This striking project includes rear-home renovations, an alfresco entertaining area, a reimagined swimming pool and garden to provide a genuine sense of sanctuary for a lucky Sydney family.
When John Storch, the director of A Total Concept, received a call from the owners of this Sydney home — a couple with whom he had worked on two previous projects — he was thrilled. They wanted his help to develop their recently acquired property and John was immediately on board.
“The brief for each property we’ve designed for these clients has been very different because each had dissimilar requirements,” says John.
“The first, a semi-detached home, was designed to cater for the needs of a young family. The second, a large, highly detailed suburban home on acreage, was planned with entertaining teenagers in mind and as for this third property, the goal was to create a sanctuary to the rear for the downsizing couple. As a pair of empty-nesters, they wanted something predominantly for themselves, but also wanted the home to cater for any grandchildren they may welcome in the future.”
When purchased, the rear of this property had small separate rooms for kitchen, dining, living and lounge — and they did not relate to the rear external areas. Externally, the existing swimming pool was too close to the house, cutting off access and visibility to the sunken lawn at the rear, and the alfresco area adjacent to the house was uncovered, too narrow for entertaining and lacked a kitchenette. Additionally, the gardens needed attention.
“We addressed the home first by infilling a superfluous niche at the rear to gain about an additional metre, opened up and integrated the kitchen, dining, living and lounge rooms as one space, and we worked with a consultant to redesign the kitchen,” explains John.
“We also replaced the old doors and windows with contemporary folding steel and glass doors to the entire width of the back of house to update the facade and to better integrate inside and out.
“We extended the width of the outdoor entertaining area towards the existing pool by filling in the original swimout area in the pool and added a floating kitchenette, a retractable weatherproof pergola-style structure, radiant heating and a sound system to the outdoor area.”
Contemporary square corners replaced the round pool junctions, and new steps and a long bench were installed within the pool to provide a space for entertaining grandchildren. The width of the paved pool entertaining area was extended to the rear to accommodate sun lounges, and the pool’s interior was resurfaced with a stunning pearlescent black tile and matching grout.
The entire alfresco and new pool entertaining area was paved in a matching clean contemporary porcelain tile with square edge, replacing the original round bullnose of the swimming pool coping. Detailing is important to ensure the inside and out appear seamless. In the images you’ll notice the island kitchen downturn is identically proportioned to the swimming pool coping and alfresco skirt.
“We raised the rear lawn area by more than a metre to better integrate it with the rest of the property and ensure that grandchildren could be viewed easily from inside the home,” continues John. “The entire space had little privacy from neighbours, so we bounded the garden with tall planting, into which we integrated an existing Murraya hedge. This has created a concealed garden which, with adjustable pool lights and subtle landscape lighting, provides the kitchen and living areas of the home with a stunning outlook, day and night.”
The aspect of the property provides a mix of sun and shade, which has allowed for a complex palette of planting, including Asian and Chinese Jasmines, Salvia, Quandong, Gardenias, Dutch Iris, Clivea, Convolvulus, Westringia, Hippeastrum, Salvia, Gardenia, Viola and Tradescantia.
A Total Concept designed, gained approval, specified and managed this project, delivering a result that offers the owners a stunning private retreat to be enjoyed year-round.
Award-winning A Total Concept has been creating beautiful spaces for its clients for more than 30 years. “We craft striking, cost-effective, functional spaces and bring together all aspects of a project, from consultations, selections and approvals, construction designs, recommendation of quality contractors to undertake the work, to the total management of a project.
A Total Concept bridges the gap between the inside and out by providing a total service to create a fusion of home and garden for clients. If you want a cut above the rest, a superior design solution, speak to A Total Concept.
For more information
A Total Concept Designers and Landscape Architects
P: 02 9957 5122
E: design@atotalconcept.com.au
W: www.atotalconcept.com.au