ACCREDITATION
We are approved & accredited members of the most respected standards in our industry.
Our clients appointed us at an early stage having purchased a property requiring extension and refurbishment, a key consideration was making a physical connection between the interior and the garden space. Having worked with us on previous projects, our client knew our process well and we were able to refine a brief as the concept stage of the kitchen extension was developed by Architect Will Gamble.
Will modelled the extension in the style of a Japanese tea house featuring Charred wood cladding and a grid like glass façade inspired by traditional Japanese shoji screens. Our brief was to marry traditional and contemporary elements to give a fresh yet warm space for relaxing.
The garden had an existing Birch tree that we retained to add instant maturity to the new garden and retain privacy from over-looking windows. We then used a number of flowering shrubs and evergreen blocks including Magnolia, Myrtle and Fig to work down the height of the Birch tree visually whilst filling the view from the kitchen extension with foliage. A new contemporary screen fence was constructed adjacent to the extension and all of the gardens boundaries were finished in Farrow and Ball ‘Bone’. We chose a handmade clay brick for the surfacing from Belgian brickworks ‘Vandemoortel’ and set this in a contemporary grid pattern alternating through the garden to create definition and interest in this small outdoor space. Small details such as a reclaimed stone water trough and copper light fittings carry the high quality finishes from the interiors created by London studio ‘Smith & Butler’. The lighting scheme has been designed to be warm and subtle allowing the kitchen and garden to truly feel connected as one space in the evening. To manage a change in level and accommodate tree roots, the rear of the garden has been raised and a step added which adds further interest and a secluded seating area.
The garden design has created a main lounge area with a luxurious outdoor sofa from ‘Ethimo’, a bistro table and chairs for casual dining under the dappled light of the birch tree and a hidden bench under a contemporary arch for reading on hot summer days. Storage has been incorporated with a bespoke unit hidden in the rear boundary and finished in dark grey which also adds depth to the garden and creates a dramatic backdrop to the planting with it’s largely white flower colours. The planting is abundant yet the proportion of hard and soft landscaping is perfectly balanced allowing flexibility to move furniture and for pots and planters to sit for our clients to enjoy growing tomatoes and chilli plants throughout the summer. This is a visually rich garden that feels very much at one with the architecture but also a ‘real garden’ where the clients can enjoy horticulture as well as a very useable outdoor room.
If you’d like to work with us, get in touch.
We are approved & accredited members of the most respected standards in our industry.
