AUGUST 2019 I HOMEBEAUTIFUL.COM.AU 181
OUTDOORSfab fabrics“The Sunbrella fabric has been just fantastic;
we’ve kept it out in all the weather,” says Helen of the upholstery
on the powder-coated aluminium outdoor setting from Alboo (top,
right). “The sofa is also incredibly light, which is a huge bonus
because the boys move it all the time to play handball.” Custom
fabric scatter cushions by Adam Robinson Design were chosen for
their weather resilience. Clusters of rustic pots (right) billow
with contrasting greenery, adding visual softness.
lawn love With the back of the garden often shaded by the
surrounding palm trees, Sapphire Soft Leaf Buffalo was selected
as a shade-tolerant, easy-care lawn option (left). “I really love how
deep green it is,” says Helen of the incredibly soft lawn. >
“THE BI-FOLD DOORS OPEN UP SO THE indoors and outdoors MERGE
AND YOU ALWAYS FEEL PART OF THE GARDEN” ~ HELEN, HOMEOWNER
A
lmost 10 years after buying their 1887 Victorian terrace,
homeowners Helen and Joe decided it was time to make
some big changes. With two young boys, Daniel, 11, andDylan, eight, the family was in need of more space. They decided
to build up, adding another level to the home and extending into
the garden to create a family room and paved alfresco area.
“We knew that the build would take up a lot of the backyard, but
the space just wasn’t family friendly or useable,” explains Helen. “The
block sloped so the kids couldn’t play handball and there were lots
of trees, so it was quite dark and uninviting out there.”
Keen to make the most of their remaining outdoor area, the couple
enlisted landscaper Adam Robinson of Adam Robinson Design to
create a beautiful green backdrop they could enjoy whether indoors
or out. “We wanted quite a classic European feel and to incorporate
the French influence we saw throughout Morocco, which was hard
to explain,” says Helen, “but Adam got it and did an amazing job.”
The installation was rolled out in stages, with the hardscaping
completed first. Travertine pavers were laid with generous spacing
to resemble flagstone, limewashed cladding was installed either side
of the courtyard to screen off neighbours and create a more intimate
feel, and the boundary fence was spray-painted in Dulux Monument
to make the surrounding greenery pop. It was a council requirement
that a paperbark tree with exposed roots was protected. The solution?
A dry-stacked sandstone wall that wrapped around the tree, which was
then underplanted with ferns to form a layered feature. Alongside,
recycled bricks provide another flat seating area.
Soft-leaf buffalo now provides a lush patch of lawn for the boys toplay beneath the garden’s existing shade-loving palms, which were
thoughtfully incorporated into the overall design with garden beds
below, which feature sculptural shapes and textures, such as Japanese
box and mounds of silvery leafed curry plant.
The finishing touches for the project came down to the choices
of furniture and decoration: sophisticated monochromatic pieces
and a trio of ornate mirrors makes the outdoor space seem like a
well-appointed extension of the living area. “On weekend mornings
we love nothing more than putting on some music, opening up the
doors and sitting out there with a coffee,” says Helen.