Breezy Mediterranean style backyard

Outdoor designers Exterior Architecture were tasked with reworking this 80m² space. Exterior Architecture’s director, Toby France, explains that the existing garden was very plain – just the pool, a patch of grass and an unwelcoming alfresco area.

Landscape Design Exterior Achitecture / Landscape Build Urban Jungle Landscapes
Words Nichola Davies / Photography The Unfold / Styling Lowi Interiors

With a brief from the owner that she wanted a modern Grecian resort-style space where she could relax and enjoy the pool, Toby and his team got to work creating a series of luxurious zones. “She loves the sun and light colours, so we really tried to emphasise this,” Toby points out.

To create a functional entertaining space, the team designed a new outdoor kitchen complete with a pizza oven and a separate bar and sink area built into custom cabinetry. While Toby says there was “some back-and-forth getting the layout of the kitchen and bar area right”, the final product was very close to his initial design.

Toby says he loves the feel of the new space, where many small details (such as white powder-coated strip drains that disappear against the crazy paving) have worked to create a polished and beautiful space. And the client couldn’t be happier, describing it as “a dream”.

“For an area on the smaller side, Toby has managed to create a versatile entertainer’s paradise that is warm and inviting all year round,” she says.