Outdoor Winter Living Spaces We Love
Last Updated: Apr 7, 2025There is nothing more gratifying than an unexpected warm spell in the middle of February. When you can finally open the windows, air out your house, and spend some time taking in a bit of sunshine and warmth on your front porch. Unfortunately, global climate change doesn't necessarily translate into longer warm spells in the heart of winter. Instead, some studies find that climate change might lead to harsher winter weather in large portions of the United States. With the right design, however, it is entirely possible to enjoy outdoor living areas during the wintertime - without having to put on eight layers of clothing every time you open your front door. Below, we offer a few ideas for how to design and construct winter-friendly outdoor living areas.
Table of Contents
- What Health Issues Can Arise from Spending the Winter Indoors?
- Some Ideas for Outdoor Winter Spaces
What Health Issues Can Arise from Spending the Winter Indoors?
When the temperatures dip down into the teens, a hermetically closed and centrally heated home can certainly feel like a needed luxury. However, several health problems can arise with spending long months indoors.
Increase in Probability of Colds and the Flu
The flu doesn't only occur during the winter months. Dozens of different viruses can cause the common cold and more dangerous illnesses (like COVID-19, for example). And all of them are present throughout the year. However, because people tend to spend much more time indoors during the winter, the CDC reports that the peak months of flu activity almost always occur between December and March. The more time we spend indoors in the company of other people, the higher the probability of catching someone else's virus.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
SAD is another common winter health problem that can lead to severe bouts of depression and anxiety. An estimated ten million Americans suffer from this disorder. SAD has been linked to a lack of Vitamin D (from sunlight) and fresh air that comes with spending a healthy amount of time outdoors.
Unhealthy Indoor Air Quality
Winterizing your home can certainly help to cut back on your heating bill. But, a well-sealed home can also lead to unhealthy indoor air quality. HRV and ERV systems can help to introduce a steady supply of fresh air into your home, though many houses don't have these systems in place. Heating sources like oil, gas, kerosene, coal, and firewood can introduce potentially dangerous pollutants and VOCs into your home. This is especially true if your heating unit hasn't received regular maintenance. Moreover, decreased ventilation that comes through weather stripping and improving your insulation will keep bacteria, viruses, mold, dust, and other common indoor pollutants inside your home. The result is the feeling of "stuffiness" that often accompanies air inside your home. So, a tight home needs to ensure that it has enough fresh air through an HRV or ERV or other types of ventilation.
Some Ideas for Outdoor Winter Spaces
You don't have to compromise your home's energy efficiency through open windows during the wintertime to enjoy a bit of fresh air. Your backyard patio might not be a great place to host a dinner party when it's below freezing outside. Fortunately, there are other ways to design outdoor living areas that are completely usable during the wintertime.
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
