AUDIO SLIDESHOW: Extending Your Living Space

When landscape designer Connie Cross bought a 5-acre parcel of woodland on which to build a house, the last thing she wanted to do was cut down a lot of trees. Her biggest concern was making sure that the home and all of its outdoor living spaces melded into the natural surroundings. Connie knew that to create a well-designed property, the house and the land had to be intimately connected. Her outdoor rooms are where this union takes place.

Throughout her property, Connie has sprinkled numerous alfresco entertaining areas - such as patios, a pool, and a playhouse - that are perfectly suited to their location. Those closest to the house serve as natural extensions of the indoor rooms they adjoin. The spaces farther away blend organically into the landscape. These one-of-a-kind outdoor rooms make the property truly unique and keep friends and family coming back to visit, year after year.