Spending time outdoors is a natural extension of the log and timber home lifestyle, and the reader-voted winners of the annual Best Log and Timber Homes of the Year contest show why. The top outdoor rooms of the 2020 competition shared a short list of repeatable moves: deep roof overhangs that shed weather, screened rooms that extend the season, layered terraces that follow the slope, fire features that anchor seating, and lighting that carries a porch from day into night. None of these depend on a particular builder, floor plan, or budget; they transfer to any house with usable ground, which makes them worth studying as design principles rather than one-off photo spreads. The same thinking that goes into choosing a versatile outdoor griddle applies to the room around it: pick materials and equipment that earn their place through daily use, not decoration.
Porch Design That Earns Daily Use
A porch earns its keep when the roof, the floor, and the lighting work as one system. In the winners, the strongest porches paired a mossy-toned stain with thin ribbons of chinking, then backed the look with structure that performs. Before you pour a slab, settle three decisions: overhang depth, floor material, and how the space is lit after dark. Put the seating plan on paper before framing, because it drives outlet placement, rail heights, and traffic lanes. Comfort is where the room is won or lost, and choosing the best deck chairs for outdoor living comes later in the sequence, once the dimensions and sight lines are fixed.
Roof Overhangs and Weather Protection
The 2020 winners leaned on deep, slanted overhangs that provide protection rain or shine. A sloped eave sheds water away from the sitting area, and the angle matters as much as the total depth. On a porch that faces prevailing storms, plan 4 to 6 feet of overhang; a 2-foot eave is fine on a mostly shaded north side. Where the porch sits beneath a second-story deck, add a membrane or metal pan above the ceiling so foot traffic cannot leak into the room below. Pitch the floor 1/8 inch per foot away from the house.
Lighting From Day Into Night
Wall-mounted lanterns were the workhorse choice across the contest field, delivering soft illumination that takes a space from day into night without glare. Lanterns at eye level throw light across the seating area, while uplights grazing the ceiling make a low roof feel taller. Pair the two: task light where people read and eat, ambient light along the walls and ceiling.
Lantern Placement
Space lanterns 8 to 10 feet apart along the house wall and mount them 5.5 to 6 feet above the floor. Favor 2700K bulbs, which flatter wood tones. LED strips tucked behind a header beam deliver the same mood lighting with a cleaner nighttime look.
| Porch decision | Winning choice | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Floor tone | Mossy stain with chinking ribbons | Sets the casual palette, hides pollen and wear |
| Overhang | Deep and slanted, 4-6 ft on exposed sides | Sheds rain and snow away from seating |
| Lighting | Wall lanterns, 8-10 ft spacing | Soft, even illumination after dark |
| Ceiling detail | LED strip behind the header beam | Uplight adds depth with no visible fixtures |
Screened Porches: Extending the Living Area
A screened porch converts a patio that gets used twice a season into a room that gets used daily. The standout example in the 2020 field was a nearly 500-square-foot screened porch off the kitchen, large enough for a dining table, lounge furniture, and a fireplace. Screened rooms work best when they sit between the kitchen and the yard, so food and drinks travel a short distance. Frame the screens in the same timber species as the house, and choose mesh rated for the local insect pressure; 18-by-16 mesh stops no-see-ums, while standard 16-by-18 mesh handles most mosquitoes.
Evening entertainment becomes part of the routine when the room is protected from bugs and weather. A blank wall or retractable panel gives outdoor projectors a reliable surface, and the enclosure keeps sound from drifting into neighboring lots. Screen rooms also protect upholstery and electronics, which is why they outlast open patios.
Placement and Traffic Flow
Put the door to the porch on the kitchen side and keep a straight path to the grill or lower patio. In the winners, the connection between kitchen and screened room did the work: shared sight lines, matching floor materials, and a two-sided fireplace made the two spaces read as one.
Two-Sided Fireplaces
A stone veneer fireplace that backs up to the kitchen fireplace connects the two main entertaining areas of the house with one hearth. The shared chimney saves a second flue run, and the fire warms both rooms at once. Specify the veneer in a material that matches the house stone, and cap the chimney high enough to clear the porch roof line.
- Bug-free dining through the entire warm season
- Protection for upholstery, cushions, and electronics
- A second living room that adds resale value
- Indoor-outdoor flow without the weather gamble
Terraces and Patios on Sloped Ground
Sloped lots produce some of the best outdoor rooms because grade changes create natural separation between zones. One 2020 winner was a multi-tiered terrace engulfed in boulders ranging in hue from silver to violet, with octagonal gazebos, decks, and balconies rounding out the arrangement. Each level earned its own job: a ground-level oasis for dining, upper decks for views, and balconies for quiet moments. The tiers also break up the mass of a large hardscape, so the terrace reads as a series of rooms rather than one slab.
Automation makes multi-level spaces easier to run. Grouping lighting, audio, and shade controls under one schedule, the way smart outdoor living spaces do, means the terrace lights come on as the sun drops below the ridgeline. Wire each tier with its own zone so maintenance stays simple.
Working With Boulders and Grade
Keep the boulders you excavate. In the contest home, existing rock became the visual spine of the terrace, saving the cost of hauling spoil and of buying new stone. Cut retaining walls into the hillside in steps rather than one tall wall, and drain behind each with gravel and perforated pipe so hydrostatic pressure never pushes the structure out.
Ground Materials That Anchor a Patio
Durable charcoal porcelain tile anchored the porch in one entry, chosen because it handles freeze-thaw cycles, resists staining, and stays cool underfoot. The round half-log exterior stayed on display above the tile line, proof that modern ground materials can sit beside rustic walls without fighting them.
Tile Selection for Outdoor Use
Specify tile rated for exterior use with a slip rating of R11 or better: 20 mm or thicker on pedestals, 3/4 inch minimum over a mud set. Choose textured surfaces for wet weather and verify the freeze-thaw rating for your climate zone; indoor-rated glazes will craze within two seasons.
Outdoor Kitchens and Entertaining Zones
When the view is the point, the outdoor room has to hold its ground. One winner faced 360-degree views of Mount Lawrence Grassi in Alberta’s Bow Valley, and the patio answered with a huge chiseled-granite hearth, Douglas fir timbers, and exposed metal elements that read as architecture rather than furniture. The lesson transfers: give the terrace a focal element with enough mass to compete with the scenery.
Where entertaining is the main event, the outdoor kitchen and pool house become their own project. Outdoor entertainment spaces for luxury estates typically start with pool house design and outdoor kitchen construction as a single package, so plumbing, gas, and power are trenched once and the two structures share one aesthetic.
The Outdoor Work Triangle
Plan the same work triangle you would indoors: grill, prep counter, and serving surface within 6 to 10 feet of one another. Add a sink and you have committed to a water line, so group wet and dry zones and run supply and waste together. Position the grill so prevailing wind carries smoke away from the seating, and give the cook 4 feet of clear counter beside the cooking surface.
Hearth Materials That Last
Chiseled granite stands up to heat, weather, and years of ash. Fieldstone and soapstone behave similarly, while soft limestone spalls in freeze zones because trapped water expands and pops the face. Exposed metal, from steel lintels to stainless hardware, ages well with a patina finish kept off wet mortar.
- Mark the serving flow from the kitchen door to the table
- Lay out the grill, prep, and sink as a work triangle
- Run gas, water, and power in one trench
- Frame the hearth around the appliance clearance specs
- Specify weather-rated cabinets, hardware, and countertops
Equipment, Storage, and Finishing Touches
The details decide whether a terrace gets used on a Tuesday or only at the summer party. Seating that is dry, a fire that lights with a switch, and a cooking surface that is ready when you are: those habits separate award entries from abandoned patios. Add storage that keeps cushions, grilling tools, and firewood under cover, and the room stays ready without a setup ritual.
Cooking outdoors stops being a special occasion when the setup is complete. Planning, building, and equipping an outdoor cooking space covers the hood, counter, and storage decisions that turn a grill on a cart into a working kitchen, including the gas line sizing and the ventilation that keep it safe.
Cooking Equipment That Earns Its Space
A fixed grill anchors the cooking zone, but the equipment around it gets used more often. Griddles handle breakfast, fish, and vegetables without flare-ups, side burners boil corn and sauce, and a refrigerator keeps burgers cold steps from the fire. Each appliance should earn its square footage or it will collect a cover and dust by the second season.
Gazebos, Balconies, and Quiet Corners
Octagonal gazebos give a terrace a roofed destination, and balconies off upper bedrooms add private perches. Match the roof pitch and timber species to the main house so the additions read as original rather than bolted on. Keep the walk between gazebo and kitchen hard-surfaced, and light the path at ankle level so evening guests can move safely between tiers.
A porch designed as part of the house, with matching overhangs, railings, and lighting, becomes the room guests remember. When the footprint has no room, an addition that extends the roofline captures the same effect. Porch addition design for multi-functional outdoor living spaces shows how to frame, screen, and finish the new room so it connects to the kitchen and the yard at once. Start with the three systems that made the 2020 winners work: a roof that sheds weather, light that carries past sunset, and seating that is always ready.