The brief for this project was for us to take a dark un-utilised area under the pool and pool deck, and to create a quiet relaxed space where evening drinks can be drunk with the client's close friends.

The client's new exterior living space was to be in line with the design of the newly renovated house and interior decor.

The area also had to be low maintenance as the client lived primarily overseas for most of the year, coming back for 3 months at a time.

Click on the buttons below below to see what the area looked like prior to design and implementation.

Overview

Before

The area itself was very under-utilised. It was bare, suffered from a lack of light and drainage problems. Plants were not able to survive in the low light conditions, and the water ran off the slope into the property below.

The area under the pool was being used to store surplus rocks found on site when renovating and adding on to the house.

Ugly retaining blocks and sparsley placed rocks were being used to retain soil and to provide minimal forms of levelling.

Style Guide

The style guide incorporated natural colours in the neutral range.

The concept was to modernise the area, while still keeping it in line with the architecture of the newly renovated house and the contemporary interior decor.

Rich woods and natural stone were designed into the concept to bring in the feel of exhuberance and class.

Aesthetic enhancements were along the lines of a contemporary african feel using geometric shapes.







Design

Our design took the entire area through a major transformation. We brought geometric lines into the area, ensuring the flow from one aspect to the next met with a classy neat finish.

Attention was given to the finishing touches, the lighting and materials, as these were paramount to incorporating the style with the rest of the home.

The area under the pool was transformed into a wet wall water feature. A cantelever deck was placed along the front of the water feature leading the eye away and along to a focal point in the distance.

Implementation

  • Excavation
  • Foundations with reinforcing
  • Retaining walls
  • Drainage lines and irrigation
  • Electrical cables and lighting
  • Plastering, painting
  • Stonecladding and stone work
  • Deck seats, steps and floor
  • Soil, composting and planting
  • Wet wall water feature and flow over lip
  • Caesar stone tabel top inserts
  • Hand rail and glass
  • Landscaping - Paarman Landscapes
  • Light fittings - LEDShine
  • Water feature - Water in Motion
  • Building and decking - Client's Builder
  • Wet wall stone - Wild Cape Stone Works
  • Designed and Project Management - Living Matter

  • Project completed in 2 months



    See our Partners page for implementation partner contact details







Complete

Clean cut lines, geometric shapes, levels, rich wood, neutral colours and natural stone all bring this area into an aesthetically pleasing exterior living space.

Lighting, focal points, art work and the soft sound of water create the calm relaxing ambiance for an evening of socialising with a mature bottle of wine and some close friends.