Family haven

Creating an immersive retreat

The dream

The clients’ dream was to transform the rear garden of their modern, detached property into a beautiful haven suitable for enjoying time outdoors with family and friends. A new swimming pool was also part of the brief. The aspiration was to create an immersive experience, based on different zones dedicated to relaxation and entertainment.

Our insight

The existing outdoor space comprised of a large, raised terrace and a lower garden area that could not be seen from the house, owing to a 2m drop from the terrace.  This represented a key design challenge.  Our design intention was to create a stylish family-friendly garden that was full of visual interest.  It needed to be cohesive while delivering a variety of experiences and views.  Equally importantly, the house needed to be linked with the terrace and lower garden and generate a comfortable flow between the different spaces.

The transformation

The upper terrace is now divided into several connected sections to create inviting room-like spaces. Large metal planters provide an immersive garden experience immediately outside the house.  A new bespoke water feature adds a focal point and there is a separate zone for cooking and dining.  New steps have greatly Improved the connection to the lower garden. This has been transformed into a dynamically-shaped sunny glade.  The new pool is surrounded by carefully-crafted paved areas and planting.  In addition, there is a ‘secret’ meadow garden with a fire pit and hammock. The clients are delighted with their family haven.  Furthermore, as an additional testament to the success of the transformation, we were very pleased to win two national BALI Awards for our work; firstly, for Design Excellence and secondly for Domestic Construction (2023).

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