Warm transitional seasons and mild winters have made Las Vegas the center of indoor-outdoor living. An architectural and landscaping design concept, indoor-outdoor living seamlessly blurs the boundaries between the inside and outside of the home.
“The demand for indoor-outdoor living skyrocketed during the pandemic as homeowners needed to increase their living space to accommodate working, learning, and entertaining at home. Backyards of all sizes had to function as multi-functional extensions of the home,” said Alan Schrimpf, owner of Southern Vegas Valley Contracting (SVVC).
What began as a temporary need has become a mainstay in Las Vegas residential design. Helping clients experience this way of living is Schrimpf. With more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry, Schrimpf is renowned in Southern Nevada for reinventing residences and transforming the way Las Vegans live.
Founded 20 years ago, SVVC is a full-service remodel and contracting company offering unparalleled indoor-outdoor design, pools, construction, and interior design. A perfect example of the fusion between indoor-outdoor living is Schrimpf’s own home in Summerlin.
“From personal experience, I’ve found that builders offer a limited number of structural and finish options. Given these limited selections and most homeowners’ desire to create their vision, we specialize in customizing new builder homes following the close of escrow. Our home is a solid example of transforming a standard builder home into a semi-custom residence,” said Schrimpf.
Schrimpf invited us to visit his home and experience how SVVC impeccably melds the comforts of the indoors with the experience of being outdoors. Among other things, Schrimpf’s home features a custom backyard complete with large gathering areas, a misting system, kitchen, pool, spa, fire table, shower, and soaking tub.
With family and friends taking center stage in Schrimpf’s life, being able to comfortably gather, cook and dine year-round was an integral part of his design process. “When creating indoor-outdoor spaces, I personally work with each client, always keeping their needs and budget in mind, to design and implement aesthetically pleasing, functional spaces. Some clients want many indoor-outdoor components. Others, just a few. Whatever their vision and budget designate, we can accomplish,” said Schrimpf.
Entering Schrimpf’s home, one is immediately taken by the beautiful floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors leading into the backyard. Schrimpf continued the same 2-foot by 4-foot pale gray format tile used from the entry courtyard, through the interior, and outside the backyard to create a sense of continuous indoor-outdoor space.
A pergola cover and integrated outdoor kitchen features stainless-steel appliances that follow the interior kitchen’s footprint. This makes transporting dishes, drinks, and food effortless. A pizza oven, grill, and smoker are accompanied by a sink, refrigerator, built-in storage, and a pull-out warming drawer. A large dining table seats up to 12, and a sectional sits in front of a media wall and fireplace.
Surrounded by slate-gray porcelain pavers, the backyard centerpiece is a negative edge pool and spa creating the calming visual effect of endless water.
In another section of the yard, a sunken seating area featuring indirect lighting and views of the mountains includes a raised fire table. “When it comes to creating outdoor spaces, every detail matters. Something as simple as the deep stone table edge surrounding the fire table was key. Expanding the edge by 2-inches provides an alfresco dining place for guests to place plates and drinks,” said Schrimpf.
Perhaps the biggest wow-factor is the private outdoor bathing area. Discreetly hidden by a privacy enclosure and guarded by a security system is a retreat featuring an outdoor shower, free-standing soaking tub, and seating area located off the master bathroom. “Outdoor showers are gaining in popularity and are relatively affordable. Bringing more of the outside into master bathrooms is definitely a valuable design consideration,” explained Schrimpf.
Encompassing the yard are 200 tiny, strategically placed misting heads.
“Las Vegas offers over 300 sunny days a year, and your backyard can be an extension of your home year-round. Today’s misting systems are effective, affordable, water-smart, and blend in with your yard to create a micro-environment.
Turned on early in the morning, the right misting system will cool your outdoor spaces by up to 15 degrees, allowing you to enjoy your yard even in July,” said Schrimpf.
Upon request, SVVC also offers coordinating indoor-outdoor decorating services. “We can work with each client to bring their interior décor outside. Though not mandatory, we’ve found creating a consistent connection between the two areas yields amazing results,” explained Schrimpf.
In his home, Schrimpf chose high-performance, lightweight aluminum furniture covered in Sunbrella fabrics that coordinate with the home’s interior design. “Each piece of furniture in our yard is easily interchangeable depending on our needs,” explained Schrimpf. “All seating, lounge, and dining furniture can be moved and reprogramed to accommodate our needs.”
Hiring a highly reputable design and contracting firm is crucial to increasing one’s personal and financial investment in their home. Schrimpf and SVVC offer exceptional service, design, and craftsmanship based on anyone’s needs and budget.