At a new home in Bloomfield Hills, an indoor/outdoor space for all seasons has become a fun destination for family and friends. In the winter, a fireplace, ceiling heaters, heated floors, and vinyl enclosures add comfort to the well-equipped kitchen and cozy living area. Come summer, when it’s time to embrace the warmer weather, protective screens keep bugs at bay.
Interior designer Sandra Lousia, who owns SLS Designs Inc. in Bloomfield Hills, worked on the whole home with builder Dan Moore of Moore Custom Homes. In the indoor/outdoor gathering and entertainment area, she says the homeowners, a couple with three kids, “wanted it to feel like they were still inside the home and it was all part of the interior, because they use it year-round.”
The outdoor kitchen includes polished countertops in seafoam green, while dark quartzite with a leathered finish on the backsplash offers durability and hides dirt. “It’s an outdoor space,” Lousia says. “There’s a lot of natural light, so it doesn’t feel dark in there, but it turns moody at night. There’s a lot of indirect lighting.” Other practical considerations included choosing Sunbrella fabric for the sectional and vinyl counter stools at the island. “They’re very lightweight and stackable,” she notes.
Additional materials include dark wood details on the ceiling and exterior stone for the fireplace, which supports an outdoor TV. The kitchen incorporates a sink, along with a grill, pizza oven, and griddle. “They entertain a lot,” Lousia says. The property also has a pool with a hot tub, fire pit, and basketball court.
The outdoor bathroom can only be accessed from the backyard. “It’s nice because no one has to walk through the house to get to the bathroom when they have a pool party,” the designer says. The convenient space, which includes a changing room, features vinyl wallcovering, a wood vanity topped with porcelain, and a shower with reeded porcelain tile that looks like bamboo.
“Someone can use the changing room (at the same time, because) it has a separate door from the bathroom,” Lousia explains. “There are two doors from the outside; one goes into the bathroom and one goes into the changing room, and there’s another door between them, too, so they can be used in a lot of different ways.”
Even the poolside lounge chairs are flexible in nature. “Function and durability were very important with this project,” she says. “It’s not just about the beauty, especially with kids, and they entertain a lot. So it gives you both.”
More Information: slsdesignsinc.com
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