Every home should have a chillout area or zone where you can come to relax. This shouldn’t be the bedroom. All too often, many homeowners create a reading nook in their bedroom and wonder why it didn’t turn out so good. The bedroom is for sleeping, that’s it! It cannot double as a lounge nor a crevice for you to hide in and read a nice book. However, your living room is far too busy. You have the kids running around, grocery deliveries coming and going, and not to mention, people watching TV and eating. So, when it comes to designing a chillout zone, it pays to plan and think about it a lot. Before you buy any materials, hire any builders or move things out of a room, think about the various options you have. Let’s explore what you can do to your home, inside and out, to make it more open to relaxing.
A conservatory
Perhaps the single most underrated structure of the home is the conservatory. Homeowners who want to have a chillout spot that isn’t going to be affected by the noise from inside the house need only look at this style of room extension. The conservatory is something that is popular in nations like the UK, France and Italy because historically homes in these countries have been smaller than the average American home. But even if you are in North America, you can build a conservatory and enjoy the fruits of peace and quiet.
A conservatory is a small structure, which is basically like a room that is separated from the rest of the home. It’s honestly part of the garden, as it can let your backyard. Think about placing clay tiles in the flooring and the walls, or perhaps a hardwood floor with a carpet over on top. The wool or cotton rug will soak up the heat in the room and allow you to sit in warmth during the colder months. The style of the conservatory can be truly independent from the rest of the home as well. Not only does this make you feel like you are ‘traveling’ through the home, but gives you space to be creative without ruining your decor and interior design approach for the home.
A garden gathering spot
Without a doubt, our gardens have become our saviors during the past few months. They have provided us with access to fresh air, a spot to listen to the birds singing and for you to remember that life is going to continue on no matter what. So you should perhaps pay more attention and pay more money into building your garden into a gathering spot for the family, as well as for friends.
Firstly, you need to make your garden a hangout spot. So, hang up some hammocks on your patio if you have one. If you don’t you can always build a pergola which is a wooden structure, popular in ancient Greece and Rome. These wooden structures can have sheets placed over them to act as shade providers from the sun. Also, placing a fire pit in the garden will mean it can be seen as a nice place to sit and wind down, even during the cooler months of the year. Here are some diy backyard fire pits you can erect by yourself. The classic circular shape is easy to make, as you’re just stacking material on top of each other. A modern rectangular fitted fire pit is also great, and can act as a table for you to put your feet up. Of course, place some patio chairs around the fire and welcome guests over for a drink of wine.
Outlooking a view
If you live in a rural part of the world, perhaps you can keep it simple and just make a place where you can enjoy the view. This can be something as simple as some chairs overlooking a field, a small pergola to keep you covered and a small cabinet full of blankets to keep you warm. An overlook point is something you can find in many rural parts of the world. It’s usually accompanied by a rocking chair, a small table to place your drink on and a few hats and sunglasses kept in the cabinet close by.
We recommend you make this kind of seating area for times when you want to enjoy the hot sun, on humid days where there isn’t as much wind. If you would like some warmth for the evening, a simple fire circle on the ground will do nicely. A small campfire, along with some snacks and a refreshing drink and a nice view, is sometimes all you desire at the end of a long day.
By the bookcase
If you have a long living room or a lounge room, you probably have some space for a bookcase and a nice seat. Bookcases aren’t just for books, they can house lamps and clocks on their shelves, so you can make use of their extra storage space. Place all your books inside the bookcase, select a reading chair of your taste and you have a great reading spot.
If you have a radiator close by, set your bookcase and seat up by it so you can stay warm during the cold times of the year. There are some design alternatives you can have, just for this space in the home.
- A small quaint coffee table with a small indoor plant. You can place your coffee or tea on the table, enjoy the fresh air the plant is producing and get lost in a good book.
- A footrest of some kind, such as an ottoman would be great. Putting your feet up on a cushioned surface is a great way to relax at the end of the day.
- You may also want to place a radio in the bookcase, in case you want to listen to some classical music as you read.
- Your seat doesn’t have to be the classic winged chair that is so popular for reading, it can be a modern variant of the lounge chair.
- Have plenty of cushions standing by, for you to get comfortable in any position. If you want to hang off the edge of your seat, lie back or find some alternative position, the cushions will support your back.
- The side lamp is crucial. It should be easy to control. Dimming your side lamp as it gets later helps your eyes to relax and read for longer.
A wonderful loft
If you have a loft that is dark, empty and smells bad, why not convert it into a reading room? Lofts are great places to come and just chill out, listen to some of your old classics, enjoy some cocktails alone and be with your thoughts.
Loft conversions are not as expensive as they used to be. Nowadays, you see many old homes creating a second floor with a room to rent or perhaps to enjoy for yourself. Roofs can also be replaced with better materials now, so older homes with clay tiles can have their roof beams and structure replaced and the tiles made of composite materials. You can place roof windows into the structure, so you can have fresh natural light pour into the room and prevent it from getting gloomy.
The choice of carpet, flooring and decor is totally up to you. The loft room doesn’t have to match the other parts of the home either. It’s a bit like the conservatory in a sense that, it’s a separate from the rest of the normal living space so you can be free to be wild and creative. At least, more than you would usually.
On the porch
If you live in America, you most likely have a home that has a porch. Lucky you, because in most parts of the world, there isn’t any front part of the home in terms of structure. Porches are the quintessential chillout spot for many Americans, especially during hot seasons where staying indoors is on par with torture. Open-air and shade are what you need and the porch is a great place to find it.
Placing a swing chair or some kind on the porch makes absolute sense, not to mention a nice light small round table where you can put your drink or snack. The porch should however, be lit up with LED fairy lights which can be dimmed and change color if you want them too. The porch can also have a small rug where you can place your feet and prevent them from getting dirt, soil and scratched by the debris on the floor.
Chillout spots in and outside the home are harder and harder to come by. And yet, most of us desire nothing less than our own private space to be relaxing, inviting and provide us with some peace and quiet. These are some ideas, can you think of any others?