Trellis-clad outdoor living room with black metal lounge chairs and a wood-burning fire feature, framed by potted greenery and a raised deck patio

Outdoor Room Addition

This Villanova property called for a true extension of the home: not just an outdoor space, but a room that carries the same architecture, materials, and comfort into the garden. Warm wood beams, black-framed doors and windows, and large openings blur the line between inside and out, so the room reads as connected to the landscape rather than separate from it.

Beyond the room itself, a gravel courtyard creates a more intimate gathering space, anchored by a sculptural Corten steel fire bowl and framed by custom wood beam benches. Raised wood steps carry the progression forward, connecting the courtyard to a new dining area built for the same kind of ease.

Location

Villanova, 
Pennsylvania

Exterior Design
& Installation

GreenRoots
Design Firm

Photography

Mark Rutt
Creative

Rustic corten steel fire bowl on a gravel patio, flanked by reclaimed timber benches, framed by a lit trellis facade and black French doors
Wood deck steps with potted greenery leading to an open-air living space, framed by a cedar trellis wall and black-framed windows

The Project Brief

  • Outdoor room designed as a true extension of the home's architecture
  • Wood beams, black-framed doors and windows, and large openings connecting indoors and out
  • Gravel courtyard anchored by a sculptural Corten steel fire bowl
  • Custom wood beam benches for informal seating
  • Raised wood steps connecting the courtyard to a new dining area
  • Designed for year-round use, from cool evenings to quiet morning
Black-framed French doors opening from an indoor living space to a wooded outdoor patio with a fire feature, part of a Villanova outdoor room designed by GreenRoots

The Experience

Step through the black-framed doors and the transition barely registers: wood beams carry overhead from interior to exterior, and large openings keep the surrounding greenery in view from every angle. A wood lattice screen filters light across the space, glowing warm after dark.

Out in the gravel courtyard, the Corten steel fire bowl sets the tone, its rust-toned surface grounding the custom wood beam benches and simple, architectural plantings around it. Raised wood steps lead up to the dining area, drawing the whole sequence together: gathering, dining, and relaxing, all built for use in any season.

Vaulted sunroom dining space with round table, dark upholstered chairs, and woven pendant lights over black-framed windows overlooking the backyard
Grouping of textured stone planters with evergreen shrubs on a gravel patio near wood deck steps

The best outdoor rooms don't feel added on. They feel like they were always part of the house.

Gravel patio outdoor living area with a corten fire bowl, timber bench, mixed metal and upholstered seating, and layered planters set against mature trees and hedges