DREAM TERRACE

Clever, modern design ensures this garden functions as another room of the home, even on cooler evenings

Thoughtful design ensures this space functions as another room of the house, even on cooler evenings.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE GARDEN?

This is the walled garden of a house in Chelsea. The original property was built in the mid-20th century and had no architectural merit, so we sought planning permission to replace it with a new, contemporary building and wanted the garden to have a similarly progressive design. The rear elevation of the house opens up completely to the outdoor space and we dropped the level of the garden so that the interior flows seamlessly out to the terrace.

HOW DO YOU THINK OUTDOOR SPACES HAVE CHANGED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS?

We no longer draw a line in the sand as to what is the interior and what is the exterior – we treat the two in a holistic fashion, so they read as one. A lot of London clients ask for sociable outdoor spaces that are as usable as the indoor ones. Adding a fireplace, as we have done here, helps us achieve this by providing a source of heat so that the garden still gets used on cooler evenings.

CAN YOU DISCUSS THE TIERED STRUCTURE?

This is a long garden, so we made this into a strength by creating a raised terrace for the seating area, which breaks up the space. The fireplace is flanked by a bench that runs the width of the garden, providing extra seating as well as hiding the ventilation system for the house.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHOICE OF MATERIALS.

We approached the exterior in the same way as the interior, using a restricted number of materials to create a calming, balanced effect. The floor and bench feature a sandblasted limestone that is tonally similar to the polished limestone on the indoor floor. A strong accent in the form of honed black basalt draws the eye to the garden’s focal point, the chimney breast. The back wall and the upper perimeter of the garden are clad in slatted timber; it has a high oil content and will weather to a silver colour that will help to link the garden with the interiors.

ARE THE FURNISHINGS PRACTICAL?

Over the past ten years, the technology for outdoor furniture has made it possible to produce forms in keeping with indoor pieces. The seating by the fireplace features a fabric that can be jet-washed as well as cushioning that does not absorb water, so they can be left out year round. The dining chairs have Textilene slings that make them modern, comfortable and easy to maintain, and the teak table, like the timber walls, will mellow beautifully over time.

HOW DID YOU INCORPORATE THE PLANTING?

The garden is very architectural and it was important to balance its strong lines with plants. To the right of the seating area, a formal parterre features clipped box topiary with a sculpture in the centre – we like to work with art galleries on our projects, and this piece was carefully selected for the space. More box hedging features at the top of the retaining wall. Jasmine was planted around the upper perimeter; it has the advantage of being low maintenance – important as this area is hard to access – and helps to soften the sleek lines.

We dropped the level of the garden so that the interior flows seamlessly out to the terrace.”