A large Victorian house in central Cambridge was completely renovated and extended by the clients. Their architect Rob Stannard, designed a large open plan family room to the rear in harmony with the original building and the client’s modern interior style.

The brief was to design a modern family garden that would be able to grow with the family. It was to be modern in style but feature many perennials and grasses. A large play area was requested along with a second seating area to catch afternoon sun, a large shed and a logstore.

The resulting design broke the garden in three zones; a large porcelain terrace for adults entertaining and dining. A rectangular lawn and smaller second terrace and a play area with bespoke climbing frame and artificial grass.  In order to screen the play area and sheds from the large glass doors and box bay window, a large CorTen steel screen was designed and installed. To further hide this area the fences, sheds and logstore were all painted matt black.

The play lawn was edged in porcelain and the borders planted with massed perennials and grasses. The adult terrace was laid with porcelain flagstones in a grid pattern at extension floor level. A concealed slot drain protecting the interior from flooding.

A subtle LED lighting scheme up lit the CorTen screen, Tibetan Cherry and Acer and shadowed the many plants against the garden walls.