Home buyers rank outdoor living space as one of their most desired home features. A recent quarterly AIA Home Design Trends Survey found that outdoor living space has been reported as the most popular special function room for the past six years since 2013, and 70% of residential architects reported increased consumer interest in outdoor living rooms.
Newport Beach, Calif.-based builder Baldwin & Sons is capitalizing on the trend at its Lake Forest, Calif. property The Oaks at Portola Hills, where buyers can choose to upgrade their home with a California Room. Depending on the size of the room and finishes specified, adding a California Room to a home in the community can range from $15,000 and up.
BUILDER talked with Melissa Hazlett, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Baldwin & Sons, about the California Room feature, which not only adds a luxurious feel to outdoor living spaces, but also provides a way for homeowners to enjoy the outdoors once the summer is over.
What is a California Room?
As an extension to a home’s enclosed indoor floorplan, California Rooms are special indoor/outdoor spaces. Part room and part porch, they are open on one or two sides to the outdoors but have a complete roof cover. California Rooms are not to be confused with sunrooms, which are often enclosed on all sides with windows, and include a door as well as a roof usually comprised of glass or wood. California Rooms ironically started in Florida first, then subsequently gained popularity in California and other coastal places like Maine, Savannah, Louisiana, Texas and Mexico. Here in Southern California, they are more open and truly bring the outside in, giving homeowners the chance to enjoy more time outdoors.
What is unique about a California Room compared to other outdoor living spaces?
In a nutshell, homeowners can create a more luxurious experience with a California Room than with a mere deck or other type of outdoor living space. In the Southern California market, where we build, outdoor living is quickly becoming a necessity for homebuyers. Our luxurious California Rooms often include outdoor cabinets and fireplaces and we estimate that about 60 to 70 percent of buyers have added them, even when they’re not a standard feature.
What design trends are you seeing right now for indoor/outdoor living spaces? What features are most in demand with homeowners?
Water and fire elements are still popular items on buyers’ wish lists and are especially popular as elements to California Rooms. When it comes to outdoor living spaces in general, buyers want outdoor kitchens, including the addition of long bars and seating for guests. We also receive numerous requests for pools with Jacuzzis and infinity edges.
What has buyer feedback been on California Rooms in the model homes?
We’ve had very positive feedback from our buyers and have sold many homes based on the fact they they include the option for California Rooms. They’re a perfect fit for the enviable mild and sunny weather in Southern California.
The fall season has just started. How can builders extend outdoor living so homeowners can enjoy their space once the summer is over?
We’re fortunate to live and build in such a mild climate but even in colder regions homeowners can still enjoy the outside. With the addition of amenities like fireplaces, fire pits, lighting, pergolas or other types of roofing structures, homeowners in colder places can stay warm, be comfortable, and enjoy cold evenings outside, as well.
