Refurbishment and Restore Issue 15 2019 | Page 66

How to maximise outdoor living spaces With more and more people spending their down time at home, many now look to extend their existing living space. An often over looked, easy and relatively inexpensive place to start is in the garden. Malcolm Gough, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Talasey Group believes that a beautifully designed and well-thought out garden is the best way to maximise living space. In this article, Malcolm shares his thoughts on how to maximise outdoor living spaces. Blending spaces To make a space feel larger creating an area that flows from one zone to another will give the illusion of more space. Using tiles inside a home that flow out to the garden may seem a little out there, but you will instantly create much more available space when doing this. Porcelain tiles are durable and sleek – our Vitripiazza range has complimenting indoor and outdoor tiles that can be used to create the appearance of one large space, especially when the garden is on the same level as the house and bifold doors are installed. Mix it up Gone are the days of using the same material throughout the garden. It used to be that a patio area using concrete tiles and a lawn were all people wanted for their outdoor space. However, this often left gardens looking tired after a very short amount of time. Mixing natural materials with innovative man-made ones can create outdoor spaces that stand the test of time. Think, natural stone patios, mixed with artificial grass that will look great all year round. Fake it On the subject of artificial grass, I believe it is a great alternative to the traditional lawn. 66 - www.refurbandrestore.co.uk With so little spare time families want to spend it relaxing not cutting the lawn. Artificial grass is durable, easy to clean, great for pets and kids, doesn’t brown in the summer or turn into a muddy puddle in the winter. Crank up the heat British summers can be short lived meaning people are limited to using their garden for just a couple of months out of the year and the rest of the time are stuck indoors. By installing a heat source such as a firepit, chimenea or patio heater homeowners can extend the amount of time they are able to spend in their gardens. Make the most of small spaces People often believe if they only have a small space – such as the back yard of a terraced house – there isn’t much they can do to create a garden, however with some careful planning even small gardens can look spacious. Creating a circle patio area will mean there is still space around the edges for flower beds, herb gardens or even a vegetable patch. Painting any walls or fences in a shade of light green will instantly make a small space appear larger, and using natural stone or porcelain paving will lift a small yard creating a welcoming space that homeowners will want to spend time in. Maximising outdoor space needn’t be a huge or costly job, just some small touches can mean that homeowners can really make the most out of whatever space they have. The key is often careful planning and creative design. Talasey Group is one of the UK’s leading independent suppliers of landscaping solutions, with a diverse product portfolio. For further information, visit their website: www.talasey.co.uk or call 0330 333 8030