Designing The Perfect Outdoor Entertaining Space


It’s Oregon, it’s raining and where are you? Sitting comfortably curled up on a sofa by your gas fire table, under a beautiful wood ceiling outdoor entertaining space? Watching the game, enjoying a recently cooked meal from your outdoor kitchen, sipping from a glass of your favorite beverage?

Once only enjoyed in warmer climates, beautiful, functional, outdoor spaces are a must-have in most significant home renovations and new home construction. So how do you decide on and create your perfect space? For over 25 years, Jeff Metke and the team of professionals at Metke Remodeling & Luxury Homes have been guiding their clients to the perfect outdoor experience. We will start by having you answer some important questions.

  • Will your space be attached to your home or freestanding in your yard?
  • Ground level or on an elevated deck?
  • What type of surface do you want to be on? Stone, wood, or a newer composite decking material?
  • Do you want a full outdoor kitchen or just room for a grill or smoker?
  • Do you want to sit in front of and focus on a fireplace or gather around a firepit?
  • Wood burning or gas fired?

Most spaces need room to cook or grill, room to eat once the meal is cooked, and room to gather and get warm before and after the meal is done. When you consider your dream space…

  • How many people need to be cooking at once?
  • Do you want side burners in addition to the grill? A smoker?
  • How about a sink? Disposal? Refrigerator? Ice maker?
  • How about storing your favorite beer in a kegerator?
  • How many people do you want to be able to seat when you are eating?
  • How many people do you see gathering around the fire?

If you are connecting your new space to the house, how will you modify the access from the existing home to the new space? Will a new sliding or French door be big enough, or do you want to do a complete folding wall of glass to open the whole room up to your new space? Consistent improvements by the door manufacturers have opened that option up to more of us.

One of the most crucial things to solve before you get too far into designing your new space is how it will be situated on your property. Outdoor spaces or rooms are subject to most of the same property line setbacks, zoning, and building code requirements as your main home. New to many building jurisdictions is enhanced rainwater management requirements. If your space will be covered, that roof area adds to the amount of rainwater your drainage system must handle.

As you can see, many things go into designing and creating an inviting, beautiful outdoor “room”, which for me is the most enjoyable room in my home. Contact us to schedule your initial in-home consultation, and we’ll have you outside in time for summer.