Reviving an outdoor terrace area

"It was an empty, boring little space," says David. "It had glazed tiles on the ground and was an unattractive and harsh-looking space."

Peter transformed the area into something much more accommodating, with a minimalist contemporary design. The basic palette is of simple greys, brought to life with outdoor furniture featuring brightly coloured weatherproof couch cushions and understated olive trees.

Courtyards are the last vestige of space for the sardine-can restrictiveness of an inner-city terrace. Peter's job was to open up the living area, making the back garden a natural extension of the home. He has managed to do this seamlessly by bringing the courtyard level with the living room and reflecting the interior style in the outdoor setting. 

"The timber decking needed to tone in with internal floorboards, the stainless steel barbecue complements steel used in the kitchen and the granite cladding on the back wall blends with the wall colour inside," says Peter. "We created interest by the textural contrast found in the rough cladding."

The front garden was another poky spot in need of some opening up. The couple wanted to maximise the calm and tranquil area, making it a reflective place to read the paper and take in the morning sun. Peter increased the sense of space by creating separate garden areas.

"I divided the front into a series of small rooms," says Peter. "This always makes spaces look bigger. Also, wide steps from the front of the house were designed to replace the small steps."

With a classic European front garden and minimalist-with-personality back courtyard, David and Deborah's new home seems twice as big. They are thrilled their outdoors matches up to the style and quality of the interior of their terrace home.

Peter Fudge

Peter Fudge Garden Design

What were the clients looking for in their garden makeover?

For the front, they wanted a garden that matched the formality of their elegant terrace. The back garden is more contemporary and had to incorporate an entertaining area, so it was important that it provided adequate seating, all-weather cover options, barbecue and visual interest night and day.

What inspired the design and style?

The front design was inspired by the Victorian formality and balance of the architecture. Also the size inspired me, as I wanted it to look bigger than it was. In the back, the interiors and lifestyle of the family, like enjoying Sunday lunches.

How does the outdoor furniture stand up to the weather?

The powder-coated steel furniture in the front stands up fine. In the back garden the timber bench needs to be oiled twice a year. Outdoor Sunbrella fabrics were used with all-weather cushion filling.

How does the outdoor space correspond with the rest of the home?

Colours and materials for the courtyard were chosen carefully - they had to reflect and tone with internal furnishings and other elements. Bi-fold doors from the house to the courtyard mean the transition is seamless. 

What do you like best about the design?

I like the illusion of space that has been created in the back and front gardens. The fact that the back courtyard is functional, streamlined, honest and contemporary. The front is classic yet simple in design. I like creating different styles and themes within the one garden.

David

What was the brief?

The brief was to make what was a very small area as effective as possible and fully connected and utilisable together with the living area of the house. We also wanted the gardens to be features, so we had to have them as attractive as possible.

How does the courtyard connect with the house?

We wanted to connect it up visually and utility-wise, and have it work together. It's an extension of the living area and we entertain in there. It does connect to the house well - we've made the floors level and we've got a nice awning to keep the sun and the rain off.

What perks do you have in the courtyard?

There's an electrical awning that comes in and out so we can go undercover when we choose. And the lighting at night time is really nice. There's low-voltage lighting and dimmers so we can style it whatever way we want.

What style are the gardens?

The front is classic and the back is a relatively contemporary look. It's simple and contemporary, but not in a harsh way. You can soften it easily with the cushions and we have furniture we move in and out - we don't want to clutter it too much. It looks very homely and, we hope, inviting.

Were there many differences in creating the front and rear garden designs?

The front garden was a bigger and more complicated job. But the challenge with the rear area was ironically because it was a really small area. To try and do something attractive in a very small area was more of a challenge than we could believe.