Making the most of an apartment yard

Karen and David were ready to open up their living space, so they made some improvements to their back garden that would have immediate benefits for their little girl and her growing band of friends. 

While on holidays, Karen was flicking through a magazine when she came across an attractive water feature created by Good Manors Residential Gardens. This provided the inspiration to redo her own courtyard led her to contact Raoul from Good Manors as soon as she got back home.

All parties worked together to devise the new outdoor design. The water feature, set against a stunning red wall, is complemented by an elegant spa. Set off with red mosaic tiles, the spa is deeper than it appears, providing the family with its own miniature heated pool.

"You can heat it to 36 degrees, so it doesn't matter if it's raining," Karen explains. "The children get in and it's like a big balmy bath in there. We can see them easily and they splash around for hours."

When it comes to adult entertaining, the couple makes the most of a discreet stainless steel barbecue and matching outdoor setting. As the living room's double doors open up into the courtyard, guests can easily wander inside from the barbecue, or settle in on one of the funky outdoor dining chairs.

Running water creates a sense of calm and this outdoor area has a certain Zen-like simplicity about it. Raoul has made features of the courtyard borders, adding a high aluminium fence on one side and accentuating the old wall on the other side. Far from feeling stark, the yard is warmed by soft lighting that emanates from the fence and up from the spa.

The courtyard feels lush, despite there being no plants. Karen wanted to maximise the small space and not clutter up the children's play area with pots. Fortunately, neighbouring trees creep over the two fences, providing a fresh green frame to the space.

Raoul

Good Manors Residential Gardens

What is the main feature of the courtyard?

The client wanted a water feature and, after talking, we decided on a spa as well as a feature. The spa is quite deep and the water can be warmed up so the kids can use it as a kind of little pool. The filter and the heater are out of sight under the decking.

How was the original courtyard changed?

There was a little bit of decking to start with, but we built up the garden to the level of the living room and hardly had to do any excavation for the spa. We built the red feature wall up against the neighbour's wall at the back.

How does the courtyard correspond with the interior?

The red wall is the most striking element and there's similar kinds of colours used inside. The indoor flooring also has that reddish colour. Inside they have Black Butt and outside we used Spotted Gum for the timber decking.

What kind of lighting did you use?

There's lighting in the deck and in the spa, so at night the whole thing is lit up. There are lights in the pool, which shine up and also on the side of the metal fence. We always direct the light in towards the house, rather than use spotlights. It should be all about atmosphere lighting.

Why did you opt for no plants?

We weren't sure about that at the start, but it's a very small courtyard and we wanted to get the most use out of it. The surrounds are so green, especially the backdrop, so we decided to rely on the neighbours' plants for greenery, rather than clutter up the space.

Karen

What was your brief?

We wanted an extension of the living area. It's a small inner-city terrace, so when we're sitting inside it's like another room. We have a four-year-old daughter and I wanted an entertainment area for her and her friends. We can open the double doors and watch the children splash around.

Do you eat and entertain in the courtyard?

We eat out there all the time. We've got the outdoor dining area and just a small barbecue, so it's easy enough to be inside and out with your plates and things. It's an area that's easily accessible and we use it all the time. We love it.

Why did you choose not to use your own plants?

I was going to put a yucca in the corner because I didn't want to take up too much space or take away from the design. But it's good not to have a pot plant there when the children get in and out of the plunge pool. Those trees behind our fence actually frame it really nicely.

Were there any challenges involved?

Raoul's got a great team. As soon as they started to work it started to rain. When I asked how long the job would take, they said I could have it by Christmas and I wondered if it was just a sales spiel. But it was all good - they were gone by the 23rd of December.

What do you like most about the project?

The spa is amazing for aesthetic reasons. One time I was giving my daughter a bath and came downstairs to find my husband David in the spa. It was drizzling and steam was coming up off the pool and he looked like he was in heaven. He felt like he'd been at a health retreat.