Forest Hill

A design for an outdoor living space, with tricky level changes, within the Forest Hill area of South East London.

The scheme needed to fulfil the practical requirements of a family with teenage children, whilst at the same time, reflecting the owners personal design style.

Prerequisites included a large terrace at the rear of the house. Improved privacy both sides, additional areas of screened seating and a new pathway leading to a sunken fire pit/ BBQ area at the bottom of the garden.

No lawn. Just flower borders, a pond for fish, an existing shed up-cycled into a children’s den and clear views of the garden at all times from the uppermost terrace.

Style ideas needed to reflect a contemporary use of textures and materials, whilst maintaining a ‘scruffy edge’.

Steel framed platforms with soft weathered decking and gabions holding stone walling were chosen as retaining structures for this challenging site. Whilst colourful recycled timbers added a quirky twist to the uppermost deck and children’s den.

In order to soften and balance the hard landscaping, an evergreen and white planting scheme was chosen to provide year-round interest.