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Is this what outdoor rooms have come to?

I had a rare quite moment on Saturday, so I flipped the TV to DIY Network where I was treated to an episode of “Indoors Out.”

I was sucked in, watching the contractors create a beautiful stonework patio and fireplace surrounded by stately arborvitae. A comfy outdoor couch and chairs were the finishing touch. Or at least that’s what I thought.

I didn’t see the first part of the show, so I didn’t realize the designers were striving to create an outdoor media room. My mouth hung open as the contractors placed an $8,500 specially made outdoor TV atop a beautiful marble-topped table.

A mondo big-screen TV. Outside. What?

It seemed way over-the-top and downright decadent to me. Sacrilegious even! How could you ruin a peaceful outdoor retreat with an obnoxious TV? I’m sure the neighbors will love overhearing strains from "Shrek the Third" as they try to relax by their water garden.

I believe the entire project cost around $30,000. Which, in my neck of the woods, would almost cover the costs to add a room to the house. Where a less-expensive TV could be safely ensconced out of earshot.

-- Sarah

Smith & Hawken closes 2 Minneapolis stores

Smith & Hawken will close 2 of its 3 stores in the Twin-Cities area by the end of the year, the Star Tribune reported. A company spokesperson declined to say if the closings were part of a larger cutback program for Smith & Hawken.

Smith & Hawken's parent company, Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. of Marysville, Ohio, recently reported declining sales and continuing losses for the chain. In a conference call with analysts, executives described Smith & Hawken as “a drag on earnings.”

-- Sarah

An inside look at outdoor trends

Trends in outdoor-living hard goods like containers, fountains and statuary can be summed up in three words: color, contrast and continuity.

Jerrett Dornbusch, design director at Southern Patio, told me at this week’s National Hardware Show and Lawn & Garden World that retailers would be wise to build their late-2007 buys around these trends:

Color. Look for on-trend hues with sexy names like sage green, oatmeal, English saddle and oxblood. “Brown is back as a hot color because it’s an anchor color,” Dornbusch said. “And of course, black. Black is the new black.”

Contrast. New glazes on lightweight fiberglass containers make them look like ceramic pots. (I couldn’t tell the difference until I picked up a large urn that I swore was ceramic.)

Continuity. “Different shapes, finishes and contrasts make outdoor living products more interesting, but they need to all have a similar feel to make all the pieces look like they belong together and are all members of the same family,” Dornbusch said.

-- Kevin

Outdoor rooms leave no space for plants

Two recent articles in Washington Post discussed the latest developments in outdoor rooms.

Beds in backyards are an emerging trend, one writer reported. These sun beds are sprouting up in national chains and home centers. A spokeswoman for Crate and Barrel told the paper it seems the whole house is emptying into the backyard.

Garden writer Adrian Higgins wondered if current outdoor living trends will leave any room in the landscape for plants. He notes that houses are getting bigger, lot sizes are getting smaller and garden space is more precious than ever.

-- Sarah

In the “out” door

In days of yore, during my talks at various industry confabs, I would begin the proceedings by passing out Morton’s packages. My message was simple: No matter who it is telling you “everything you need to know to succeed,” the message is best-seasoned with a grain of salt.

Face it: If there were a crystal ball, we all would have consulted it -- several times, probably. In turn, we all would be retired by now. Or, at least, we all would be doing “wee hour” infomercials aboard our luxury watercraft, replete with bikini-clad friends who help show just how smart and wealthy we have become because of our newfound knowledge.

That said, I do think the recent, heavily touted “outdoor living room” concept not only has legs, but that those legs will be in full-sprint mode this selling season. Practically every trend report I read or every “hot topic” television show I watch references the notion that the home extends, quite literally, to the great outdoors. Susan McCoy of the Garden Media Group has put together a compelling projection on the subject, along with a comprehensive look at all things “in” and “out” for 2007. I read it. I enjoyed it. And, for once, I didn’t feel the need to add much salt.

Now, whether you add salt to that last sentence is entirely up to you.

-- Yale