Outdoor Rooms, Mediterranean in Spirit

Teak, travertine, an olive tree in a terracotta pot — composing an outdoor room that feels like a long European afternoon.

The best outdoor rooms borrow from indoor restraint. A low teak lounge, a single travertine side table, a chunky outdoor throw for the cool hour after sundown.

Plants stay sculptural — an olive tree, a lemon in a terracotta pot, rosemary spilling from a stone trough. Avoid the urge to crowd.

Light is the final layer. Two or three warm lanterns at low height, candles in honed stone holders, and nothing overhead.