Dendy Street
We took an overgrown weed patch in suburbia and turned it into an edgy entertaining space with the wow factor.
Brief
The brief for this relatively recent build was specific: Create a neat entrance and an extra car for secure off-street parking. To the rear of the property, the owners wanted a natural outdoor space combining raw textures and surfaces in a contemporary way to entertain friends and family.
Design
The design was simple yet elegant. An alloy fence and remote security gate protect the entrance, while an exposed aggregate drive, narrow borders and planting would greet visitors.
The vision for the back garden included a bluestone-paved dining area with a pergola to support shade planting in the future. A streamlined concrete seat with integrated strip lighting was designed to frame the fire pit. At the same time, giant basalt steppers and crushed rock create a stylish and permeable ground cover. Rustic metal edging, clever accent lights and rich green planting will eventually screen the outside world and complete the look.
Construction
The overgrown entrance was cleared of noxious weeds before a new drive, fencing, sliding gate, borders, and planting were installed. Out back, an old shed was demolished, intrusive trees cleared, and builders’ rubble removed to create a clean slate. A narrow side path and garage access were opened by replacing a bulky hot water tank with a slim wall-mounted instant system and relocating an air conditioning unit to the roof.
Phone-controlled lighting and irrigation systems were installed underground, followed by the substantial formwork required to pour the concrete seat. Once the formwork was removed, basalt steppers were shuffled into place, before edging, painting, and planting finished the job. The owners were ecstatic, as their TikTok videos with app-controlled mood lighting bear testament to. The garden has given them a great entertaining space and is everything they hoped for.
