HERE are a few thoughts that will help you towards the first step in transforming your outdoor room from the mundane to something you look forward to seeing every day.

While not as eye-catching as some landscape elements, drainage is very important. It is so often overlooked, yet can make the difference between enjoying the full dimension of your outdoor room or feeling like a prisoner in your own home. A well-designed storm drainage system provides the correct grading so that positive drainage carries water away from your structures while not draining onto the properties around you. This is such an important step that local authorities are totally in support of it as they fully respect the impact of poorly constructed drainage systems. When taking on board landscape contractors make sure they are fully experienced and versed in the local council's regulations. Otherwise, you could end up paying for an expensive mess.

Custom swimming pools naturally extend your indoor living space into the outdoors. To add even more pleasure, consider these options: a spa, waterfalls, negative edges, underwater benches and a sun shelf (a specially-built feature for sunning). Additionally, luxury swimming pools are great for entertaining, whether informal family get-togethers, children playtime or business gatherings. Having your pool designed to suit the space creates such a seamless ambience throughout, and just adds that ``ahh'' feeling when you do get back to your home. Take the time to get this right because you should be satisfied that the final costing for this is rewarded

Outdoor rooms extend your main living areas. In addition to attaching them to the main house, another idea is to use other structures on your property maybe a pool cabana or summer house. Or maybe you have under-utilised spaces on the side of your home which are just waiting to become an outdoor room. I recently designed a garden which had a view that had not been captured. This element alone allowed the design to support a unique cabana which gives an area for rest and relaxation while soaking in the views. These very rooms can be designed so that you don't have to depend on the region's weather to enjoy the outdoors. You can install the ever-reliable overhead fans, build a screened-in porch or invest in a mist system.