DREAM TERRACE
A series of smart outdoor living areas take advantage of glorious vistas in southern France
Indoor-outdoor living reaches its acme in this design in southern France.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT?
This is the terrace of a large villa in the south of France. We reworked the outdoor spaces in order to maximise the views, extending the pool with a lovely sweep so it appears to blend with the sea; the iridescent mosaic tiles were carefully sourced to match the sparkling, deep-blue hue. Glass balustrades ensure the vista isn’t interrupted, while providing a wind break.
HOW WERE THE VARIOUS SEATING AREAS DESIGNED?
The garden is used in different ways throughout the day, so we created a number of outdoor “rooms”. The area in the foreground is next to the kitchen and is perfect for morning coffee. The far seating has more shade with views to hills behind the property. In front of the pool is a lower deck for sunbathing, so the loungers don’t obstruct the eyeline from the house, while the furthest parasol marks a spot for enjoying sunsets and has a huge circular sofa.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CHOOSING BESPOKE FURNITURE?
We tend to custom make our furniture so that we can specify the dimensions, adapting things like the depth of the seats to suit the owners’ preferences. We wanted these pieces to be substantial so we opted for wood, which also has the benefit of being cool to the touch. It was important that the furniture looked good from all angles, too, hence the lattice backs and scroll arms, classic details that also add a touch of glamour. For a chic effect, the timber has been finished with layers of white lacquer.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FABRICS?
There has been a revolution in outdoor textiles – they look and feel so good that we often use them indoors, too, as they are really robust. We used fabrics to give each area of the terrace a different character. The sofas in the foreground have a pink-and-taupe stripe, with the cream armchairs piped in the same taupe. The seating on the timber decking carries through the stone and cream hues, while the upholstery on the lower terrace has blue added to the mix, reflecting the fact that it is closer to the sea. I think that detailing such as the piping on the seats is important – it lends that crisp, timeless touch that gives these pieces longevity.
WHY DID YOU SELECT THIS FLOORING?
The garden isn’t huge in proportion to the house, so everything we did was with a view to making it feel larger. We are huge proponents of overscaling: in the same way that we opted for substantial furniture, we chose large format slabs of grey limestone for the flooring to create the impression of space. There is nothing worse than miles of pale stone as it can produce a lot of glare, so we’ve combined the limestone with teak decking, which breaks up the expanse without detracting from the sleek elegance of the scheme.