Downsizers want an ‘extra room’ in their garden says designer
LOS ANGELES: Downsizers are transforming their gardens into outside rooms to maximise space as they shift from family homes into smaller terraces and apartments.
With indoor space often at a premium, interior and landscape designers report downsizer clients are wanting gardens that provide entertaining and dining areas as well as a sanctuary for the soul.
Leading interior designer Justine Hugh-Jones believes gardens are key in smaller homes as they create an important connection to “the elements, the rhythms of nature, and seasonal change”.
“People respond to being surrounded by plants in a way that they don’t respond to being surrounded by concrete,” Hugh-Jones says.
According to Sydney-based garden designer and director of Garden Life and Studio UC, Richard Unsworth, while aesthetics remain important, functionality is often the dominant consideration in small gardens as they need to be practical.
While many downsizers want a space that includes lounge and dining areas as well as plants, other features such as outdoor kitchens and plunge pools can be incorporated if the space is well-designed, he says. Unsworth says he likes to study surrounding gardens and landscapes for cues that can add character to a project and make boundaries less obvious.
“In a smaller garden you’re often looking at your boundaries so really it’s about softening and blurring the edges and possibly bringing what’s outside the garden into the garden and then blending that in with a client’s wish list,” Unsworth says.
He favours natural materials like local stone and recycled bricks but says it is important that the look of a garden melds with the home’s interior design to create a harmonious result.
“In a small space it’s often about keeping design simple and not having too many finishes.”
Plant choice and shade are also major considerations, given light may be limited or one-directional.
According to Unsworth, many downsizers are now favouring more natural gardens, with softer plantings and natives often on their wish list.
“They’re very open to a kind of looser aesthetic – a little bit less rigidity and something with a little bit of movement that’s a bit more ephemeral than plants that are clipped and formal.”
While some downsizers see a new home as an opportunity to have a different style of garden, others like to give a nod to nostalgia and create “a little bit of what they had before”, whether that’s a plant type or a piece of furniture, Unsworth says.
Landscape designer Adam Robinson of Adam Robinson Design says he encourages downsizing clients to bring some pieces from their old garden.
“It might be an interesting looking pot that was found in their travels or some heirloom furniture – something that brings their own personality and story into the space,” Robinson says.
With low maintenance a priority among downsizers, Robinson says he avoids potted plants and lawns as they require more upkeep. An irrigation system that enables downsizers to “lock up and leave” is a given.
Like Unsworth, Robinson favours natural materials such as tumbled stone and finer plants such as grasses, and likes to soften boundary edges by growing plants such as edibles and vines up walls.
When it comes to potted plants, Unsworth says homeowners should avoid the temptation to fill small gardens with small pots. Instead, they should opt for pots and furniture pieces that are generous in size and scale.
“You have to play with scale to create some impact,” he says.
To make a garden inviting, Robinson recommends dressing outdoor spaces like the inside, with relaxing pieces such as sofas and daybeds sitting alongside coffee tables and side tables.
Built-in furniture is a great space saver because it can be pushed to the boundary, he says.
Robinson also advises investing in good quality, tough outdoor fabric and foam that delivers on aesthetics and convenience.
“I always encourage clients to leave the cushions out 24/7 because when you make a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine you want to just walk out into your garden and sit down – you don’t want to be pulling cushions out of storage.”