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" It has long been the mantra of New York real estate brokers that space is the ultimate luxury. But that&amp;#039;s not quite true. Outdoor space, in fact, is the ne plus ultra.  And that is what I stumbled upon with my first Manhattan apartment, which came with a terrace nearly as large as my studio. I assumed I would never use it. But before long I was tending roses and lilacs, and hosting barbecues and cocktails. A few years later, hungering for real land rather than planters, I bought a house in the country, not realizing that while acreage permits more plants, it also comes with a bounty of deer, woodchucks, moles, and bats.  I consider myself a victim of a mania that has since spread all across America\u2014a passion for being and living outdoors. In states with a mild climate, it&amp;#039;s a tradition to lavish attention on pools, terraces, porches, and gazebos. But there are no longer any geographical restraints. I have more than one friend who uses a gas grill in the snow. The conventional approach to an outdoor room has been pushed to an extreme. Now we have outdoor kitchens, outdoor living rooms with fireplaces, outdoor dining areas complete with chandeliers. Outdoor showers have given way to outdoor baths. And why not?  The design industry has responded. The range of sophisticated furniture that can stand up to the elements is staggering. Outdoor fabrics, which once consisted of little more than stiff canvas or woven plastic, have undergone a revolution. Today&amp;#039;s soft and supple versions mimic everything from sheer cottons to velvets and suede. And every day, it seems, another appliance is adapted to outdoor use\u2014ovens, refrigerators, wine coolers. We now have outdoor heaters and underwater speakers.  This issue celebrates the increasingly porous barrier between in and out, with homes in areas as diverse as Los Angeles (where the roses bloom nearly year round) and the Berkshires (where the snow only seems to last that long). It&amp;#039;s proof that the urge to connect with nature is universal, and there&amp;#039;s no reason not to enjoy comfort, style, and elegance wherever you are\u2014indoors or out. Michael Boodro, Editor in Chief elledecor@hearst.com Pictured right, top to bottom: Wave Hill in the Bronx, one of my favorite public gardens, photography by Mick Hales; the porch of my country house, photography by Tina Yagjian  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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