EXPERT’S TIP:

An overhaul needn’t mean throwing everything out and starting again, but work with existing features to ensure the space is cohesive. “When we first moved in, the backyard looked straight out onto a cemetery, so we got in the bamboo (opposite) as screening,” says Lauren. The fence is painted in Colorbond Monument, a hue that recedes visually while providing a backdrop against which greenery can pop.