Courtyard
This glass-covered pergola attached to a stunning home in Perth lets the sunshine flood in when needed, but it also gives homeowners the chance to keep sweltering temperatures at bay. Remote-controlled retractable awnings above the glass are the solution to the intense heat, and overhead fans keep the air moving.
Key design aspects Colour palette: White, timber and black. Materials palette: Recycled blackbutt screening (which screens the view of neighbours), blackbutt flooring and decking, and black anodised-aluminium bi-fold doors. The balustrade wall to the terrace is white-painted brickwork, and the end wall has bricks laid vertically for a feature that extends to the front exterior of the house. Key features: The furniture was all pre-owned. The green upholstered dining chairs and throw cushions on outdoor lounge pick up the greenery outside.
For the front verandah here?
Simple under and over fabric treatment to provide shade
water feature - nice big bowl - could we make one out of concrete?
John Davies Landscape
What was your thinking behind the different decking levels? Sometimes, in a very small courtyard, level changes can take up too much space. But, here I was able to incorporate a layered platform leading to a rectangular seating area with a built-in daybed at the top. Being able to see the level changes here makes the garden feel larger than it is – an effect that’s boosted by the sections of reflective polished stainless steel behind the timber screen that bounce natural light and reflections of the plants around the space.
What exactly did you do? Installed a timber boardwalk to connect the living room (accessible by stackable doors) to the courtyard. Added a low-level, mosaic-tiled wall housing a water feature that spills into a naturalistic stream with large, washed river stones. Added built-in seating and a paved dining area.
Pivoting glass doors open the living room to the outside Walls are made of concrete masonry units (CMUs) with a hand-polished cement finish. Carefully placed apertures frame views of the verdant property. Cool breezes flow through the Casa Aviv, thanks to its positioning on the site. "The house is oriented east to west, taking advantage of the prevailing winds and cross ventilation," the team said.
Q