6 creative takes on indoor/outdoor living

Think your current footprint will limit your options? Think again! An existing window or door can be expanded, especially in the context of a renovation. That’s exactly what Brooklyn, New York-based restoration and renovation company, Brownstone Boys did when they replaced two windows with a Folding Outswing door in a recent project. While a standard patio door also would have fit the footprint, a Folding Outswing door was the best option for maximizing the opening. All three panels fold back neatly, so there’s no barrier at all between the kitchen and terrace. The folding feature and the fact that the door runs along a single track, made it possible to install this door without altering the thickness of the surrounding walls, which is yet another reason it was a perfect fit here.

No need to lug all your drinks and snacks out into the hot sun. Instead, serve your guests outside without leaving the comforts of your kitchen. Mix up a drink, serve up a snack, and hand it out through the unobstructed opening that a pass-through window provides. It’s an ideal way to maximize the utility of two spaces at once and can be a nice small-space solution, too. Interior Designer Jessica Davis chose a two-panel, Folding Pass-Through Window to connect her kitchenette and patio/pool area outside. Love her space? 

Selecting a patio door with a third, or even a fourth panel is a clever way to maximize views while still sticking with a traditional sliding glass door. That’s exactly what designer Justina Blakeney did in her LA remodel. Blakeney’s home combines Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Mid-Century Modernism. To keep that balance, she chose an E-Series Gliding Patio Door with four panels. The framing around the panels is ultra thin — a nod to her home’s modernism — while the soothing shade of olive green makes a colorful statement that aligns with its historic Spanish elements, like the stucco exterior and terracotta tile roof. The four panels also let her family enjoy views of their plant-filled courtyard. Want to see more of her home update? 

Looking to create a bright and airy interior while also staying true to your home’s architectural style? Go French! A hinged patio door fits in great with a traditional home. Even better, a series of these doors will bring in light and improve indoor/outdoor flow while creating a pleasing symmetrical composition that’s oh-so classic. That’s exactly what blogger, designer, and author Will Taylor did in his home where five E-Series Hinged Patio Doors connect a living room, a bedroom, and other smaller spaces to a deck and pool outside. Want more details? 

Make your bedroom into the ultimate refuge by connecting it with the tranquility of nature. That’s what pro remodeler and HGTV host Laurie March did when she remodeled her LA home. March’s project included adding a second story with a new primary suite and attached balcony, which gives her a bird’s-eye view of her backyard domain. A two-panel MultiGlide™ Door tucks neatly into the wall when open and doubles the size of her space, creating a peaceful space with vacation-y vibe — who wouldn’t want to wake up here? 

Sometimes the opportunity to do something extra special presents itself, like in the case of this farmhouse built in Sonoma County, California. There, the homeowners wanted to truly erase the walls, so they installed pocketing MultiGlide Doors on two walls of their living room combining the front yard patio, home, and backyard swimming pool into one space when all doors are open. Uniting all these spaces not only allows for free movement, it also redefines the open-concept floor plans in a way that boosts your Vitamin D levels!