Finding The Great Outdoors At Home

G.J. Gardner

As the seasons begin to turn and the days stretch further into the evening, more homeowners are rethinking how they use their spaces. Longer nights and softer temperatures create the perfect invitation to extend entertaining beyond the walls of the home. Instead of moving gatherings indoors at the end of the day, families are now moving the indoors out, dining, relaxing and socialising in covered patios, alfresco lounges and outdoor rooms designed to work across the seasons.

This shift has reshaped the way many New Zealanders think about home design. Outdoor areas are no longer seen as seasonal extras. They are becoming essential living spaces that can be enjoyed from the first warmth of spring through to the end of autumn, and often well into winter with the right features. Covered decks, sliding openings, outdoor fireplaces and serving windows are making it easier to create warmth, atmosphere and connection outside, even as the light fades.

Outdoor areas have long been a key feature in Kiwi-style living, and today they are seen as a top priority for many homeowners. The focus on seamless indoor-outdoor flow makes these spaces ideal for entertaining, especially during the long summer months filled with barbecues and gatherings. Connecting indoor areas, such as kitchens, to outdoor dining and lounge areas creates the perfect setting for socialising and relaxation, allowing for a continuous flow between the two.

Designs that make the most of sun exposure and the home’s location offer a natural integration between the indoors and outdoors. This connection helps to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside, creating an open, airy space that is ideal for any occasion.

Homes like Bespoke in Brooklands and Te Awanui Lodge truly exemplify the benefits of outdoor living.

The Taranaki Showhome, Bespoke in Brooklands, features a stunning sunken fire pit that offers a perfect space for entertaining. Surrounded by native trees and scenic landscapes, it is easy to imagine a lively evening with friends and family, making the most of the beautiful surroundings. It proves that you do not need a vast section to make a striking outdoor statement. A well-placed feature can anchor a space and make outdoor gatherings feel relaxed and memorable as the night sky settles in.

Te Awanui Lodge in Tauranga North makes excellent use of its kitchen layout and deck space. A fold-out kitchen window and outside serving shelf make this home ideal for outdoor dining. Whether soaking up the morning sun with a coffee and cake or hosting a summer brunch, this practical feature enhances indoor-outdoor flow and creates a functional yet stylish space for everyday enjoyment. It is a reminder that outdoor living is as much about convenience as it is about atmosphere.

That same spirit continues across other G.J. Gardner showhomes around the country. Each one approaches outdoor living in its own way, but all share a common goal: to make life outside feel as natural and inviting as life indoors.

In Rodney’s Wainui area, Mindful in Milldale shows how effective a modestly sized outdoor space can be when it is well integrated. The alfresco area, though compact, connects directly to the main living zone and creates a sheltered nook that feels like part of the interior. It is the kind of space where you can slide a door open on a warm evening and instantly add an extra room to the house without stepping far. It is simple, usable and positioned for everyday living rather than occasional use.

Further south in Hamilton, Magnificent on Maui takes the idea further. With its larger floor plan and generous alfresco area, it treats outdoor living as an extension of the home’s social centre. Dining, lounging and entertaining outside become effortless when the space supports multiple uses. The layout encourages gatherings that move naturally from kitchen to patio to garden. With room to furnish, personalise or adapt over time, the outdoor area becomes a long-term part of how the home functions.

Then there are homes that turn outdoor areas into destinations in their own right. Desert Romance in Papamoa is a strong expression of this idea. With more than 50 square metres of alfresco space and additional covered porches, the home softens the boundary between inside and outside. The outdoor zones feel like fully developed living areas, suited to long summer lunches, evening conversations around an outdoor fireplace or quiet mornings listening to the sounds of the garden. The scale allows for flexibility and multiple settings within the one outdoor space.

These homes show that outdoor living does not depend on size, budget or climate. It depends on intention. Some achieve it through clever details, such as the fold-out window and serving shelf at Te Awanui Lodge. Others create atmosphere through design choices like the sunken fire pit at Bespoke in Brooklands, set into the landscape and framed with native planting to draw people outward. In every case, outdoor areas succeed when they feel connected to the way people actually live.

Across all of these homes, the most successful outdoor areas have a few things in common. They connect to daily life, make the most of sunlight and surroundings, and feel welcoming throughout the day. This could be a sheltered deck for morning coffee, a shaded dining space for summer evenings or a large alfresco room that functions like a second lounge. The aim is always the same: to make outdoor living part of how the home is used, not just how it looks.

As the evenings lengthen and seasons shift, these spaces adapt with the light. Fire pits, outdoor heating, louvre roofs, screening and lighting make it possible to stay outside comfortably long after sunset. Entertaining does not end when the air cools or the light fades. It simply moves outward in a different way, with blankets thrown over chairs, lanterns glowing on tables and the scent of a meal travelling through an open kitchen window.

G.J. Gardner showhomes bring that philosophy to life. From intimate alfresco nooks to expansive decks and landscaped courtyards, they show the wide range of possibilities available to modern homeowners. Outdoor living can be cosy or generous, sheltered or open, practical or indulgent, but above all it should be lived in.

For many New Zealanders, the outdoors has always been more than a backdrop. It is part of how we gather, entertain and unwind. These homes celebrate that, not only in the height of summer, but across the shifting light and longer nights of the seasons. One evening at a time, they make the transition between inside and out feel effortless and inviting.