ALFRESCO: Year-round outdoor dining and socialising. Photography by JACKIE RUSSELL.

INDOOR outdoor flow is a cliché of home design that is an expected feature of any home built after the indulgent 1980s. Virtually anything from a few ranch sliders opening onto a little timber deck to a sunny patio with a polycarbonate roof seems to qualify for the Kiwi dream of living outside in any weather.

The contemporary compromise that offers year-round comfort and unequivocal style is a fully fledged outdoor room.

Glossy magazines frequently portray these buffer zones in Mediterranean blues and whites that overlook infinity pools and ocean vistas, but the open-air architecture works equally well in suburban settings.

When Jenny and Murray Clark moved into their Pakuranga home, the outdoor living consisted of a 60 square metre concrete patio, which was exposed to the elements and neighbours. The space was ideal for an outdoor room that would provide privacy, as well as shelter from wind and sun.

The couple wanted to create a Tuscan mood, reminiscent of vineyards and Italian rural life. Magazines were perused and design specifications considered before architect Bill Carlisle generated the final plan.

An exposed beam roof has double-glazed, tinted glass to control glare and heat transfer. The solid block walls are plastered to create a modern farmhouse feel and a gap between the wall and roof achieves an open-air atmosphere.

“We could have completely enclosed the room but we left it open for the look,” says Jenny. “Originally we didn’t have the timber doors but added these later.”

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HIGHLIGHTS: Red adds flare to earthy tones.

CENTREPIECE: Timber, light and warmth create a comfortable retreat.

The large bi-fold doors open onto an immaculate lawn and lines of clipped hedges broken with titoki trees and conical conifers — a Kiwi slant on structured Italian gardens.

With protection from the weather, the room is furnished and decorated with accessories designed for indoor living. Heavyweight timber adds rustic charm and a stunning eight-setting dining table is a focal point. A serious gas barbecue is flanked with a custom-made macrocarpa kitchen, perfectly designed to work in harmony with the internal kitchen.

“We eat out here every night in the summer and use the room for entertaining in the winter. It’s great because Murray does more cooking.”

The Clark family is keen on boxing and at their most recent outdoor soirée they gathered around the table with friends and gazed up at the flat-screen television to watch David Tua’s fight.

Walls painted in a grey reminiscent of river stones are highlighted with rose red glassware, hearts and faux flowers. A “table” made from a wine barrel breaks the long rectangular room and tempts guests to venture out of the house to share some vino. Jenny’s artistic eye achieves balance and character, without fuss or clutter.