What to do with these steps... Garden help! Patio!

Sam SE

last month

Starting to think on what to do with these steps/ back of the house...

Any thoughts? or design pointers?

The shed will probably move down the garden.

Current thoughts are to re-lay the patio/ the steps, and build up some raised beds either side of the steps.

Featured Answer

PRO

AGI Landscapes

29 days ago

You will need to extend the paving out from the bi-folds a little so that you have a generous area to step onto without falling straight down the steps, only needs to be a minimum of 900mm out. However, if you want the first step out from the house to be almost level with the interior, you will need a threshold drain to protect your DPC.

Depending on the aspect of your rear garden, does it face east, west...?This will determine how far away your lower terrace needs to be from the house to get the most from the sun through the seasons. If you are north facing it may be worth swapping the lawn and terrace around and have a nice path across the side of the lawn to the terrace at the rear of the garden. Remember it will only add a couple of seconds travel time to get to the terrace, which will be in a better place.

Nice wide and deep generous steps down to make a feature/'entrance' into the garden. Then maybe a path to the terrace, depending on above.

Work the nice mature Cordyline australis into the design for the main terrace area. Maybe consider a tropical vibe with large leaf plants and just a pop of vivid colours.

Remember to make your terrace big enough to fit your furniture on comfortably without falling backwards into the borders.

Love to see how this progresses, keep us updated.

Ian

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Comments (11)

Jonathan
last month
Consider building a raised deck so your sitting space is the same level as the house….. then have steps down to the garden
Sam SE
Original Author
last month
I've thought on a raised area, but we want to keep the lawn to patio on the same level. In our council we would need planning permission to raised the fence level for next door to be at the top of the patio.
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Piur & Co interior design
last month
last modified: last month
Yes I agree with Jonathan, have a raised deck, for a nice seating area.

how do the patio doors open?
Sam SE
Original Author
last month
Patio doors are bi-fold, opening out to the steps.

I like the idea of raised, but would need planning permission for the fences to be high enough, and would prefer a patio to run off to the garden.

Any thoughts on how to do a patio / planters by the steps?
PRO
SPEAK
last month
Hi Sam,

Can almost see how this will look when completed, agree a raised decking or a continuation of the brick work, or composite decking brickwork effect and in part decking like the images with raised bed sleepers below:

Please keep us posted, we would love to see your final project outcomes.

Warmest and best wishes

Team SPEAK
Sam SE
Original Author
last month
Thanks all, we won't be going for a raised patio / deck straight outside the doors. Even though it looks great. We wanted to keep it down as it will help with more privacy from the neighbours as we have some trees to the right in the picture that helps to make the area a little more private. On a raised patio / deck, we wouldn't be able to raise the fence as high, or would need planning permission.

Any other thoughts on ideas for patio/ either side of the doors?
PRO
Piur & Co interior design
last month
well, you have bifold doors, so you need an area to steep on, on the entire length of the bifold..

You could build around the Yuka tree. and have the narrow steps there leading down and a seating area to the left. Instead of raising the fence you can plan some trails and have climbing plans for privacy. you can opt for low-level seating on the patio, so you are not that high.

another option would be to do a multi-level terrace, so you have a few steps down and then a semi-raised patio and then a few more steps down since the house is raised quite high.
Sonia
last month
Would you need to go higher that 6’ for the fencing if you created a deck/patio outside the house?
Sam SE
Original Author
last month
@Sonia - as the neighbours lawn is next to the fence it would be over 6ft to have a raised patio. Maybe more 7 or pushing to 8ft.
Sam SE
Original Author
27 days ago
The steps at the moment are 45cm deep, and will put some stone on top, which will have the top step fairly level to the bifold doors.

I like the idea of a tropical vibe, which I think we can add some more large leaf plants to help it.

My current thoughts are to raise two beds either side. On the left, make it a curved raised bed/ bench. And on the right 2 rectangular box planters a little higher than the steps they are next to.

Then will patio off a little wider than we currently have, move the shed and turn that space to a outdoor kitchen.

From where the photo is taken will be where a corner sofa is / running next to the right hand side. With a smaller bed behind.

What to do with these steps... Garden help! Patio!

AGI Landscapes

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What to do with these steps... Garden help! Patio!

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Comments (11)

Jonathan

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