Urban Chic
· Domestic, Lighting, Terrace
Urban Chic garden design in London Chelsea
“The extended living space we created with this contemporary garden design in Chelsea blends seamlessly with the chic interior and was well worth the effort. The transformation proves you don’t need a huge area to create a special outdoor space.”
The garden design brief
The garden was designed with the needs of the resident young family very much in mind. They wanted a dual-purpose space: somewhere for the children to play and an intimate terrace for entertaining friends and family.
There were plans to gut the house and transform the basement into a superb kitchen that would lead to a terrace for eating and entertaining.
“Before this transformation there was just a tiny paved area at basement level and the garden rising steeply in front of you”
“New steps provide a leisurely walk up to the lawn and iron stairway that leads to the lounge at street level.”
The approach
The long thin shape of this plot lent itself to a geometric garden design with simple clean lines. The use of contemporary materials and minimalist planting keeps it looking uncluttered, spacious and ‘urban chic’.
With the construction of two enormous concrete retaining walls and the removal of tonnes of earth to literally ‘eat’ into the garden another 10 feet this previously unusable spot has become the centre of family activity. We weren’t put off by the fact everything had to be brought though the house!
Surrounding this sunken retreat is a circular brick path leading under arches covered with scented and beautiful climbing plants. Ropework linking the arches allows the climbers to scramble along freely. The star climber featured here is a wonderful, mature potato tree (“Solanum crispum Glasnevin“) that flowers from summer through to autumn.
Garden construction materials and planting
Double doors from the kitchen below street level now lead out to a modern garden terrace, laid with natural smooth sandstone. Careful selection of a few key plants and colours repeated throughout the garden creates a calm, contemplative mood.
A row of dwarf purple Berberis separates the terrace from the lawn and box balls in sleek pots unify the planting. Atmospheric garden lighting extends the time spent outside, creating shadow and atmosphere.
The result
This ‘less is more’ approach fitted the brief and has given the owners the unique dual-purpose outdoor space they always dreamed of.
Sunken garden terrace in Chelsea