“Reconnecting ourselves to nature in our outdoor spaces, whether large or small, can be life changing.” So says Alan Titchmarsh in the introduction to ITV’s Love Your Garden, and we couldn’t agree more. It’s why we were so delighted to be involved in their latest episode – to, as Alan put it, “replace James’s rather, ahem, rustic barbeque, with something a little bit smarter…” Watch the episode to see Alan and his talented team – Danny Clarke, Katie Rushworth and Bruce Kenneth – turn a Burnley Builder’s Yard into a Burnley Bliss… with a little bit of inspiration from a familiar-looking Stockport Shangri-La. The episode saw Britain’s best loved gardener head to the Lancashire town of Burnley to meet a very special plumber. James Anderson set up a charity, Depher CIC, to provide free plumbing services to the elderly and vulnerable families in the region. What began 5 years ago as a gesture of support for his elderly neighbours has grown into a charity that’s supported more than 39,000 people across Lancashire, who otherwise simply couldn’t afford it. Even though James now heads up a team of plumbers, he’s still out there 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, leading the charge. During COVID he dedicated his front garden to those in the area who don’t have a garden, letting anyone come and plant or place something there in memory of someone they’d lost. But his own backgarden, which should have been a place of escape and relaxation from his hectic life of helping others, was little more than a neglected builders yard; paved from front to back. It was, as Alan said, one of the bleakest gardens that they’d ever taken on. In redesigning James’s garden, Alan took inspiration from a garden in that featured in LIVING ‘22 – Stockport, Cheshire. It used a lot of hard landscaping, in varying colours and shapes, to fantastic effect – making the garden not only low maintenance, but much more interesting. The garden had been divided into 3 different sections – a relaxation area, a Grillo outdoor kitchen area, and a private party social space – a veritable Ibizan party pad.

Outdoor kitchen with built-in BBQ, sink, stainless steel cabinetry, and patio heaters. Design by: H2D Architecture + Design www.h2darchitects.com Built by: Crescent Builds Photos by: Julie Mannell Photography

Creating a clear contrast between work and home environments is always ideal, but it’s almost essential for those who live in urban areas. The pleasant suburb Westmere is close to many of Auckland’s major attractions - from the city centre to Auckland Zoo. While practical and close to both work and play, living so close to a city centre can produce the need for a home that provides a retreat from the hustle and bustle. When Zones landscaping specialist Kate Ryan was contacted by a Westmere family with some exciting landscaping ideas, she used the Zones bespoke design and build process to help them create an outdoor living space that meets their lifestyle needs. Homeowner Matt and his family were interested in creating an outdoor living area that would lead out from their interior living space. It needed to be a space that they would gravitate toward regardless of the season. “The back area was under utilised with a hard concrete pad that wasn’t big enough to sit on or pleasant to look at, and a lawn that didn’t grow well due to the lower position”, explains Kate. “The clients wanted the area to look smart and modern, and for it to link with their house. Creating a space that they would be able to use all year around was a priority.” Kate presented her customers with a design that cohesively featured their ideas. She then worked with them to perfect this design to their specifications. “The process was very client orientated - we worked on the finer details of everything”, tells Kate. “There were meetings making out the space and taking the time to get the proportions right. The design encompassed a new outdoor living area with a large concrete fire, louvre roof, new decking, spa area and artificial turf.” Once the homeowners were happy with the finer details of the design and the related costs, Kate and her team began the construction and installation process. Accessing the site proved challenging, as the landscape is closely surrounded by other houses. “The access was difficult and getting the thick concrete pad out was very challenging and costly”, says Kate. “I found a decking supplier that could fix timber onto the concrete with special fixings so it could be flush with the house floor height. This saved the client money on the excavation and disposal. We still took part of the concrete out to make the lawn area bigger and get the proportions of the decking, louvre roof and lawn looking great.” Every stylistic choice reflected Kate’s customers’ goal to be able to have an enjoyable outdoor area that is functional no matter the weather. Team Turf supplied the artificial turf, which allows the homeowners to live in a mud-free zone throughout the winter. It also provides an easy maintenance solution in comparison to their original lawn. Vitex decking, from HiDeck, now offers an aesthetic contrast between the open and covered areas, while the Eclipse louvre roof allows sunlight to stream through in the summer while providing sealed coverage in the winter. The outdoor fireplace and spa area were the final touches, creating some winter warmth. “Kate was very efficient in coordinating all of the tradies”, tells homeowner Matt. “She had a very good bunch of people working on the project and it all went very smoothly. The Zones project management process was pretty much as I expected. It was quick, efficient and everything was on budget. Kate listened to my ideas, which were ever changing of course. It took the responsibility away from me, which was what I wanted.” Kate and her customers enjoyed champagne by the roaring fire to celebrate the completed result. Kate says working with her customers was great and that, together, they achieved “such a good result!” “It’s all come together really well,’’ agrees Matt. “I would have to say my favourite features are the Louvre and the fireplace. The louvre guys have been really good to work with. All of the suppliers were very accommodating and helped us through some tricky little problems. We’re very impressed!”

Photo of a contemporary deck in Seattle with an outdoor kitchen and a roof extension.

The panoramic doors provide instant indoor/outdoor living onto this gorgeous Brazilian hardwood deck that features an outdoor kitchen with concrete countertops, grill, sink, refrigerator and kegerator with a double tap.

Photos by: Tyrone Mitchell
Inspiration for a small contemporary rooftop deck in Chicago with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola.

This project features a merbau deck, stairs & handrail with stainless steel wire infill. The pergola has been pitched off the external frame of the house using a Colorbond roof. The ceiling has been sheeted in Aquacheck gyprock with LED downlights.

Bird's eye view of 20' long WWOO Concrete e Outdoor Kitchen. Installed right beside the patio which helps enclose the patio. Equipped with small BGE, WWOO Stainless Steel sink, WWOO Cutting boards, and WWOO wooden boxes.

Mangaris Pool Deck crafted to follow coping curve. Cedar fence will "silver up" and complement concrete pool deck. Costa Rica Butterfly Vine planted to cover. Mangaris Privacy Screen Changing Room at right. Photo by Katrina Coombs

Tony Soluri Photography
Expansive contemporary rooftop deck in Chicago with a pergola and an outdoor kitchen.

This is an example of a large contemporary backyard deck in Dallas with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola.

This stunning ceiling is a clear, smooth cedar with a natural finish. That finish was chosen to highlight the natural color variation in the cedar. The ceiling was framed to allow for the change in directions of the ceiling finish. The center was vaulted for the placement of an impressive chandelier and some indirect lighting. The vaulted area is finished with decorative tin.

Ipe decking with Feeney DesignRail stainless steel cable rails to allow an unobstructed view of the beautiful landscape below.
Design ideas for a large contemporary backyard deck in Indianapolis with an outdoor kitchen.

Nulook Homes
This is an example of a contemporary deck in Perth with an outdoor kitchen and a roof extension.

Heatstrip USA Heatstrip electric radiant outdoor heaters are a premium range of heaters suitable for luxury homes and commercial venues. Heatstrip heaters are a slimline, high intensity electric heater without the red glow from traditional gas or electric heaters. With their subtle elegant styling they blend into your decor. Heatstrip have been installed in restaurants, casinos, bars and pubs.

Designed by Paul Lafrance and built on HGTV's "Decked Out" episode, "The Fireplace Deck".
This is an example of a large contemporary backyard deck in Toronto with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola.

Chicago garage roof deck with ipe decking, concrete counter, cedar pergola, tempered glass panels and firepit.
Design ideas for a small contemporary rooftop deck in Chicago with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola.

the deck The deck is an outdoor room with a high awning roof built over. This dramatic roof gives one the feeling of being outside under the sky and yet still sheltered from the rain. The awning roof is freestanding to allow hot summer air to escape and to simplify construction. The architect designed the kitchen as a sculpture. It is also very practical and makes the most out of economical materials.

Harold Cross This spacious deck north of Des Moines in Ames features low-maintenance, Trex Transcend decking. Stairs wrap around the full front edge of the bayed deck, with a Belgard Urbana hardscaped landing easing the transition to the backyard. A cedar pergola sits over a portion of the deck and Belgard Tandem Wall columns and a planter box define the ares of the deck nicely. A Belgard Pizza Oven is the cooking centerpiece of this space. We integrated Belgard’s Tandem Wall stone into the pergola columns to provide more countertop space for this outdoor kitchen area. Lots of outdoor lighting on this space make it great for evening pizza parties.