GARDEN DESIGN
Photo credit : Jason Ingrams
Photo credit : Nathalie Priem
To help communicate their ideas , Georgia tasked the owners ’ with creating an Ideabook on Houzz , explaining “ I think Ideabooks are great . I always encourage my clients to create one and to leave notes to let me know what they like and why .”
Georgia trained as a theatre designer and says she likes creating spaces that are multi-purpose , as is often the case with a stage set . “ You have to be much more inventive in a smaller space . Things have to double up – a coffee table that ’ s also a firepit , or a cupboard door dropping to become a bar area . Every surface is within eye-level , so attention to detail has to be very precise because of that .” Small spaces aren ’ t Georgia ’ s speciality , but she explains “ I ’ ve done quite a lot of them and I really enjoy the challenge .”
“ It ’ s quite an unusual plot ,” Georgia says . The original garden was divided into two when the house was converted . The result is an L-shaped plot that includes a metal staircase up to their floor . Before Georgia came on board , the garden had low fencing that wasn ’ t doing a good job of providing screening for either side . “ Because of the layout , the owners and the downstairs neighbour felt very much in each other ’ s pockets ,” she explains . The other garden forms a rectangle inside the L . The aim was to create a sense of intimacy without it becoming claustrophobic .
As the owners access the garden from their first floor flat , via a staircase from their balcony they wanted the garden to become a secondary space where they can enjoy nature for short periods . It also needed to look attractive from the balcony and work as a transitional space , as they regularly walk through to access the car .
One of the most noticeable new features is the black fretwork screening which Georgia added to two sides of the garden .
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