Southern California is blessed with 9 months of perfect weather. The days are warm and the nights are cool; perfect for outdoor entertaining and family time. There was a time when a few lawn chairs, a badminton set, a wooden picnic table and the charcoal BBQ were the setting for a great evening outdoors.

Today, with the boom in technology, designers talk about expanding your living area with one or more "outdoor rooms." What is a room outdoors? It is a backyard design that combines landscaping, hardscaping and lighting. The most complex design can include such options as a pool area and spa, play area, cooking area, eating area, and sitting area with an outdoor fireplace or fire pit.

The size of the yard and the wallet will determine the number and function of the "rooms." Some start with the pool and necessary decking and each year or so add another room. A less expensive choice could be to start with a well placed patio; a pergola, a built-in BBQ and a fully equipped outdoor kitchen added in stages.

The real trick to progressive outdoor expansion is careful planning before any ground is broken. You do not have to have all the materials and appliances picked out in advance, but you do have to make a few decisions that will literally be cast in stone, brick or cement. Design, function and usefulness of appliances change over time, however they all need at least one of four things; gas, electricity, running water and drainage. Putting in these access lines before any ground is broken will save a lot of money in the future not to mention frustration.

I recommend spending at few hundred dollars initially with someone with backyard landscaping design experience coordinated with an experienced masonry contractor to get a drawing of the overall finished design with a list of the separate independent projects. A landscaping designer will make sure the smoke from a barbeque will not drift over the eating and sitting area or into the house. He or she will also know where all the lines should be placed (gas, electricity, water and drainage). Be sure the landscaping plans include your color preferences, if there are particular plants you want to keep or add, and how many children (and ages), adults, and pets will have access to the backyard. From there it is all creating based on your needs and desires and, of course, the all important wallet.