If you have a new extension to your home then hopefully it will have everything you dreamt of: plenty of light and space, a smart kitchen, the latest gadgets, mood lighting and a comfy family sitting area. However, have you considered the impact your ‘old’ garden will have in your new space? It is well worth thinking about this as early as you can.
What a shame it would be to have your beautiful bi-folding sliding doors presenting
you with a generous view of, shock horror, an old friend: your old garden! And
this old friend will be slightly embarrassing, out of sync with your new life.
It will need a new, more fashionable wardrobe or at least a few new pieces to
bring him up to date with your stylish extension.
Here are some starter ideas on how to achieve this:
Your garden will be like a painting transferred onto a bigger canvas, due to all
the extra glazing, and will need to be redrawn to fill that space. You will very
likely need a new focal point to draw your eye to, perhaps taking attention away
from unsightly views or dishevelled features such as old sheds or fencing
falling apart. A small tree or a nicely placed, planted border will do the
trick. If you want something more architectural, try placing an urn or a bench
framed by planters.
Consider carefully where to place your new deck or patio. Don’t immediately
assume it should go at the back of the house, straight outside the garden doors.
Don’t be swayed by your builders offering to put up a quick deck/patio there.
Find out where the sun will be in your garden at the time you will be eating
outdoors: that is where your dining area should go.
Don’t make the widespread mistake of placing a table and chairs in the garden by
your sliding doors, if you have a table and chairs in the house right by the
sliding doors. It’s neither practical nor aesthetically pleasing. Much better to
have a sitting area for sofas and armchairs one side of the doors and a dining
area the other. What also looks great is to have a gorgeous planted border
directly in front of the new glazed areas to feast your eyes on from your cosy
inside, come rain or shine.
Consult with your architect or garden designer about how the transition between
indoors and outdoors will be resolved. Most people these days want a perfectly
flush finish between indoor and outdoor floor level but this is not always
possible for technical reasons. The exterior level should not breach the damp
proof course of the house; this typically means a patio should be 150mm below
the DPC or airbricks. Otherwise damp can get into the structure of the building.
This is a case where style shouldn’t prevail over substance.
South or west facing aspect?If your extension faces South or West, it is likely
to get very hot. To keep it at a pleasant temperature, you can have specially
treated glass that reflects the sunrays away, or you could have some kind of
window treatment: sheer curtains, louvred shutters, etc. Alternatively, you
could address it from the outside: with an awning, a pergola clothed with
deciduous climbers or a well-placed tree. If you go down the green route, make
sure you choose deciduous varieties: they will filter the sunlight in the
growing season but allow it to come through in winter.
Lighting.Placing a few subtle lights in the garden, perhaps uplighting a few
shrubs or a particularly nice tree, will incorporate the view of the garden into
your interior space at night, making it feel bigger. But make sure you also
light something immediately outside the house or otherwise you will just get the
reflection from your interior lights bouncing off the glass, turning the
exterior into a black hole.
Employ a professional, ideally an SGD accredited, Garden Designer to help you
through. Ok, I may have a vested interest in this but seriously, having spent
all that money on your extension, why not invest a little on your outdoor space?
A garden will mature and become more beautiful over time, giving you pleasure
for years to come, and the same can hardly be said for your new kitchen…
Ana Sanchez-Martin MSGD
Article taken from: Architect Your Home
http://architect-yourhome.com/blog/77