Room of the Day: An Indoor-Outdoor Space for Any Occasion
A patio combining a covered kitchen with an exposed entertaining area is the perfect setting for life in Sydney
When you live in the city, you really can’t beat having your own outdoor living space that is perfectly suited to both summer and winter. That is just what this home in the heart of Sydney can boast. Built with privacy and entertaining in mind, the courtyard offers shade and sunshine, and is an oasis in Sydney’s historic Woolloomooloo area.
Privacy and the ability to entertain were key goals. This was to counteract the fact that the house is closely surrounded by neighboring villas, with their windows overlooking the rear space. The design also had to reflect the young and sociable style of the inner-city neighborhood it was in — one that was undergoing gentrification. Plus, because the house had a rear lane access, the lower courtyard needed to be big enough to park a car.
The result is an outdoor living space that combines a covered deck and an exposed courtyard. The deck accommodates a kitchen and dining area, while the courtyard has outdoor seating and a fire pit. Floor-to-ceiling bifold glass doors (first photo) link the kitchen to the outdoor entertaining area.
In the kitchen, Tuscan Suede cladding from KLS Stone lines the walls and reflects the many sandstone buildings in the area, while a functional kitchen in crisp white and stainless steel includes a barbecue and a fridge for drinks.
Outdoor Establishments worked with property developers A Gentleman’s Agreement, which bought the original block, as well as with Allan Slade Constructions for the internal build. Graham says the resulting project is “sympathetic to the existing architecture and local history, while successfully introducing modern materials.”
Outdoor Establishments worked with property developers A Gentleman’s Agreement, which bought the original block, as well as with Allan Slade Constructions for the internal build. Graham says the resulting project is “sympathetic to the existing architecture and local history, while successfully introducing modern materials.”
In the lower courtyard, the Thor fire pit and gray-upholstered Breeze sofa and loungers, all from Made by Tait, complement the cool tones of the durable blue marble paving.
The strict budget and speed of the build played a role in the selection of materials. “We focused on reuse of materials as much as we could, to avoid unnecessary waste and the need to purchase more materials,” Graham says.
The design included tallowwood for decking the kitchen area and off-form concrete for the stairs between the deck and paved courtyard. The boundary fence was constructed from floorboards recycled from the interior of the house, and the raised planters were fashioned from rescued convict bricks.
The design included tallowwood for decking the kitchen area and off-form concrete for the stairs between the deck and paved courtyard. The boundary fence was constructed from floorboards recycled from the interior of the house, and the raised planters were fashioned from rescued convict bricks.
When it came to the landscaping, Graham says they “used strategic planting to create privacy and ensure precious floor space was not taken up.” This included:
- Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’, which cascades down the side of the recycled brick planters
- Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland Select’, a tree that adds seasonal color and enhances privacy
- Philodendron ‘Xanadu’, which forms the underplanting and is popularly used in public areas of the Woolloomooloo neighborhood
- Fiddleleaf fig (Ficus lyrata) and Sansevieria, or mother-in-law’s tongue, which thrive in heavy shade
- Magnolia grandiflora ‘Teddy Bear’, which serves as focal-point feature trees
- Jade plant (Crassula ovata) and blue chalk sticks (Senecio serpens), which have few maintenance requirements
In recognition of the courtyard’s design, Outdoor Establishments won the LNA Master Landscapers Association gold award 2015 for a residential project under $75,000.
Get more ideas and inspiration from the Houzz guides to patio design
Get more ideas and inspiration from the Houzz guides to patio design
Who lives here: A young couple with their dog
Location: Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Size: Outdoor kitchen area deck is 215 square feet (20 square meters); lower courtyard is 269 square feet (25 square meters)
Designer and landscaper: Outdoor Establishments
Trystan Graham of Outdoor Establishments knew he had his work cut out for him when he saw this ex-housing commission property whose outdoor areas he was charged with renovating. “Both the house and garden were completely derelict and unusable,” he says.