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Exteriors Design Dilemma Gardens

How do I join the house and garden?

6 months ago

Hi, we've just bought a house with a biggish size garden, so great blank canvas, however the house just looks like a big concrete block next to it. How do I join the house to the garden without compromising any light into the house?

Featured Answer

Angie

6 months ago

A relatively quick win would be to paint the back gate and fence, then put some pots on the concrete area. The gap between the conservatory and the kitchen window could take a fairly big plant. Some herbs in pots in that area would also look good. Adding some greenery to the area should make the house feel life connected to the garden. And maybe switch the washing line for a rotary drier in the grass? The side wall isn’t pretty, but with other things to draw the eye hopefully it won’t seem so obvious.

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Comments (24)

Lucey C
6 months ago
I would get rid of the lean to conservatory and use the space to make an outside room.

I'd suggest something like this, perhaps with sides to protect from the rain, you could even wrap it around the corner a bit and have that more enclosed so it could be used all year round?

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Isla Cherry
6 months ago
Lovely house and garden. There is so much potential here I would struggle to decide what to do. I love Lucey C's idea. I would definitely wrap it around the corner after consulting an architect. Which direction does your garden face as that will make a difference. Also consider your kitchen and utility if you have one you don't want to make them too dark. A floorplan would help with advice.
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PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
I would agree to both of the above.
If you preferred to not make too many structural changes to the original style with side return. Perhaps these below can inspire you to work around that. There are many ways to open up the back and connect to your garden. A good starting point would be to get in contact with an HOUZZ PRO architect. Good luck!
Rosy W
6 months ago
Wow, what a great house! These ideas look expensive but I would certainly remove the lean-to. I'd get advice on opening up the two sides to the patio. How are those rooms used? Please share a floor plan if you can.
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
Yes we're on a tight budget to begin with and mindful of making the interior rooms too dark
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
Here's the floor plan
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
And garden is south facing
Rosy W
6 months ago
Nice one! Depending on how tight, the simplest would be to remove the lean-to and replace the door to it with patio doors to the garden and put the biggest window you can manage into the kitchen wall.

Then, when/if budget allowed for you to change the kitchen, you could look into possibly opening it to the dining room and bifolding those two sides. Depending on how you use the space, you could close it off from the sitting room and steal some of that end of the dining room to create a downstairs loo and utility, accessed from the hall.

Just some thoughts from a complete amateur!
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
Has the external of the house been newly painted?
Juliet Docherty
6 months ago
Remove the lean to and plant close to the house, it's a game changer. Ideally you don't want to see the boundaries form the house, it's good to break it up with some height and interest. You can use planting to break up the geometry.

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Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
That's beautiful
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
And no, everything needs a good paint.. not sure what to do with that brown side render
Juliet Docherty
6 months ago
I've done this in every house we have lived in. It works well in long gardens, use a combination of slabs and gravel and plant some grasses and exotic planting, then it screens the rest of the garden (which may be lawn) and provides interest when viewing from inside.
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
We might also have an outside office and I love fruit trees and growing veg.. so was thinking of a few raised beds and a nice patio area.. quite wild, but organised at the same time.
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
If budget is tight, I would paint the lean to differently to the house colour as it is too white. Also re-paint the window frames. I would paint also the back door, gate and fencing in the same colour as the leant to colour.
Plant a lot of amazing various plants, tall Bamboos are popular along the fencing.
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
…
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
The lean to designs are endless, inside or out. Good luck 😊
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
6 months ago
…
Sarah
Original Author
6 months ago
So pretty thank you
User
5 months ago
I’m rather late to join this discussion and I do like the ideas you already have too! I can see that a big feature of this property is it’s brilliant garden and depending on where you are I could help you with a garden design so you could connect the garden to the house.

It’s a great plot, full of potential and you are very fortunate to have such a wide area near the house. You could connect house and garden beautifully and add lots of light through the house.

Having plants inside and out will help connect the house to the garden too. I love the garden pictures you have been sent but your garden looks wider to me and you may prefer to keep some lawn?
I’m in KT10 and I’d be happy to travel about 45 minutes if that helps or I can help via zoom.
Selina
Chris Morgan-Jones
5 months ago
I think you should paint the side of your house. Paint all of your fences a very dark brown. Put a bistro set and some plants in pots on your patio and give it a year before doing anything else. You need to see what your garden looks like in all seasons and how you use it. Resist the urge to rush into making plans or changes.
kazzh
5 months ago
I see everyone is voting for removing the lean to - I’m going to buck the trend and suggest something slightly different. With the room functionality as is, it looks like you use the lean to judging from the furniture there. The only problem with it is that is actually restricts access to the garden as it has a side door. Sooooooo how about improving the access to the garden via the lean to structure? Change outdoor access to being across the rear of the lean to rather than by the side door by adding expansive doors across the rear. You can either keep the side door or remove. The kitchen access could then be widened , french glass doors maybe, as according to the plan there appears to be space either side of the kitchen door. The concrete area could have double duty as drying space with a line that can be put away when not in use (retractable?) and be an outdoor seating space, with potted plantings at the fence line or trellised plantings to
kazzh
5 months ago
Of course the kitchen doors may have to ensure the home remains secure.

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