Extending our homes usually introduces some extra space and can add a lot of potential to the way we use our living areas. Most homeowners would rate an extension at the top of their wish list regarding favourite home improvement projects. You can choose to extend your kitchen, your living room, or perhaps you fancy a conservatory? Whatever aspect you decide to improve, you can be sure that you and your family will enjoy and extra dimension to the home. One part of this exciting venture that often becomes overlooked is the way that your extension affects your garden. You will be reclaiming a sizeable chunk of the land that was previously used for gardening and other activities. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have such a huge garden that the renovation doesn’t really affect it, but most of us will have opened a new can of worms, literally! This article looks at a few ideas that you might wish to consider before picking up that sledgehammer.
Focal Point
Your garden will possibly look a bit out of place, especially if your extension has smart new windows and perfect brickwork. You could do worse than adding a new focal point to the garden, a kind of classy distraction. Depending on the available space, you could add a water feature or perhaps a raised flowerbed, but be careful not to overdo it and remember this isn’t a competition. Maybe a new patio can connect the renovation to your garden as a subtle go-between. Even something as minor as a garden bench can bridge the gap nicely.
Remove Unsightly Features
Take a good sweeping look at what you see when you view the garden from the inside of the new extension. Perhaps there are some flaws that could be removed easily, an old shed or an overgrown bush? You could do worse than getting rid of all of these issues and starting from scratch, bearing in mind that your space is now a little smaller.
Think About The Entrance Aspect
Most of us will have some kind of sliding door construction that joins the garden to our new extension. You would be surprised to know that we also have a set of table and chairs either side of this door! If the doors open onto a patio, think about the space on either side and you are best advised to stick to just one set. Keep your patio clear for now and move the garden set to another location.
Add Some Light To The Equation
As long as your garden is neat and tidy, why not set up some lights along your path, leading to your newly installed extension? Remember to add some lighting immediately outside the extension or you could risk creating a black hole effect between the path and the patio area. This will connect the two aspects nicely and give the impression of a much larger living space area.
Most of these touches can be added after your extension has been finished, but it is a better idea to consider your garden before starting the building work. This way you may think of some clever ideas that incorporate the spatial differences before calling the builders in. You can also have a look on the net at ways other homeowners have tackled this issue.
This post was contributed by Jeff Harris from Stone Hub, a 100% Australian owned and operated online supplier of stone landscaping products like granite, sandstone and bluestone pavers.