outdoor
embrace nature with beautiful outdoor spaces
Up in the air When Peter and Giri took on the ambitious makeover of this urban rooftop garden, the sky was the limit Words jane Parbury Styling Adam Robinson Photography Sue Stubbs
homebeautiful.com.au {APRIL 2012} 181
Before
outdoor entertaining paradise
This rooftop garden has become an with seating options, innovative lighting and hardy plants
Mood lighting
Planning a garden makeover is tough enough without the added complication of that outdoor space being atop a Sydney apartment, four storeys up – a challenge that Peter and Giri faced when they set about redesigning the rooftop of their new home. There was no question that wholesale changes were needed. “The floor was beige tiles with white pebbles on the other side of the wall, everything was painted white and there was no shade,” recalls Peter. “We loved the space but soon discovered that it was an absolute inferno up there – you needed sunglasses! Our challenge has been to take the heat down.” Planning their project took nearly a year. Building engineers first had to confirm that their vision for the rooftop was possible. Then, Peter and Giri had to figure out how to get the necessary building supplies up several storeys. The pair made the decision to bring in a crane, which demanded council permits, blocking off the street, and precise 182 {APRIL 2012} homebeautiful.com.au
planning – but it offered other advantages. Not only could the builders have their supplies whisked up to the roof, but Peter and Giri could think bigger. “We thought, ‘If we’re going to have a crane, we should do some other things as well’,” recalls Peter. So, their next stop was a tree farm to buy some beautiful mature evergreen ash trees, which border the garden and are now starting to blend with the surrounding streetscape foliage. “We then needed gigantic pots, soil, stones and sand as well,” says Peter. Delivery was planned for everything to arrive all at once to be craned to the roof. Amazingly, everything was up within 45 minutes, with the project complete just 10 days later. The offending tiles were covered with merbau decking, and a pergola now provides much-needed shade. After choosing to paint the frame in Colorbond Paperbark, Peter and Giri repainted the surrounds in the same hue, then selected a deep forest green for the apartment’s exterior walls. >
As evening draws in, a scattering of LED fairylights bought at Bunnings (below) transforms this corner into a decorative focal point, while oversized Bloom ‘Pill’ floor lamps from Cafe Culture (above) are both pretty and functional. Ensure any lighting used outside is suitable for outdoor use, and that any electrical work is carried out by a qualified electrician.
A marble ‘Lotus’ bowl from La Croix complements the fairy lights.
A Dedon table setting, bought at David Jones some time ago, forms an early evening dining spot. Planter pots from Garden Life loaded with sansevieria tricuspidata and crassula ovata pick up on the greenery seen just over the garden wall. The Smart & Green ‘Illuminated Egg’ LED lamp, from Cafe Culture, lights up to cast a warm glow. >
Before
At dusk, the Bloom ‘Pill’ floor lamps from Cafe Culture become a bright feature.
Moroccan cane lamps from Pure & General provide pockets of light.
The decking and permanent shade structure came from the team at Pergola Land, who also drew up the plans, submitted them to council and completed the installation. The pergola is an alloy frame with a multi-wall roof system, providing shade and UV protection. The sofa and matching chairs were bought in a sale at Eco Outdoor. A large Tait Outdoor floor cushion in Lobster Firewheel fabric adds a cheerful belt of colour.
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< The rich green shade picks up on the many leafy plants that now enclose the deck – mostly natives such as grevillea and kangaroo paw, with a herb garden and a few exotics added for good measure. There was no particular plan, Giri admits: “We did think of getting a landscape gardener, but decided it would be more personal to do our own thing,” he says. “It’s grown organically rather than to a strict formula.” With comfy furniture under the pergola, the rooftop is now an ideal spot for drinks or a casual meal, with an array of lighting extending the use of the space far into the evening. “We put in extra power while we had the builders around,” explains Peter. “There are little spots in the deck to put light up
Colour & decoration
against the walls, some LEDs, and then low voltage spotlights around the garden area.” This much-used garden, high above the streets of central Sydney, has become an extension of Peter and Giri’s home, but is still a work in progress, as Peter explains. “As the trees grow and the plants go a higher, the space will become a little bit more private – right now it’s still young, still a bit raw,” he says. This doesn’t detract from their enjoyment of the space, which is used primarily for relaxing and entertaining. “It’s very restful to watch the clouds whizzing over and the trees all around,” says Peter. “And it’s nice to show it off as well – it’s got that little bit of wow-factor.”
“As the trees grow and the plants go higher, it’ll become a little bit more – it’s still young, still a bit raw”
private
A lush green shade is a refreshing choice for the exterior walls (try Dulux Gully Green for a similar hue), with pretty but functional pieces completing the picture. Below, a tree sculpture by Peter Mclisky from Tait Outdoor and an ‘Essential Egg’ pot, stocked with crassula ovate, both from Garden Life, illustrate the area’s use as both a place to relax and a garden to enjoy.
A Bonnie & Neil cushion and ottoman from Pure & General provide casual seating.
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