3-Season Rooms: Luxe Meets Rustic on an Ozarks Terrace
Fire features, nature-inspired furnishings and native plants make a large terrace in the mountains as comfortable as can be
Becky Harris
September 26, 2013
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
When it came time to carve out and decorate outdoor rooms on this 100-foot-long terrace, the home's architecture and spectacular site in the Ozark Mountains provided the design inspiration. "I was guided by the fact that the home had a rustic style that used high-quality, top-notch materials," says landscape designer Daniel Keeley of DK Design. "I also needed to respect the pristine setting."
Treating the terrace as he would an interior (no matching patio sets), Keeley created an eclectic look that didn't go overboard, mixing hundred-year-old beams, raw steel, French antiques, new furniture, custom pieces, wicker, teak, felled logs and even a sugar cauldron. The result is a careful balance of luxe and rustic, with clean lines and materials that will weather well over time. Step onto the terrace and we'll take a long stroll from one end to the other.
Treating the terrace as he would an interior (no matching patio sets), Keeley created an eclectic look that didn't go overboard, mixing hundred-year-old beams, raw steel, French antiques, new furniture, custom pieces, wicker, teak, felled logs and even a sugar cauldron. The result is a careful balance of luxe and rustic, with clean lines and materials that will weather well over time. Step onto the terrace and we'll take a long stroll from one end to the other.
The terrace, designed by Tony Martin Associates, needed to serve multiple purposes and have distinct spaces for dining, seating for large and small groups, and enjoying the view and the fire. Keeley broke up the vast scale by dividing the space into intimate areas.
A palette that coordinated with the house and existing Texas flagstone terrace emerged. "Tony Martin did an unbelievable job on constructing the house with reclaimed antique materials; all of the wood inside and out is reclaimed and at least 100 years old," Keeley says.
In response, he picked driftwood-like hues for the furnishings: silvered teak and weathered gray wicker, accented with copper and raw steel.
Chairs: wicker, Summer Classics
In response, he picked driftwood-like hues for the furnishings: silvered teak and weathered gray wicker, accented with copper and raw steel.
Chairs: wicker, Summer Classics
The furniture selection began with a chair design. The homeowner mentioned he liked Adirondack chairs, so Keeley chose some modern teak lounge chairs first and went from there. "The chairs gave Adirondack style a twist for the Ozarks and were more modern; plus, they will weather to a silvery driftwood color," he says.
Chairs: Camano Deck Chair, Sutherland; sofa: wicker, Summer Classics; coffee table, console table: Peninsula Collection, Sutherland
Chairs: Camano Deck Chair, Sutherland; sofa: wicker, Summer Classics; coffee table, console table: Peninsula Collection, Sutherland
Accents take cues from the architecture as well. For example, throw pillows pick up on the window stain's burnt sienna hue. The large pillows are covered in outdoor leather that mimics a luxurious raw silk you'd see indoors. The smaller pillows have a subtle eclectic pattern.
Small pillows: fabric by Donghia
Small pillows: fabric by Donghia
Lanterns with an antique copper finish accentuate the hues in the stone and trimwork. They contain battery-operated candles for nighttime ambience.
The planters needed to stand up to the terrace's large scale; 1-gallon pots would have been lost out here. Almost all of them contain native ornamental trees and shrubs; the large planters here contain sweet bay magnolias. Planters all along the terrace mark the edges of the outdoor rooms in the same way a column would mark them indoors.
The planters needed to stand up to the terrace's large scale; 1-gallon pots would have been lost out here. Almost all of them contain native ornamental trees and shrubs; the large planters here contain sweet bay magnolias. Planters all along the terrace mark the edges of the outdoor rooms in the same way a column would mark them indoors.
"Here in the Ozarks, we can enjoy living outdoor for about nine months out of the year; during the other three it's too hot or too cold," Keeley says. A large stone outdoor fireplace helps the homeowner extend the outdoor living time into the colder months.
Felled trees from the property provided rustic side tables used throughout the terrace. Terra-cotta spheres add just the right dash of fun and color to this corner.
Rocking chairs: Brown Jordan
Felled trees from the property provided rustic side tables used throughout the terrace. Terra-cotta spheres add just the right dash of fun and color to this corner.
Rocking chairs: Brown Jordan
Keeley's spaces coordinate with the massing of the architecture, whose scale is broken up with different materials. The outdoor living room is centered on a stone section of the facade; the dining area is centered on a log cabin section.
Just past the outdoor dining room, Keeley tucked a more intimate lounge space behind large planters. He designed the planters, which contain native serviceberry trees. The planters are made of barn wood left over from the construction, with raw steel accents. The "S" detail was pulled from a feature on the house's chimney.
In this more private seating area, Keeley echoed some of the furniture choices for consistency but mixed things up a bit with custom pieces.
For example, he cut three coffee table stools out of leftover beams from the home's construction and wrapped them in raw steel bands for an eclectic modern touch. He also designed the side tables, which are raw steel bases topped with granite.
An adjacent area offers a place for rocking and enjoying the view. Keeley fashioned the table from a sugar cauldron; the custom top is made of barn wood. During the colder months, the homeowner removes the top to reveal a fire pit.
Around the corner (just off the master bedroom), a custom granite and raw steel console table doubles as a firewood rack. (Every bedroom has a fireplace, so convenient wood storage was important.)
The mirror is an antique zinc French window with a new mirror placed behind the original glass. The large plant is a native rhododendron.
The column to the right of the mirror is another cut tree, fastened to the wall with a raw steel band. The limestone urn is also a French antique. Keeley found the mirror and the urn at a favorite Fayetteville, Arkansas, haunt, French Metro Antiques.
The mirror is an antique zinc French window with a new mirror placed behind the original glass. The large plant is a native rhododendron.
The column to the right of the mirror is another cut tree, fastened to the wall with a raw steel band. The limestone urn is also a French antique. Keeley found the mirror and the urn at a favorite Fayetteville, Arkansas, haunt, French Metro Antiques.
While the wonderful terrace rooms are hard to leave, the beauty of the Ozarks beckons, with tempting paths leading the way.
Related Stories
Most Popular
What to Know About Adding a Deck
Want to increase your living space outside? Learn the requirements, costs and other considerations for building a deck
Full Story
Landscape Design
Natural Swimming Pools: More Beauty, No Chemicals
Keep your skin and the environment healthy with a pool that cleans itself, naturally
Full Story
Edible Gardens
How to Grow Your Own Sweet Summer Crops
This guide will help any gardener get started on growing the freshest warm-season veggies and berries for summer
Full Story
Most Popular
How to Start a Cool-Season Vegetable Garden
Late summer and late winter are good times to plan and plant cool-season crops like salad greens, spinach, beets, carrots and peas
Full Story
Simple Pleasures
Simple Pleasures: Savor a Starry Evening
See how magical moonlight can be by relaxing outdoors after the sun goes down
Full Story
Standard Measurements
The Right Dimensions for Your Porch
Depth, width, proportion and detailing all contribute to the comfort and functionality of this transitional space
Full Story
Feel-Good Home
The Contemplative Garden: A Place for Quiet Reflection
These 10 elements can bring a meditative quality to your garden
Full Story
Landscape Design
5 Ways to Make Your Concrete Patio More Attractive
These design ideas can liven up your paved outdoor space
Full Story
Porches
10 Ideas for Decorating Your Summer Porch
Watch the world go by from a porch decked out with comfy furniture and inspiring accessories
Full Story
Front Yard Ideas
10 Ideas for a Front-Yard Edible Garden Your Neighbors Will Love
Choosing attractive, well-mannered plants and sharing the bounty will go a long way toward keeping the peace
Full Story
It all looks fabulous - but, try living there for a yr. Yikes, from piles of yellow pollen all over the patio staining the furniture in spring, to massive amounts of bugs (the biting kind) and snakes (biting kind again) in summer with horrible humidity...looks pretty, as long as I don't have to reside there. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.. BTW - I have 25 acres and a similar home for sale there..any takers?