Indoor outdoor connection
With a minimal colour palette, Robinson focused on foliage contrast. This includes silver princess (Eucalyptus caesia), coast spear grass (Austrostipa stipoides), cushion bush (Leucophyta fiddlesticks) and green wave (Casuarina glauca). Contemporary Garden by Acre Acre An internal courtyard at the entrance is designed to create a sense of grandeur when entering the home.
What should I put under the pavers? Most stepping stones sit on a foundation of builder’s sand, to give them maximum stability. Stones and pavers can settle and sink over time due to moisture and foot traffic, however, and may need to be lifted from time to time for more sand or soil to be added underneath. Cement is also an option if you want a rock solid foundation. In this Perth garden, the stepping stones have been mortared in. To cover the cement – and create a striking dry river bed effect – natural glacial river stones found in the south of Western Australia fill the spaces in between.
How far apart? Harrison advises stepping out the placement of stepping stones before you install them. “There’s nothing worse than steppers placed too close together, so you end up shuffling along the pathway,” he says. TIP: The average person’s stride is about 45cm. If this is the case for you – and the people who will most often be walking the path – place each stone so the centre of each stone is 45cm from the centre of the next. Mark the centre point with spray paint, a tent peg, or similar.
What should I put in between the pavers? If you’re laying your steppers into a healthy lawn, there’s no need to think about what to plant in between the pavers. But if your chosen site is too shady or naturally rocky, you may have to look at other options. The stepping stones in this Sydney backyard have been laid beside a living room that opens to a grassed courtyard on the south side of the house. Architect Sam Crawford explains that the 1.5m of garden beyond the concertina doors is in full shade in winter. “Grass will not grow under these conditions so the caste in-situ concrete steppers are set amongst native violet – a ground cover that can handle being trodden on,” he says.
Un-enclosed rooms Having the flexibility to turn your outdoor area into a usable living space is a boon in a small home. And by resisting the urge to enclose it fully, you’ll maintain that all-important connection to nature. If you’re concerned that an un-enclosed living space might not be practical – after all a sharp wind, heavy downpour or searing hot temperatures could quickly render the space unusable – you needn’t be. Today, there are many ways to keep you and your guests cool, dry and comfortable while enjoying a sense of connection with the outdoors. These include louvered and retractable roofs, cafe blinds, and motorised glass panels that allow natural light to penetrate the space without fear of getting drenched in a downpour.
Seamless indoor-outdoor flow Smart glazing can help form a meaningful connection between your interior spaces and nature outside. Here, glazing that runs the full width of the wall creates a sense of ambiguity between the indoor and outdoor zones, while infusing the open-plan living area/kitchen with natural light thus making it appear bigger than it actually is. This idea can work beautifully in other spots too; consider, for example, opening up your ensuite to a private, landscaped courtyard with an outdoor shower or spa. You can also use glazing to blur the lines inside your home. Rather than opting for solid partitions between rooms, choose full- or half-height glass panels instead. These will create a sense of division, while allowing light to flow through and maintaining a feeling of connection between the spaces.
Deck edges and steps become bench seats, allowing the residents, their family and friends to use the landscape in varied and spontaneous ways. Contemporary Garden by Acre Acre “We always like to activate the spaces and make reasons to move around the garden,” says Robinson. “This draws you out into the landscape to enjoy different light aspects during the day and get real usage out of your square meterage.”
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