The third project for the same clients.
Many of our clients return to us for our expertise again and again as they change properties as their families grow. Some return as they downsize as children leave home.
Each property that we have designed for these clients was different and had very different requirements. The first was a semi-detached home for a young family, the second a large suburban acreage implacably detailed with entertaining a teenage family in mind and ther third property was for themselves, downsizing empty nesters, with possible grandchildren one day.
This is the downsized home project!
The relaxed vibe of this Mosman rear garden retreat was created to include extending the kitchen and family areas towards the rear, removal of internal walls to amalgamate and enlarge the living areas of the home, opening the home up at the back to integrate the inside and out of this Sydney property.
The home was addressed first by infilling a superfluous niche to gain an over a metre in depth across the back of the home, extending the kitchen, dining and lounge rooms. We engaged with a consultant to redesign the kitchen, widened the opening and installed contemporary folding steel and glass doors to visually update the façade and provide a better integration between inside and out.
As an extension to the home, we increased the size of the elevated entertaining area towards the swimming pool and replaced the pool fence at a lower position to minimise the visual impact. We added a floating barbecue with a retractable weatherproof pergola style structure over with heating and sound systems to increase usability of the area and repaved all in a clean contemporary porcelain tile.
To enable the elevated entertaining area to be increased in size, we infilled the pool’s swim out (which had the added benefit of creating a nice geometric shape) and installed new steps and a long bench within the pool for access and safety for grandchildren. In addition, we created a poolside entertaining area to the rear of the pool and retiled the pool’s interior with a contemporary black pearlescent tile. The same paving material used on the upper entertaining area was used poolside to further create unity.
We raised the rear lawn area by over a metre to better integrate it with the rest of the property so that grandchildren could be viewed easily from the home. This enabled a garden shed to be installed and concealed to the rear of the lawn.
The rear spaces had little privacy from neighbours, so we bounded the entire area with tall planting integrating and pruned the existing unruly Murraya hedge. This has created a concealed garden and achieved a stunning outlook from the kitchen and living areas of the home, day and night.
The rear aspect of the property provides a mix of sun and shade which allowed for a complex palette of planting including Trachelospermum, Salvia, Quandong, Gardenias, Iris, Clivea, Hippeastrum and Convolvulus to flourish.
The design for the front of the property was simple, all about presentation to the street, creating a stunning entry path, fence, gate and an enviable visually soft garden with lots of colour and contrasting plant foliage. we removed the 1980’s terracotta tile on the veranda and brick pathway and replaced them with shot sawn sandstone, a more traditional finish in keeping with the style of home. Sliding screens were designed for the entry veranda to provide the right balance of privacy and sunlight.
At nighttime the rear areas and front path are well lit with LED lighting for both aesthetic and functional purposes which together with energy efficient LED lights in the swimming pool creates mood effects with washes of light and dancing shadows.
A Total Concept Landscape Architects & Pool Designers designed, gained approval for, specified and project managed this project that integrates the home and external areas seamlessly to create a stunning entertaining and a private retreat for the owners of this property.
