Backyard makeover magic
Carefully planned and beautifully created outdoor living spaces are becoming the focal point for many a home, providing an enjoyable venue for entertaining or relaxing with family and friends. But if your idea of a functional outdoor space includes a poured concrete patio, plastic outdoor furniture and a simple charcoal grill, you’re selling yourself short – it’s time to upgrade ready for summer.
Hit the deck
Poured concrete may make a practical patio, but there are so many more inspiring options for creating a great outdoor living space. One of the most effective ways to connect your backyard to your home is to choose materials, textures and colours that complement or match your home design.
For a natural look, stone tiles such as popular limestone, sandstone, bluestone and honed (semi-polished) granite tile, as well as pavers and cobblestones look stylish and contemporary. And opting for larger format tiles with less grout joints in a smaller area can give the illusion of space.
“Bluestone, travertine or limestone are very tough products and will stand the test of time,” says Justin Dibble, director of landscape design company Fluid Design. “There are also some really nice concrete pavers to choose from, which can be more affordable than most natural stones, and come in a wide range of colours and sizes or formats. These usually have more consistency in colour than natural stone.”
Timber is also a highly versatile option. “Timber decking is an ideal solution around the home, not only for its warm and inviting look but for practical reasons too,” says Steve Barnard from Cabot.
“More and more homes are using elevated timber decking as a cost effective way to maximise living space on sloping blocks where pavers and tiles can be difficult and expensive to install. And with the long lasting water-based timber finishing products available on the market, maintaining a deck is easier than ever.”
Cook up
No longer just a cleared-out corner where Dad flips burgers, the trend today is for large, centrally located ‘outdoor kitchens’. “These days, outdoor kitchens include cooking equipment and storage options and even fridges and dishwashers,” says Maria Monteverde from Kastell Kitchens. “Some homeowners are even opting for large hooded barbecues, Teppanyaki plates, smokers and roasters, wok burners or an integrated gas, electric or wood burning pizza oven.”
The Aussie barbie is still the centrepiece, but it too has been updated with advanced control tools, temperature readers, hoods with built-in lighting, and built-in grilling plates for our famous seafood.
John McGran from Lifestyle Barbeques says most people design their backyard around their outdoor kitchen, so they want to be sure they won’t have to replace it after a few years. “The current trends are the use of commercial grade stainless steel to build an outdoor kitchen that will last for decades,” he says.
And John advises that you arm yourself with a list of requirements when you begin shopping around. “You need to know the dimensions of the area and be clear on what you want. Also consider if you need to have a roof over the area – while a lot of outdoor kitchens will stand up to the elements it does mean a lot of cleaning unless it’s roofed.”
Lounge lizard
So once your deck and outdoor kitchen are in place, it’s time to relax in style with some comfy and stylish outdoor furniture. Dining and lounging furniture usually found indoors has been redesigned and tailored for outdoor living, as well as new outdoor rugs, daybeds and oversized floor pillows for seating.
To keep things classic, get your basics in neutral colours and add splashes of bold colour with your accessories. Durable materials that will improve with age are a great choice, so timber and natural stone are usually winners in this respect. And update the look with less expensive items such as cushions and pots.
And to make the most of your investment, you need to look for all-weather fabrics and materials. New weatherproofing techniques mean you can have outdoor comfort as up market and elegant as that in your living room, with armour-like durability.
Just add water
And finally, for the ultimate finishing touch to your backyard blitz, consider installing a stylish water feature. Water features are making a big splash in gardens across Australia – and the designs are only limited by your imagination. There are always new innovations in water features, and it’s easy to get a ready-made one, or have a custom designed water feature to suit your individual style.
Justin Dibble from Fluid Design says popular designs include water running down a feature wall into a pond or pool. “It creates a nice tranquil sound – almost mesmerising to look at, but it also looks great while the water is turned off,” he says. “Incorporating glass or stainless steel can also look really effective and add contemporary interest to a wall or water feature. We still believe that you can never go wrong with a nice pot that appears to float on the water and spill over its edge into the water below. With a couple of submersible lights this is always a winner.”
Images (top to bottom) courtesy of:
- Cabots
- Fluid Design
- Fluid Design
- Fluid Design