Urban Retreat.

The brief was to fit a spa pool, barbecue, kitchen area and a bar into a rather snug inner-city backyard, with louvre shutters and easy care but bold planting to off-set the hardscaping. The end result is seamless. Thoughtful design creates an intimate vibe, diminishing the bustle of the city directly outside the walls and creating a calm oasis which is perfect for entertaining. The first design challenge was ensuring the covered space in the landscape did not obstruct the flow of light into the house. The louvre system and heating ensure the space can be used year-round. When the sun shines, they are open and if the heavens decide to fall, a simple press on a remote closes them back to their rain-proof form. Because of the limitations of the space, the design team needed to use every little bit of space a thoughtful way. “All the posts of the overhead structure needed to belong somewhere, by incorporating these into the bench wall so they are not taking up valuable space in the deck." Cages are ready to capture the evergreen plantings when they grow to ensure they also don’t encroach on the space. But there is nothing disjointed about this space. It is the backyard for those who love to host and proves you don’t need a huge space to create an entertainment area.

Materials used
Louvre - Johnson & Couzins Silencio
Black mosaic bench tiles – From Next Dore
Timber decking – Purpleheart
Bar and Kitchen benches – Kala white from STW

Planting
Ligularia reniformis
Bamboo fairy
Lomandra lime tuff
Jasmine
Camelia fairy blush