Decks, Pergolas & Patios

When designing an outdoor living space, always keep in mind that it’s not just for show — functionality is imperative. A deck, be it covered or open-air, freestanding or attached to the house, will very quickly become your home’s social hub. The same applies to a patio, whether it’s defined by the addition of a pergola or protected by a simple umbrella, and also a poolside pavilion — in fact, an outdoor living space of any description. These are the places where your family will relax and entertain, which is why they need to appeal not only to the eye, they also need to be as flexible, functional and comfortable as possible. Planning is essential, as is thinking ahead to how your lifestyle needs will change as your family matures and…

The rear garden of this home in the suburbs of Melbourne conceals a delightful secret: a unique alfresco haven that offers everything the family needs to entertain in style — and comfort. There is a swimming pool and elevated spa, an outdoor cooking area, a covered pavilion with seating and an open fireplace, as well as a glass conservatory. With the raised pavilion, which claims pride of place in the garden, the goal of the designer, Don Thompson of Gardenridge, was to create an outdoor room with all the finesse of the best-dressed interior living space. The focal point of the outdoor room is a wood-burning fireplace set within a traditional red brick surround. What isn’t so traditional is the feature walling to either side of the fireplace. This is fashioned out…

Less is definitely more when working with a small space, which is why this contemporary, Japanese-influenced garden is such a resounding success. Through the clever use of a limited palette of materials and plants, and withattention to detail evident in the construction, this space is as serene as it is sophisticated. Working to a design by the homeowner, Amanda York, an accomplished interior designer, the CLS (Complete Landscape Solutions) team has created a space that, although small, abounds with eye-catching elements. From the pond and the tiled feature wall to the distinctive “I” beams, this is a garden that engages the senses. For the CLS team, the main challenge was how to construct the various elements of the garden using the minimum amount of space. To achieve this, the backyard’s boundaries were…

When your only outdoor space is a small courtyard, there are multiple design challenges to overcome. The main conundrum faced here, however, was how to create an outdoor living area that looked good from every angle. As the area is visible from all parts of the home, the owners wanted the boundary wall to become a feature. Plants, storage, seating for up to eight people and a table also had to be incorporated. Adds Susanna Truccolo of H20 Designs: “The owners wanted water to be incorporated into the table too, but they weren’t sure how to achieve this so they approached us.” Taking all of this onboard, H20 Designs came up with an innovative and contemporary design for the courtyard. “The key design feature is the water table, which has a built-in…

Nestled within the up-and-coming Perth suburb of Piara Waters, this modern new home features a courtyard-style rear garden which has an inner-city vibe, in large part thanks to its contemporary, warehouse-inspired design. From the graffitistyle wall art and industrial-look furniture to the seating area paved in recycled bricks, the garden design has just the right blend of urban charm and eco-friendly chic. Designed and built by Landscapes WA in conjunction with Dale Alcock Homes, the rear garden has been deftly carved into two spaces, each dedicated to entertaining. First, there is a large jarrah deck that is easily accessed from the home via glass sliding doors. This area has a dining setting, a stainless-steel island barbecue, wall-mounted herb planters and ample space in which guests can mingle. In short, it enables…

The owners of this leafy property located in the heart of the Sydney beach-side suburb of Bronte wanted to create a welcoming entertaining area that would be surrounded by a garden filled with textural interest. This was to include a grassed space for the dog as well as foliage that would grow vigorously to hide the neighbouring rooflines. Anthea Dunlop of Anthea Dunlop Landscape Design describes the homeowners’ design brief as one that “envisaged contemporary chic touched with a bit of rustic charm”. And, although the area Anthea had to work with was relatively small, the homeowners wanted her to create for them a feature-filled space. The key element in this outdoor space is the elegant dining area that is set beneath the canopy of a solid-wood pergola. The pergola is double-framed…