The living room is the staple of American homes. Every single house is sure to have one, although their uses vary among families. Some decide to use their's to watch television in relative tranquility after supper. Others decide to use their living room solely for the purpose of welcoming guests and talking with them at length. However, they all have a few things in common: every house has one, they're in a central location, and they're all inside. Well, your house might have one now, but did you know you can easily give it another, even if you're on a very tight budget? For a new take on the traditional staple of American homes, you can build an outdoor living room.

Outdoor living rooms are much cheaper to construct than their indoor counterparts. You don't even really need to pour a foundation – well placed bricks or stones set atop an inch or so of sand in the ground should do just fine. Of course, you can always choose to pour concrete (suggested for putting wood beams into the ground for a deck or raised platform), but outdoor living rooms come in a variety of styles.

First the Floor, Now What?

With the floor in place, the next part to construct is the roof. This is what sets the outdoor living room apart from simple decks or patios. The roof keeps the worst weather out of the room, so you can enjoy it even during fierce storms or on dreadfully hot days. Shingled and slate roofs are always options, but thatched and other exotic styles of roofs are also popular. However, there are still several components to consider before beginning to draw up construction plans.

Many outdoor living rooms have railing while especially luxurious plans call for semi walled in structures. By leaving significant patches of the perimeter without walls, an outdoor living room can still have the sense of openness that gives it nature's allure in the first place. However by having half or more of the perimeter walled, the room can retain a sense of tranquility and safety from the elements, a hybrid of the comfort of indoors with the freshness of the outside.

Beyond the floor, walls, and roof, an outdoor living room also generally has several other comforts to separate it from a deck or patio. Several electrical outlets might be positioned along the wall, while overhead lights allow the room to be enjoyed in the evening and nights. Because of the roof, the room can also have overhead fans to make hot summer days more enjoyable. Comfortable furniture, including swings and hammocks, completes the outdoor suite. To make your outdoors extremely comfortable, consider building an outdoor living room.