Anatomy of Fine Outdoor Living

When Teresa Stohs, executive director of the Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park, approached KCH&G about hosting a booth at their second annual fundraiser to benefit the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead — Stems: A Garden Soiree — we felt it was a natural fit. Promoting gorgeous gardens and local organizations is what we specialize in, after all. But we couldn't carry out our vision of creating the ultimate outdoor living space without respective professionals in landscaping, building and design.

During months of advance planning, we gathered with a group of businesses to define our objective: to showcase the best available products and trends in outdoor living. On June 27, the day of the event, it all came together, with us and the 1,500 attendees marveling at the “room” atop a hill.

First, to create the “room,” we partnered with Schutte Lumber, who donated materials, and Douglas Homes Construction, who built the arbor. The sturdy cedar frame and overhead beams defined our 16-foot by16-foot living space and gave the landscape a strong architectural presence. The next components to be incorporated were the stone fireplace, built by Maverick Landscaping, and an outdoor kitchen station, provided by Sturgis Materials, who also provided the stone for the fireplace. Though the day of the event was warm, incorporating the elements of fire can extend the season of any outdoor room.

We wanted our guests to be comfortable in the great outdoors, so we picked out this furniture set from Seasonal Concepts called Arabesque, which included a couch and coffee table, dining set, two chairs, an end table and beverage cart. Scandia Down designed the layout of the space and brought in accessories to make the room feel as luxurious as any room indoors. Fabric draped at the corners softened the straight lines of the columns, while pillows added color, and hurricanes for candles and table lamps brought a warm glow as night fell. Highlighting one corner of the room was a stunning piece of art donated by The Rice Gallery of Fine Art.

Finally, to blend our space into the Arboretum's surroundings, Rosehill Gardens supplied us with “plantainers” that were used to flank the entrance and bring life to the room. Pots featuring various combinations of plants added texture and color, complementing the design elements seen throughout the space.

To see more photos of the “room” and event, become a fan of ours on Facebook!