Garden Living

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THE DESIGNER OUTDOOR ROOM

No sooner have we pulled our last cracker or devoured the final mince pie, than our thoughts will turn to the annual “new year, new you” ritual. If part of your grand plans for 2008 includes making improvements to enhance your living accommodation, it might be worth reviewing the potential of your outdoor space before you begin any ambitious interior building projects!

As a nation we are increasingly viewing our gardens as a natural extension of our indoor living areas and, thanks to various lighting and heating innovations, the “outdoor room” is now generally accessible not just during the glorious months of summer, but year round. As well as delivering the practicalities associated with generating additional square footage, exploiting your outdoor space also offers a whole new relaxed way of living.

Outdoors rooms are no different to their interior counterparts in so far as, each of us has a very individual take on the specific functional needs and aesthetic aspirations for the space that is available. The best way to translate your dream garden into an impressive reality is to work with a professional landscape garden designer.

If the mere mention of a garden designer conjures up either images of the disappointed casualties of programmes such as Changing Rooms,

or spending money on a Posh and Becks scale – then think again. Whilst ten years ago, access to a garden designer was pretty much limited to the elite echelons of society with access to generous amounts of money – and space – this is certainly no longer the case in the Noughties. More and more of us are recognising the benefits of working with a professionally qualified garden designer who is equipped with the requisite vision, creative flair and practical landscaping knowledge to transform your low key garden into a dramatically stylish outdoor room.

A reputable designer will expect to spend a significant amount of time with you to discuss your specific requirements since everyone has a different expectation from their outdoor room, influenced by the need to balance how the garden will look with the function it must fulfil. Whether you’re expecting your garden to provide a private haven, social setting, family play room or simply a style statement in its own right, your final garden design should be entirely bespoke, as a result of taking these key factors into consideration. Always ask to see examples of the designer’s work – an award winning garden designer may be perfectly at home creating an epic show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show but is not necessarily capable of adapting his / her designs (or budget!) to fit around the needs of the average UK home owner.

Once you and the designer have agreed a formal plan, you have your blueprint for success – for some, the plans will be realised over a period of time, for others instant gratification is the only way to go! Whichever route you choose, the no1 priority is to source a reputable, reliable and 100% professional landscaper to bring your design for

outdoor living to life. Sadly, there are a number of businesses which claim to be professional landscapers who fail to deliver a quality service and an alarming proportion who don’t provide quotes or who lack detail in terms of specifying the exact materials to be used. Always check that the company that will be responsible for undertaking the construction of your ultimate outdoor room has full public liability insurance and employer’s liability insurance.