabinet should be weatherproof.
Weather requirements are different in every climate, so it’s vitally important to ensure that outdoor cabinetry works for the climate it will be installed in. NatureKast has carefully selected materials and finishes that perform well in the sub-arctic regions of the Great North, and others that function in the humid coastal climates of Florida or California, and still others that take to the arid, dry heat of Nevada or Texas.
NatureKast also works with suppliers to ensure that every component (form the material used in cabinet boxes and panels to the screws, pins, adhesives, and hardware put into cabinets) are all weatherproof. (This is how NatureKast confidently provides its limited lifetime warranty on all products.) - How do outdoor-graded cabinets differ from indoor cabinets in terms of construction, material, and finishes?
Wood is the primary material used for indoor kitchens, but it isn’t effective outdoor cabinets in any climate. Outdoor cabinets have to contend with rapid and extreme changes in temperature and moisture. There’s also salt, dust, ultraviolet rays, and critters to take into account.
So, for example, outdoor cabinets in a project like the award-winning Keller, Texas pool cabana by Signature Home Services used waterproof and UV-resistant expanded PVC sheets as the primary material for all cabinetry. - What are the common pitfalls homeowners encounter when selecting outdoor-graded cabinetry?
Lighting in an outdoor setting is different than lighting indoor showrooms, so homeowners and the designers guiding them need to see samples on-site to ensure that materials, colors, and finishes will look and feel the way they want.
Choosing finishes from a screen on a computer or device is never reliable. It’s convenient to get an idea, but that preview will change when materials are seen up-close and in natural light.
Water intrusion is also possible in indoor-outdoor spaces. In fact, outdoor cabinetry is deliberately not watertight because in an outdoor environment where humidity and damp build up, tightly closed spaces make the warping effects of humidity worse. NatureKast cabinets allow some air flow to keep most water from leaking in, while letting interior moisture build up out when it accumulates. - Are there special considerations to take into account with the layout of indoor-outdoor cabinetry?
Many indoor-outdoor spaces have a grill area. Grill manufacturers need to list the required clearance to combustible materials, and that information is crucial for cabinet height in design and its installation in the finished space.
Different regions all have their own set of building codes, so working with a professional design-build renovation team with experience in building codes and permits is essential.
And since cooking on a grill means cooking with fire, that also means smoke. Smoke’s effect on cabinetry can be taken care of with outdoor ventilation like an oven hood.
For indoor-outdoor spaces designed for all four seasons, the space also needs to factor in cooling, heating, and those systems’ installation in relation to cabinetry for the purposes of air flow and safety. - What do indoor-outdoor cabinets need in functionality that isn’t as common in indoor cabinets?
In outdoor cooking spaces, most cooking is done over fire. This means that combustible cabinetry needs an insulated jacket to allow grills to be installed safely. The best meals cooked on grills are messy, too (think of marinades and food juices), so a garbage pull-out or sink for cleaning hands and utensils contributes to a happier outdoor cooking experience.
Other more complete indoor-outdoor spaces also have ice cooler drawers installed, and even beverage fridges, ice makers, and Kegerators.
“Outdoor bar” is one of the top Google search items that seems to be on many homeowners’ bucket lists, and it’s easy to imagine why!
You can see even more frequently asked questions that the NatureKast team has answered on their FAQ page.
Envision a scene where every element falls into perfect harmony…that space where, flowing seamlessly from indoors to outside, every moment feels like a memory in the making.
This is the promise of heeding the insights above. The promise is of crafting the indoor-outdoor paradise that transcends the ordinary and elevates your everyday life to the extraordinary.
Imagine the satisfaction of knowing that your indoor-outdoor renovation is designed with care and expertise…that every selection made is thoughtful and purposeful and will last. That is your commitment to the elevated lifestyle you choose to live.
If you find yourself yearning for guidance along the way, our award-wining team is ready to bring your vision to life. Together, we’ll weave together the tapestry of beauty and functionality with the right selections and expertise!
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