The brief was to provide a multipurpose space that linked the historic property with the surrounding greenery of Sneyd Park, as well as incorporating the varying levels of the space.
The clients wanted to modernise, extend and renovate their early 20th century Arts and Crafts style house, with an ambitious plan to build an extension on the back and redesign their outdoor spaces.
The brief was to create a multipurpose back garden where they could sit, eat, and entertain, that seamlessly incorporated the contemporary design of the extension and the natural abundance of the area, alongside a redesign of the front garden and driveway.
The design focus of this project was incredibly important as the house had been built in the early 20th Century by Stride Brothers, and the contemporary extension had been designed to honour that legacy. The goal was for the garden to look architectural, without looking fussy.
This guided our choice to incorporate lots of linear, geometric details to echo the modern lines of the extension, as well as a similar colour palette.
With a topography that fell away to Sneyd Park at the rear, planning permission requirements to protect the mature trees, and the requirement that the garden incorporate greenery but be deer-proof, there were lots of elements that needed perfecting. We were also integrating with the builders, working on-site at the same time to minimise disruption to the client.
Integrating the right materials was important to this project, so we decided to use cool, washed grey Kebony for the external wooden requirements, to echo the tones of the Portland stone used in the extension.
We also used poured concrete steps that we made on site, and alternating angled steps that were designed to look as if they'd been cut from one piece of stone rather than multiple pieces.
We wanted to blend these materials with the stunning feature arches at the front of the property too, opting for a curved steel border for the flower beds instead of brick.
To account for the multi-level nature of the garden, we designed a steel-framed floating cantilever platform at the back so as not to feel too imposing or harsh against the rolling greenery of the lawn. This feeling of blending was assisted by carefully chosen plants, and boulders that had originally been part of the excavation of the garden.
We also worked with planning permission to ensure that we preserved the dense canopy of mature trees at the back, which afforded both beauty and privacy.
The result is a design-led garden that perfectly linked the property and extension to the landscape, whilst being functional too.
Artisan's expert team executed a comprehensive garden transformation for us, creating a stunning rear terrace and floating deck, a much improved new front driveway, and inviting flowerbeds, steps, and paths. We are thrilled with the results of this major project. Their hard work, coupled with meticulous planning and an unwavering focus on detail from design to completion, ensured a truly exceptional finish.
This isn't your typical renovation: it was an incredible opportunity to implement a unique design for a property with an ambitious goal. To design and implement something as interesting and unique as this was a fantastic challenge. We collaborated with the the architects and the client to create a garden which stands the test of time, and are over the moon with the results.
