Landscape design is on the up! Long gone are basic backyards with overgrown weeds, now outdoor spaces are a big part of the home; a place to relax, work and entertain.
A great way to update your garden on the cheap is with pre-patterned pavers. Subtle and stylish, they add a creative element to your outdoor space and a modern texture underfoot that needs little styling.
Available from Boral, the Cloisters range is offered in a pack of three unpatterned pavers and one patterned paver with geometric lines, to add instant dimension and visual interest. The large format pavers are available in Ivory and Slate Grey, which are ideal for creating a minimalist space that is easy to decorate and update as the seasons change. These tones provide a perfect base for bright cushions or soft outdoor lighting.
The Cloisters range also includes pavers for steps and garden edging for a complete outdoor and garden design.
The humble driveway. It’s an often overlooked part of your reno or overall sale package when putting your house on the market but that really shouldn’t be the case. The driveway is often the main entrance to the home and one of the first noticed features given it takes up a large portion of your front yard, the first thing most people will see and as first impressions count, the driveway can also add value to the home.
How to make a great first impression with your driveway
Survey respondents in the 2017 Adbri Masonry Great Australian Backyard Survey,voted the driveway third as the outdoor project that delivers the most value to the home. “The driveway has an incredibly large footprint at the front of your home so it is important to get it right in order to make a strong impression and add value to the home,” explains Jason Hodges, landscaping expert and Adbri Masonry brand ambassador.
Make a great first impression
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. This rings especially true when it comes to your home, its saleability and appeal to potential buyers. “Homeowners should never underestimate the value in street appeal because buyers never do,” says Hodges. “When considering outdoor projects, people always ask, ‘where do I start?’ I think a great place is at the beginning, that is, the front yard. Minor improvements can make a massive difference to the way people view your place. In many homes, the dominant feature out the front is the driveway. It takes up a lot of surface area and serves an important function, but too often it’s overlooked.” “Driveways are also a great place to stand out from the crowd. Today, every second house looks the same, but yours doesn’t have to. With some creativity, you can leave the ‘Joneses’ in your rear view mirror by creating a paved driveway that uses colours, patterns and different paver sizes to build a stunning starting point for your home.”
Go green with permeable paving
More than just a paver, permeable pavements are the visible starting point to a simple, environmentally effective, water saving system beneath the surface. When a permeable pavement system is installed, the series of drainage holes in the pavement surface allow water to filtrate through the surface layers, minimising stormwater run off, downstream flooding and pollution problems, with the added benefit of reducing the need for costly underground retention systems. As driveways are traditionally, large impervious surfaces that water cannot penetrate, driveway oils and pollution tends to run directly from the driveway into stormwater. Permeable driveways can change that! “Permeable paving is an essential choice if your driveway runs down to your house. In major downpours it allows the water to infiltrate through the pavement surface and be redistributed to the water table underground, versus the alternative which could see the water rushing down the slope of the driveway, filling the drain too quickly and flooding your garage, there’s also environmental advantages for other driveway projects” explains Hodges. Expert Tip: Some councils will credit permeable pavements as a percentage of the soft landscape area on your parcel of land.
Simple Maintenance
The great benefits of using pavers is the low maintenance involved as pavers expand and contract within the seasons and are less likely to crack like some other pavement types. Regular preventative maintenance includes sealing sweeping, paving gap sand filling, water blasting and general upkeep, which will help to extend the lifespan of your driveway. If your driveway does start to show some lineal cracking, you can easily repair it inexpensively by simply lifting and replacing the damaged pavers when laid on a flexible base.
Spring is usually the busiest season for real estate sales in Australia, with the property market traditionally seeing an upswing in housing stock, auction clearance rates and selling prices. And if you’re thinking about selling this spring, it’s worth recognising that you can potentially add thousands of dollars to your sale value by enhancing the outdoor aesthetic of your property.
That said, you’ll want to avoid spending loads of money on improving a property you’re soon going to pass to someone else. So how can you make improvements to outdoor spaces but that’ll bolster your selling price, but that won’t cost you an arm and a leg?
Below, Matt Leacy from Landart Landscapes shares his top 5 cost-efficient tips for getting your outdoor areas primed and ready for a maximum sale price this spring.
5 budget winter landscaping tips to prepare for a spring sale
1. Be strategic – “Starting in winter is optimal if you want to maximise your results in spring,” Matt says. “New plantings, in particular, will need at least some time to mature, and you’ll get a lot more value out them aesthetically if you don’t leave them to the last minute.” Matt adds: “When planning the types of improvements you’re going to make outdoors, it’s worth keeping in mind the key outdoor property features that most prospective buyers will look for – and you can then strategically prioritise your budget, time and resources. “Coming into a new property, most homebuyers are – at a bare minimum – going to want outdoor spaces and gardens that are relatively low-maintenance, well-presented and cost-efficient.”
2. Prioritise curb-side appeal – “If you’ve got limited budget and want to prioritise a few quick and key things, I’d always recommend focusing on the front garden or property entrance as this is where the first big impression on a prospective buyer is going to be made,” says Matt. “It sets the tone for what’s to come and allows you as the vendor to get on the front foot.” “One cost-effective but very impactful way to boost curb-side appeal is to incorporate verge planting into the front garden area,” says Matt. “You’ll need to get council approval first, but it’s often worth the effort because verge-planting almost always enhances the aesthetic of a front garden area, makes the property look larger and it’s much lower-maintenance and pleasing on the eye than grass,” Matt explains. “You might also consider giving your front garden a little boost by introducing some small hedges or adding a potted plant near the front door – one on either side will help to create symmetry and balance,” says Matt. “This will help to inject a little extra greenery into the space, which is especially valuable if you’re selling an apartment or property with limited garden areas.”
3. Light it up – “Many property viewings occur in evenings and afternoons, so it’s important to be able to show off key outdoor areas in their best light,” says Matt. “As such, it’s often worth investing in some basic outdoor lighting if you don’t have it already. This doesn’t have to be too pricey and you don’t have to go overboard and purchase a lot of lights; a few mood and up-lights can be strategically placed to highlight the best facets of you outdoor spaces,” explains Matt.
4. Love the lawn – ”An overgrown or dead lawn screams high-maintenance to a potential buyer, so it’s really worth making sure that all of your lawns are trimmed, tidy and green for viewings,” says Matt. “Lawns should be a focus in winter if you’re planning on a spring sale because they can take significant time to improve, and they can also easily go from good to bad in the cooler months,” he explains. “You’ll need to do more work than usual on aerating the turf zone in winter,” Matt adds. “A motorised aerator can be effective for larger lawns, and a garden fork or a pair of spiked aerator shoes will do the trick for smaller lawns. That said, it’s important to make sure there are no irrigation lines running underneath before spiking the lawn, because you’ll have some real headaches if you end up cutting into them. You’ll also need to fertilise in the last month of winter to get it ready to go for spring,” Matt says.
5. Plant for quick colour – “Before putting a property on the market, you’re going to want to make sure that the gardens look as lush and visually stimulating as possible,” Matt says. “This often means injecting additional colour into the garden – and there are plenty of quick and inexpensive ways to do this in time for a spring sale. You’re going to want to introduce plantings in winter that will flower in time for spring – the likes of gardenias, jasmine plus some fast-growing plants like dichondra, convolvulus and Euphorbia ‘Diamond frost’,” says Matt. “Ornamental grasses and Helichrysum also grow very quickly and can easily fill and bring vibrancy to a space. Filling spaces with potted feature plants can also work to lift outdoor areas,” adds Matt. “And you can always remove the plants and take them with you post-sale if you want to make the most of your investment. For a safe and impactful option, you can pretty much always turn to a good-sized, well-placed succulent. These come in a variety of colours, shapes and textures and look great in just about any environment,” Matt explains. “Ultimately, it’s about examining the space and matching it up with a plant that’s going to be most complimentary. If you find the right plant, the space is going to appeal to buyers whatever the case.”
Copper fixtures is a trend that’s big in kitchens and house interiors and it’s definitely also being requested and featured prominently in designs of outdoor spaces. But how can you use copper in the garden to create a stylish and contemporary backyard?
Placing a statement copper piece in your outdoor area adds character, charm and something unique to draw the eye to. Copper works well for light fittings, outdoor showers, fireplaces, water features and bespoke pots.
One of the things that work so nicely when using copper outdoors is that it acquires a beautiful patina over time. This look works particularly well for light fittings and shower heads, as the patina allows them to subtly settle into the garden.
However, if the polished copper look is your preference, then keep copper pots and fittings under shelter so they weather more gradually or get used to polishing!
Just about any plant looks good with cooper, tall leafy plants such as a Kentia palm or fiddle leaf fig work really well. Silver foliage plants also contrast beautifully. Kalanchoe ‘silver spoons’ have a really interesting texture and shape and offset the copper perfectly.
No longer content with simply personalising the indoors, we are seeing a growing trend in homeowners choosing a distinct style for their backyard, one that compliments their own taste as well as the style of the home.
One of the most popular styles that is beginning to emerge is inner city chic, due in part to its stylish, contemporary nature and the fact that backyard space is becoming even more limited.
While small, this is certainly not the defining characteristic of inner city chic, rather think smart, multi-usage pieces and a clever use of limited space. This style is modern and minimalist and perfect for the time poor and those that love to entertain. Here’s how to create the look in any backyard:
1. Add a vertical garden
To maximise available space, add a functional vertical garden to an unused wall. Layering by colour and texture will add visual interest and make the space look even bigger. There are lots of ways to create a vertical garden; using individual aluminium pots will provide a chic finish.
2. Start from the ground up
Space is limited and every purchasing decision counts because it will be highly visible. It’s like a painting, you need to start with the right canvas and for your city chic space the foundation is your flooring. Large format pavers work best in small spaces as they give the impression of greater space. Choose a dark colour for a modern and minimalist look and avoid intricate patterns. Euro Stone in the linear 600×400 perspective can be used to great effect and the natural grey Zurich colour is a popular choice for this style as it’s in vogue with city living.
3. Think multi-function
With space generally at a minimum, clever storage solutions are a must to create your functional outdoor space. A wall mounted bike rack will not only save space; they can look pretty stylish too.
4. Light it up
The right lighting will add another dimension to your outdoor space. Industrial style chrome or copper features will complement the space with a minimalist touch.
5. Choose furniture wisely
Choose space savvy furnishings that double as extra storage to help get the most from your backyard. Select a dining set where the seats fit discreetly underneath and can be tucked away if not in use. We can often get caught up in buying the biggest settings thinking about the rare occasions where we entertain the whole street! I recommend buying pieces that suit your most common use – which is generally hosting the family or a small group.
— Jason Hodges is Australia’s well-loved celebrity landscaper, most notably seen on the Channel Seven lifestyle TV show Better Homes and Gardens. Jason is also a brand ambassador for Australia’s leading masonry manufacturer Adbri Masonry.
Regardless of how big or small your outdoor space is, maximising what you have is essential in adding value to your property and creating your own private retreat.
Whilst the front yard of your home is perfect for showcasing your landscape innovations, the backyard space is where you can really let those creative juices flow. With entertaining, relaxation, play and safety in mind, you can turn your outdoor space into a stunning oasis that meets the needs of you, your family and your budget. Here’s a few tips to get started on your outdoor design.
1. Make your outdoor space an extension of your home
With outdoor living becoming more of a priority, making your space an extension of your home is absolutely essential. To do this seamlessly, you’ll want to carefully match the colour scheme of the outdoor space with your home’s current facade. If the existing colour scheme is neutral, you can use pops of bright colours in accessories and feature points to brighten up the space. Never underestimate the value of a fresh coat of paint on the outside of your home too.
Pay as much attention to the outdoor styling as you have indoors, so the same style flows throughout. By implementing certain colours from your interior design plan to the landscape architecture, the two spaces will join together flawlessly. So the outdoor area is a true extension of your home you’ll want to create a space for entertaining and living in too. Outdoor kitchens or a designated bar and seating area by the deck can provide an ideal spot for outdoor summer dinning. Make sure you incorporate a covered area so you can use the space all year round.
2. Create kerb appeal
Kerb appeal is vital in boosting the value of your home so use this space to let your home shine. If it’s got architectural character, utilise it by enhancing certain features to spark visual attention. Keep the colour scheme as neutral as possible, as this will make it easier to sell come resale time. Add colour to the landscape design, or consider painting your front door or letterbox with something bright and bold to draw attention.
3. Invest in driveway gates and fencing
An important part of kerb appeal is to invest in driveway gates and stylish fencing. This will enhance the overall look and feel of your home’s design, whilst maintaining a high level of security and privacy. Driveways gates and fencing can create another level of charm to your home’s exterior or a modern appeal to dress up a tired looking house.
To determine what fencing and gate solution will work with your home; consider the current style of your home’s architecture, how you and your guests enter the property and whether you want to complement or contrast. You’ll also want to consider the level of security and privacy your home will need and what plants to use along the fence.
Great landscape design combines creativity with nature to give you results that not only push the limits of aesthetics but dazzle your mind. From flexible low-maintenance gardens, to a well-set up irrigation system and custom lighting, the right landscape architecture can turn your outdoor space from a backyard to your personal tropical retreat.
Use lush greens and brightly coloured shrubs and plants at various heights with different perfumes for an exquisite design and incorporate a water feature for relaxing sounds; this will boost the look and feel of your outdoor space significantly. If space is lacking, opt for vertical gardens which can help with privacy issues or make use of hanging baskets filled with lush greenery. A timber deck with warm tones and a pool or spa will encourage entertaining and relaxation all day everyday.
5. The finishing touches
Deck your new space out with the right outdoor furniture that reflects your taste, a fire pit table to keep you warm in the cooler months and smartly placed LED lighting to accent the area. If you have a pool, you can incorporate LED lighting in and around the pool for safety considerations and add to the landscape architecture with semi-frameless glass pool fencing,
— Jayde Ferguson writes for Fencemakers, Western Australia’s leading provider of quality fencing and gates installed by skilled fencing contractors.
Garden Life, in Sydney’s Redfern, is moving to St Peters. So to celebrate, they are having a 10-day sale from tomorrow to Sunday 26 April.
Lightweight trough pots was $195 now $95
With up to 70% off pots, outdoor furniture and homewares, you are sure to find a bargain. And with a reputation for stocking a unique range of products you are also destined to find a showstopper for your urban garden.
Beaded Indonesian bowls were $70 now $25
With a shop, design studio and maintenance business, Garden Life is the go-to place for all your landscaping needs. Visit their sale at 357 Cleveland Street, Redfern.
Creating a home with the perfect indoor-outdoor living space is high on everybody’s wish list. But turning your ideas into a reality can be tricky. It is important to remember that contrasting landscapes and architecture don’t make a seamless property, rather it is vital that the inside and outside of your property marry together to give your home a real sense of flow. Below are five ways you can achieve this.
Our resident expert Charlie
1. Plant material
Choosing the right plant material for your garden sets the tone for the space. Formal gardens look best with hedging plants such as Buxus and Viburnum combined with classical flowering plants like Hydrangea and Anemones. Tropical gardens require plants like Gingers and Heliconias to give life to the textural greens of palms and bamboos
2. Scale and proportion
Getting the scale and proportion of your outbuildings, hard surfaces (such as paving and decks) and plant material right is vital in creating a house that sits in the garden comfortably. Look at your property’s architecture for this. If you have chunky posts in the house then repeating them in your pergolas or cabanas will make the whole space feel like it was built as one.
Colour is a fantastic way to bring the inside out and vise-versa, however it’s very important to check the colours you have selected work in both light settings. Internal artificial light has a very different effect on colour than external natural light. Just as you would paint various areas of a room a colour before committing to it, you need to do the same outdoors. I have also found when trying to match an internal colour to go for double strength outside.
4. Material repetition
Material repetition is a great way to create continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces. The obvious example is to carry the internal floor material out to the verandah or deck as this lengthens the ‘road’ the eye travels upon to create a feeling of additional space. The indoor flooring can also be used in other areas of the garden, repeating the flooring around the pool area or a private reading space will drag the features of the house out into the garden. Additionally, repeating materials outside doesn’t mean you have to use them in the same treatment, for example timber species used in the flooring can be replicated in the outdoor furniture.
When designing an outside space for your property, remember that it will be seen from the inside of the house, so position your features in prominent sight lines from the home’s windows and doors. Use the windows of the property as a picture frame for your outside features, as this will extend the eye line deep into the outer regions of the property, making it feel bigger.
It’s easy to forget how important the front entrance is to the overall look of your home. Kerb appeal is of high importance when selling your property and for the overall aesthetics of your house, as it sets the tone for what’s to come. Below are five clever ideas on how to give your front garden that much-needed facelift; changes that will certainly leave your neighbours green with envy.
Spruce up your walkway
Create that initial wow factor! Transform your front walkway with the use of interesting materials such as brick, flagstone and pavers; these materials will lend more character and charm to your garden than traditional cement. Adding a slight curve to the conventional pathway is another great way to make a chic statement. I recommend lining the walkway with low maintenance plants such as Camellias, Lomandras and Birds of Paradise.
Fill it with florals
Make your guests feel welcome from the moment they walk through your front gates, with a colourful array of aromatic blooms. I recommend planting flowers with bright, bold hues. My top picks are Peonies, Siberian Iriss and Aasiatic Lilys (these bright charmers are available in a cheerful variety of orange, yellow and purple). This idea will maximise the potential of your small front garden space.
Create an oasis
Filling your front garden with medium-sized plants will not only keep the nosey neighbours away it will also create a fantastic sound barrier against street noise. Planting medium to large-sized plants provides you with a quiet oasis and actually makes your garden appear bigger; the variety of interesting textures, shapes and colours also creates the illusion of space. Decorating your front garden with a small hedge is another clever way to create serenity and intimacy without forming an unfriendly barrier.
Light it up
Create a calming and intimate entry through the placement of mood and up-lights. When strategically arranged, these lights can determine which elements of your garden you wish to highlight. Ensure that the lights you purchase are made from high quality, waterproof and durable materials such as brass, copper or marine grade stainless steel.
Add space to entertain
If the space permits, adding a patio to your front garden can provide a great space to entertain guests. Gone are the days of old-fashioned front porches, however nothing should stop you from being able to enjoy a cold beverage out the front of your house with family and friends.
Summer is the season of fine weather, outdoor fun and the great Aussie tradition – barbeques! From juicy meat to chargrilled vegetables, barbeque dishes represent the quintessential Australian summer.
Barbequing is a social and communal activity where you can relax and chat with friends and family whilst cooking a meal to share. And with so many BBQ options available, you can find the perfect one to suit your needs, whether you have a small inner-city apartment or a house in the ‘burbs.
Things to consider before you buy….
When shopping for your own grilling partner, ask yourself how often you will use the BBQ, the number of people you will cook for, and your budget.
There are three different types of BBQs: gas, coal and electric.
Gas grills can be propane-powered or natural gas. The propane-powered grills will include a number of features like temperature controls, side burners and cabinets. Propane-powered gas BBQs are very popular and available in a range of sizes that are suited for all spaces. Gas grills are also very easy to clean. Natural gas grills are known to heat up quickly. They are recommended for households that have an established gas connection since this is readily available and there’s an endless supply of fuel.
Keep the location in mind of where you wish to place you BBQ. Is it on a covered patio? Or exposed to the elements? There are many different types of finishes on BBQs. Just two examples are powder coated steel and stainless steel. Powder coated steel works best when undercover as it does not handle the elements as well as stainless steel. Stainless steel BBQs work in all outdoor entertaining spaces as they provide a nice ambiance and a modern feel to the space. They also do not rust and are easy to clean.
BBQs for small homes/apartments
A two or three-burner gas BBQ is ideal for an apartment because they provide a substantial grilling area suitable to feed four-to-five people, yet are considerate of the limited space that comes with urban inner-city living. If you live in an apartment that provides natural gas, then you should select a gas BBQ that is suited for natural gas lines. If you are unsure about natural gas, contact your strata or a major gas provider to determine the status of gas supply to your building.
Alternatively, LPG to natural gas converters can be purchased to allow regular LPG powered BBQs to be used. Be cautious; failure to use a natural gas suited BBQ or converter on a natural gas line is very dangerous and can potentially damage your BBQ due to different fittings and level of gas flow.
If you are not planning to use your BBQ often, then consider an electric-based grill. Electric based grills are great for the odd occasion where you may be entertaining outdoors. Most electric grills have been developed with smaller areas in mind. They are easy to clean, quite energy-efficient and compact.
Recommended BBQ: The recently released BeefEater BUGG BBQ is an ideal BBQ for apartments, with two burners. Available in two different colours, the BUGG BBQ is looking to redefine the way we cook on a compact grill. The BBQ certainly is a game changer, being easily compactable into a carry bag yet having the full functionality of a larger BBQ with its higher hood.
BeefEater BUGG BBQ
BBQs for large homes/backyards
The most popular type of BBQ for larger homes is certainly the LPG gas-powered BBQ, being seamlessly efficient, grilling fast and requiring little upkeep. Gas-powered BBQs are often a more permanent outdoor solution, many too large and bulky to easily move place to place, hence why they are the most popular type for larger homes. Our specialist BBQ team recommends a three-to-five burner BBQ for homes three bedrooms or larger, as they cater for both outdoor entertainment requirements and the regular cooking needs of the family.
For the BBQ enthusiast who has the space, there’s no going pass a coal-powered BBQ. Charcoal BBQs come in a range of sizes that are suitable for all types of living spaces and perfect for travelling. When using this type of BBQ, you can easily cook meat at a high temperature, sealing in the juice, and at the same time cooking the meat in a slow manner. The end result is meat that is cooked perfectly with that authentic smoky flavour. However, coal BBQs also come with the downfall that they can be messy and difficult to clean, depending on the model of course.
Recommended BBQ: There are many great BBQ models available for larger homes and backyards. One brand we stock is Weber, who produce an exemplary range of quality BBQs suitable for homes of all sizes. The perfect model for larger homes is the Weber Q3200. Recommended by Choice Magazine in 2013 as the preferred BBQ, the Weber Q3200 can cater for up to 15 people and roast a whole turkey. Weber is a top quality brand, with an excellent reputation for producing premium BBQ products.
Weber Q3200
Whatever the occasion, a backyard gathering is always thoroughly enjoyed, so make sure you are prepared with the perfect barbeque!
— Steven Czeiger has been the managing director of Sunlite Mitre 10 for the past 10 years and won the NSW Retailer of the Year Award in 2008.
Alfresco living is a widely celebrated aspect of the Australian lifestyle, so whether you’re happiest throwing a dinner party or prefer nothing more than a quiet drink watching the sun go down, your balcony offers the perfect space to enjoy your own city oasis.
Our resident expert Charlie Albone, and his stylist wife Juliet Love, have teamed up with leading developer Mirvac to help Australians create their ultimate outdoor space this autumn. So to help get your balcony looking bespoke and beautiful for 2015, Charlie and Juliet have pulled together their top landscaping and styling tips for the perfect outdoor space.
Charlie’s top balcony landscaping tips
Green walls get the green thumbs up
It’s no secret that vertical gardens, otherwise known as green walls, are a gardening trend on its way up. Aside from their aesthetic appeal, the concept of a green wall makes them suitable for any balcony size as they require very little space. They also have a positive effect on the environment as the increased green space within the urban environment helps reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect.
Weathering the conditions
Densely populated suburban areas receive milder temperatures and reliable rainfall allowing you to successfully grow a wider range of plants. If your balcony gets a lot of sun then try herb gardens, grasses or succulents as they are more tolerant of heat and harsher climates.
Potting appeal
Decorative or oversized pot plants are an ideal option for adding visual appeal and breaking up a space. Potted plants dry out much quicker than plants in the ground so ensure you keep the watering up during hot dry weather.
Styling your garden
Different garden styles evoke different emotions and set a distinct mood and tone for your space. Designing your garden to reflect a particular style that resonates with you starts with choosing a combination of similar plants known as a plant palate. Contrasting styles can also be achieved with the right balance between style and layout, however only select a few elements from each to avoid a busy mismatch of styles.
Choosing the right plants
Just because your balcony is shaded doesn’t mean you can’t grow stunning plants and flowers — there are plenty of beautiful plants and flowers that thrive in shady conditions. Walking Irises, Peace Lillies, Fuschias and Bleeding Hearts are just a few plants that will still blossom in low-light areas.
Juliet top 5 outdoor style tips
Juliet and Charlie
Cushion candy
Stylish people know the power of a throw cushion or two — they can transform a space in seconds, making them a fun and easy decorating tool! From monochrome to vibrant floral prints, you can add a pop of colour and pattern to any outdoor ‘room’. Play with size and texture to achieve the most interesting look. For seasonal updates, experiment with trending colours or opt for geometric patterns for a more trans-seasonal look.
Weather-proof your furnishings
Weather-proof outdoor furniture can be both stylish and practical. When styling your outdoor area, consider the elements your outdoor furniture will be exposed to and choose materials that are built for those conditions. For wet or damp weather, choose synthetic rattan and waterproof fabrics to prevent rotting.
Don’t just look at it
With balmy nights and beautiful weather all year around, there’s no reason not to go outside. The simple addition of a table and chairs will immediately convert an outdoor area into an outdoor living area. Grouping your furniture and adding large pot plants to break up the space work well as virtual room dividers should you want a lounge that is separate to the dining area.
Balance the space
Symmetry and balance play an important role in good design and should be a priority when considering the layout of items within a space. The aim is to enhance some areas while concealing others by evenly distributing the proportions of furniture and decor. Select two or three focal points and spread them out within the space so the eye can rest on one before progressing to the other.
Dine in style every season
Make your outdoor area an entertainer’s paradise by updating your dining table accessories to reflect seasonal trends. Consider the trending colours of each season and how they fit with your existing furniture and natural surroundings. Soft lighting from practical and pretty hurricane lamps or candle holders makes dining outside a delight.
With the countdown to Christmas officially on and chocolate advent calendars hitting the shelves, it’s time to give your garden a little facelift and prepare for the celebrations! Matt Leacy of Landart Landscapes shares his expertise on preparing your outdoor area for the silly season, and also bringing things from your garden indoors to help decorate.
1. Reining in the Christmas spirit
Adding summer favourites of potted colour with fragrance such as gardenias or jasmine is a great way to start. Australian Christmas is usually celebrated outdoors so investing in some summer colour is a must! Frangipani trees, Bottlebrush and Grevillea are some beautiful native options. They all have showy red, pink or yellow flowers that will enhance even the most mundane of gardens.
2. Home grown decorations
Don’t spend a fortune on store-bought festive accessories – Christmas decorations can be sourced straight from the garden. Change things up, perhaps an outdoor Christmas tree? A tree that is in fruit such as lemon or orange will allow the fruit to act as natural decoration. Try adding garden lights for a simple yet classy touch. For a more classic approach, topiary can be good way to add a festive touch to the garden and would suit those with a more traditional garden.
Try placing simple sprigs of greenery into colourful vases to spread the festivity throughout the house. Need a centrepiece that makes a statement? Filling a large, glass vase with layers of lemons, limes and red holly berries, not only looks great but will last throughout the Christmas season.
Another option is creating native wreaths for the front door – pale green and silvery coloured gum leaves and the silver dollar eucalyptus leaf with flowers of a Corymbia ‘Summer Beauty’ and painted gum nuts could look quite spectacular when put all together.
3. Greens for days
One of the hottest herbs right now, mint is the perfect addition to your summer spreads. This leaf packs a big, refreshing punch to your classic lemonades, ice teas, watermelon salads and the much-loved mojito. Growing mint by seed can be painfully tricky so head to your local nursery or market for inexpensive seedlings. With regular water and a little shade, your mint will grow vigorously, so pots are the best option – and will ensure that surrounding plants aren’t overtaken or destroyed.
Hosting Christmas lunch at your place with the entire extended fam? Stay prepared and keep it fresh by planting seedlings of salad greens such as lettuce, rocket and spinach every couple of weeks. Rocket, pear and parmesan salad anyone? Baby rocket, for example, is ideal to have on hand in your garden for summer salads, to add crunch to sandwiches and as a great side dish.
4. Red and ripe
Red and juicy tomatoes are always a crowd pleaser, particularly when it comes to fresh salads, pasta sauce or just a healthy summer snack. And home-grown tomatoes that have soaked up plenty of sunshine are always so much more full of flavour than store-bought tomatoes that have often been kept in cool rooms. Enjoy weekend brunches of bruschetta – using your diced red tomatoes, mixed with olive oil and placed on top of toasted crunchy bread, garnish with basil (also from your garden!) and even include the scrumptious leg ham leftovers…
5. Take a load off…
After all the organising and fussing, sit back, relax and enjoy your holidays with the people you love most. Avoid being beaten inside by those summer rays by creating a shady haven in your garden. For those gardens without any natural shaded areas or large trees, there are plenty of affordable man-made options that will ensure you and your guests can relax comfortably and stylishly away from the sun’s glare.
A large umbrella is a great addition to any patio and can transform a seating area into a cool oasis without losing the outside ambience. Umbrellas not only offer an instant escape from the sun, they are conveniently mobile and can be set up on the lawn or poolside, and angled to banish sun glare no matter what the time of day it is.
If your summer entertaining guest list is too big for an umbrella to cover, introducing a more substantial shaded area into your back yard like a canopy can provide a cosy and versatile shaded area, which can be transformed to suit your guests. Whether you’re hosting a late lunch or need a cool area for the children to play, a cabana provides a great way for everyone to enjoy your outdoor space. Retractable awnings, pergolas and outdoor pavilions, some complete with full outdoor kitchens, are all great ways of adding some protection and intimacy to your back garden and can bring a touch of style to your outdoor living area.
I’m no art critic but wow, Alexander McKenzie’s work continues to amaze me. These paintings are just magical. Or mystical. Or both. Either way, they’re amazing. His new show, opening at Martin Browne Contemporary this week, reflects his continuing exploration of a narrative within the landscape.
“The title, Acarsaid, is Scottish Gallic, meaning anchorage, and denotes the themes of refuge, reclusiveness and harbouring that are predominant in the new paintings,” he says.
Arcasaid, from 9 October to 2 November 2014. Martin Brown Contemporary, 15 Hampden Street, Paddington, NSW 2021. Online catalogue.
Spending 15 years as one of Australia’s top professional ballroom dancers, Taras Wolf has an incredibly diverse background. From painting to graphic design to owning his own dance school, his career has spanned many artistic endeavours; yet he believes they’ve all contributed towards his favourite venture thus far, his architecture firm, Wolf Architects.
“It’s this broad background in all things artistic that gives Wolf Architects its greatest edge,” says Taras. “We are more unconventional and better communicators because of our history. Our team consists of people, like myself, who also have diverse creative backgrounds.”
Bruce Street
Starting Wolf Architects almost ten years ago, Taras now leads a team of around 15. Together, they have made themselves known as leaders in Melbourne’s residential design scene, an area of architecture Taras favours for the fact that it is ”emotional work”.
“Our passion for residential work comes from my belief that the family is where we establish our ideals in life,” explains Taras. “Thus a home designed to nurture these ideals is a microcosm of all greater architecture. Understanding how to design a home helps me to understand life.”
The Wolf House
Along with designing homes, Wolf Architects also has an art, sculpture and furniture side of the business, which Taras believes is intrinsically linked to their success as architects and designers. “That side of the business keeps us creative, energetic, refined and different,” he says. “All buildings must function perfectly but further to that, they need to also be beautiful and inspiring. An appreciation and understanding of art, sculpture and furniture helps us to make buildings more than just functional.”
Wall Art
Currently working on a mix of new homes, unit developments and renovations, Taras is constantly striving to satisfy his clients. For him, the best reward is seeing the elation in his clients’ eyes. “Winning awards is nice but I don’t believe it’s a clear reflection of how good the work is. Our work is incomplete if it does not deliver joy to its users, despite any awards or recognition it may receive.”
That being said, Wolf Architects have won their fair share of awards, receiving honours at the HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards, IDEA Interior Design Awards, Asian Pacific Architectural Excellence Awards and the Bangkok Design Awards.
The Wolf House
One such project that received a lot of that attention was The Wolf House, a space that does triple duty as their office, Taras’ home and a show home for potential clients to visit. With a focus on connecting the architecture to the interior to the landscape, The Wolf House is a prime example of Wolf Architects’ interest in creating holistic projects from start to finish. It’s the reason it’s one of Taras’ favourite projects.
For Taras, the clients can make all the difference to his work and fulfilment: “Working with clients who have passion for their lives and know how to express those lives within their home, that’s my dream project!”
