Nowadays, people expect more than ever from their landscapes. Within recent decades the garden has become an outdoor room for the family. Considered an extension of the house, outdoor rooms become a focal point from spring through the fall in colder areas of the country. Every feature in outdoor rooms needs to be carefully considered. Here are some books that can help your plan your open air living space.

“”Open Air Living-Creative Ideas for Stylish Outdoor Living” by Enrica Stabile was published by Ryland Peters and Small. This inspirational paperback shows outdoor space can be designed with particular activities in mind. Chapters are devoted to eating, relaxing, bathing, and even working outdoors. The author explains all the things you’ll need to create your outdoor space, from lighting and seating to other furniture, pillows, fabrics, and other furnishings.

Illustrated in full color, this useful guide has delightful ideas from cover to cover with examples and projects you can quickly put to use. There are all sorts of projects with illustrated, step-by-step instructions, including chair covers, tablecloths, furniture, bird houses, and a rustic stool.

Whether your outdoor space is in a backyard, on a deck, porch, roof, or out in the open air, this book has easy and simple ideas that will enrich your life and liven up your landscape.

“Quick and Easy Garden Furniture” by Philip and Kate Haxell was released by Cico Books, an imprint of Ryland Peters. This invaluable guide contains 23 fast, useful projects that can be completed in a weekend or less. Some are easy enough for beginners who can use ordinary hand tools, while others require some basic knowledge and skill of woodworking experience and power tools.

Among the projects are attractive, functional items for the landscape, such as garden structures, garden furniture, planters, and garden ornaments. Just for fun there’s a child’s swing and a building block chair and table for children. For gardeners there are useful items, such as planters, pot holders and shelves, tool racks, and a tool caddy as well as a potting bench.

In addition to the individual projects, there are chapters covering the techniques, tools, and materials that are needed. For particular projects, there are templates as well. The authors stress safe work methods and tool safety. They even explain how to take measurements. For each project there is a list of supplies, tools, and materials along with color illustrated, step-by-step instructions and a color photo of the completed project.