Before & After: Creating a Garden Oasis in Southeast London
Hamilton Cody Garden Design
6 years ago
Our client had recently moved to a new house and found that everything in the
garden was the exact opposite of what she wanted. She intensely disliked the
cracked slate paving, the bulky concrete planters and all the painted fences. She
found it all too lifeless, badly built and far too blue.
What she did yearn for was a floriferous oasis in which the whole family could relax.
She sought lovely views from within the house, flowering plants to attract lots of
insects and a small lawn to lounge on. A storage shed was to be included and
unusually, cat protective fencing to prevent her pet from escaping the garden. We
also suggested replacing the existing chrome water feature with something much
more sympathetic.
BEFORE:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
AFTER:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
We replaced the side fences with ready-made panels from Jacksons Fencing. On
the rear boundary, we clad the existing fence with horizontal battens and planted
scented climbing Roses. The cat protective fencing came from Protectapuss.co.uk
and is surprisingly discreet. We used Beige Sawn Sandstone from London Stone for the terraces and tumbled setts in Mint Sandstone for the panels between the lawn and the terraces.
BEFORE:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
AFTER:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
BEFORE:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
AFTER:
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
Our client is extremely happy with the result. She loves gardening and enjoys
pottering about whilst working from home. Butterflies and bees are buzzing, the
water feature is gently bubbling and the cat is safely enclosed. Oasis achieved we
think.
Garden Oasis, Lewisham · More Info
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Hamilton Cody Garden Design
6 years ago Related Discussions
Please help ! - Trying to create a Garden with Privacy
Comments (60)If you want privacy at the front of your home to stop people to seeing in, then you could either change your gates to completely enclosed the area and have a CCTV system set up so visitors can alert you when they arrive. Or preferably, you could separate the two drives by erecting a fence between the two garage doors and plant a nice tall hedge 3/4 of the way along the front boundary to obscure the view of the main house. You could then reverse round the hedgerow and park the car at an angle so it is partially obscured by the hedgerow, with CCTV and security lights shining down from the top of the garage to give you peace of mind. It would be lovely to remove the gates and be able to look out of your front door and see the hedgerows, and they would also help to muffle the sound of the traffic...See MoreRear elevation - Before & After
Comments (9)Dear Buggypie, thank you for all the kind words :-). Originally the work was planned to take 5 months but once we stripped out we found a few issues with the current foundation and structure, therefore we added a few more weeks to the contract. The property is located in the Hampstead conservation area and planning application was required. Over all, creating a green roof is a straightforward procedure and not costly at all. It lowers the impact on neighbouring properties from above, reduces the surface rainfall run-off, improves sound insulation, reduces heat loss & increases the life of waterproofing membranes lying at the base of the roof. It will also provide an important microclimate for insects & bird life and contributes to the conservation area in general. However, the most important reason we suggested it is so that the client could look at a garden from the master bedroom rather than a black pondy roof. Please see below an image of the view of the green roof: This image shows the green roof from within the master bedroom, it is viewed through a pretty Victorian-period balustrade (we chose the pattern & hand-picked each post to make sure it was the perfect fit):...See MoreBefore and After for a young London couple, who moved up North!
Comments (0)If ever there was a case study to affirm a company’s total commitment to customer service, it has to be Heart of Your Home Kitchens and young London couple James and Sam. Having lived and worked in the capital for 10 years, Sam, whose parents live in the Ribble Valley, and James decided it was time to relocate: “While we loved living and working in London we never intended to bring up a family there,” says James. The couple began their search for a new home three years ago and discovered, and bought, a 1960s stone-built, detached home near Ilkley in Yorkshire last summer. Still both working in London, the task of refurbishing the property was made all the more tricky as they were unable to oversee the work. First up was the kitchen, which needed remodelling and replacing, as James explains: “The units were totally outdated and we wanted to alter the layout too by knocking down an archway to open up the space.” While looking for cabinetry the couple had seen the 1909 collection in London and online, where they spotted Heart of Your Homes Kitchens in Waddington, run by Katie Green. “We visited Heart of Your Home Kitchens and met Katie on one of our trips to Lancashire and we thought the showroom was amazing!” recalls James. “We had also been talking to a local supplier in Yorkshire, so we had a bit of a dilemma but when we spoke to Katie she was so enthusiastic and engaged with the whole project that we commissioned Heart of Your Home Kitchens.” The couple, who by this time were expecting their first child, asked Katie to project manage the re-modelling of their kitchen, which included 1909 base and wall cabinetry in Partridge Grey and Porcelain, a larder, cleverly recessed ceiling and lighting, a Villeroy and Bosch Belfast sink, Chicstone worktops in Amani White finish, Neff appliances including full-length fridge and freezer, microwave, oven, warming drawer, induction hob and a super-efficient ceiling extractor that doesn’t obstruct the view of the lovely gardens – something that Sam and James were keen to avoid. “The computerised visuals that Katie produced were far and above the best we have seen. She added so much detail right down to the position of the spotlights,” says James. When Heart of Your Home’s experienced craftsmen started work on the kitchen and newly-created utility, Katie visited the property regularly so she was able to send James and Sam almost daily updates on the progress. “Katie went totally beyond what we expected. She always responded quickly to emails and any queries we had and she regularly sent us photos of the kitchen. She even sent us photos of the other rooms that were being refurbished when she visited the property!” While everything appeared to be going smoothly with the long-distance refurbishment, Sam and James were in for an unexpected surprise amidst their busy project – the arrival of their new baby! Six weeks early and weighing just under 5lbs, all the attention turned to the new arrival. Meanwhile Katie concentrated on getting the kitchen complete, on time and on budget. “She was just super-helpful,” says Sam. “She was really on top of everything, very proactive and never left anything to chance.” “We lead very busy lives and when we were in London it was just so good to have such a great communicator. When we sent an email Katie would respond quickly and efficiently, which is really valuable, especially in the situation we were in.” “We had a limited amount of time and even then, Katie willingly accommodated any changes we made. She really took ownership of the whole room – not just the cabinetry but the layout, lighting and all the practical details.” The result is a beautiful cooking, dining and living space for this new family, who were delighted to move in last month. Commenting on the project, Katie of Heart of Your Home Kitchens, says: “When James and Sam commissioned me it offered the ideal opportunity to deliver on my business concept – ‘Personalised, quality kitchen design and installation’. “Planning and installing the ideal kitchen and living space for a client demands building a close working relationship with them. It also requires a great deal of consultation to completely understand their exact requirements and lifestyle.” “It was a pleasure to work with James and Sam and I am so pleased that they are delighted with their Heart of Your Home 1909 kitchen. It is so satisfying and absolutely brilliant when everything comes together perfectly.”...See MoreBefore & After - 4 story 1970’s townhouse in Highgate, London
Comments (12)Great job! Best award for the trades people is to be part of a complex house renovation and stunning final result obviously. Lot's of stress and hard work but it pays off for both - customer and trader. Well done!...See More
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