There was an old lean-to conservatory attached to the front of this listed 18th century brick house that had definitely seen better days. The client, who I have worked with on several projects, had contacted an architect to design a modern glass conservatory, and wanted a terrace for entertaining and relaxing.
The whole large area to the front of the house was to be for entertaining, but needed to be broken up into more intimate areas. The paving used was a sawn edged limestone giving a contemporary feel, and one that contrasted with the interior floor to give a clean and seamless transition between interior and exterior. A low curved wall doubles for seating, and a step down to an area for a large table is edged in steel and aggregate. A gravel area is visible from the drawing room with stone spheres and box topiary for all year interest, and also acts as an entrance through pleached Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ to the terrace.
Planting is soft, but compliments the brick and flint wall that acts as a backdrop to the whole area, whilst the colour is picked up in autumn and winter by a Fagus sylvatica hedge and multi stemmed Amelanchier lamarkii.