CREATE the ultimate OUTDOOR ROOM

Make the most of long summer days with an alfresco space that encourages lounging and entertaining, writes Sarah Pickette.

Verandah, courtyard, deck: regardless of the scope and scale of your outdoor space, the right shading, seating and accessories will ensure it is a wonderful asset to your home. An outdoor room should be as comfortable as a living zone yet connected enough to your garden or the view beyond for you to experience the freedom of time spent outdoors. “It should complement the architecture of the house but also have its own character,” says Ian Barker, director of Ian Barker Gardens.

1 Wall-to-wall beauty

Faced with the question of what to do with an expanse of west-facing white wall, Matt Cantwell, managing director of Secret Gardens, found his answer in the form of a custom-built green wall (opposite). “The key to a thriving green wall is good irrigation and choosing plants that are right for the aspect,” he says. Deep-green foliage is a perfect complement to the cobalt and timber in the seating. The soft furnishings are by Sydney interior designer Marylou Sobel. Secret Gardens; (02) 9314 5333 or www.secretgardens.com.au. 2 Verandah revamp Thoughtful furnishing is the secret to turning an outdoor space into an extension of your home’s living areas. The team at Hare+Klein brought in Gervasoni Gray 07 tub chairs and an Inout 602 sofa from Anibou. “The furniture fits with our client’s request that the outdoor area be casual, comfortable and easy to maintain,” says Dimity Chitty, design associate at Hare+Klein. “A fan from Boffi keeps the space cool in summer and an exterior blind encloses it in winter.” > Hare+Klein; (02) 9368 1234 or www.hareklein.com.au.

3 Surface details

Make no mistake, mixing textures is as important outdoors as it is inside. In this dining area in a coastal Sydney home (left) the following materials are in play: grey Scyon Stria cladding is paired with Granite Torino pavers and a fire surround in Berrimah Sandstone, both from Eco Outdoor. “Tonally, the materials all just work together,” says the owner, Cameron Habler. “This space gets a lot of use in the afternoon, when the sun’s too strong on the other side of the house.” See more of this home on page 78. Walter Barda Design; (02) 9360 2340 or www.walterbardadesign.com.au. 4 Room to grow

To truly blur the boundary between indoors and out, build in your greenery – as the team at Matt Gibson Architecture+Design did when they drew up the central courtyard of this Melbourne home (above). “The owners invested in a mature Japanese maple that gives dappled shade and should rise up higher than the roof in 10 years or so,” says architect Phil Burns. A generous banquette built into the courtyard wall (clad in silvertop ash) provides extra seating for outdoor diners. Matt Gibson Architecture+Design; (03) 9419 6677 or www.mattgibson.com.au.