Boasting a swimming pool and welcoming alfresco spaces, this Sunshine Coast sanctuary makes relaxing easy.
If you live on the Sunshine Coast you want to make the most of the enviable weather and all the simple outdoor pleasures living in such a sought-after location brings. For most people, that means a swimming pool, somewhere shady to relax and alfresco spaces where you can entertain.
This home in Battery Hill, a coastal town, offers all of this thanks to the construction expertise of Outdoor Oasis Landscapes and the design savvy of director Matt Harding. The owners had commissioned a design from Cameron Leth Aquatecture and were very happy with it but, says Matt, “It needed a few tweaks to make it more user-friendly and not so over-the-top extravagant.”
“I would describe the design as modern with a Queensland feel and the goal was to create multifunctional entertaining spaces. The largest area sits on the lowest level and includes a new pool, seating at one end provided by stone-clad walling and, at the other end, a deck with an open-slat pergola.
“The upper level consists of seating amid plants and fruit trees and there is a face-brick pizza oven that doubles as an open fireplace for winter evenings. Subtle lighting throughout the garden beds makes each of the spaces a pleasure to use at night.”
Linen-coloured travertine stone, selected for its texture and timeless finish, was used as the pool coping and for the surrounds. This was installed using a classic French pattern. The same stone and laying pattern was used to pave the upper entertaining area.
Random stone cladding was used on the lower retaining walls around the pool, the rich earthy tones and organic shapes adding a more relaxed element.
The pool deck, which juts out slightly over the water, was constructed using long-lasting, low-maintenance NewTechWood composite timber boards. These are made from up of 95 per cent recycled materials and are a sustainable alternative to wood. “Feature hardwood screening was used on the upper level to introduce another material and change the colour scheme between areas,” adds Matt.
A variety of plants were used that include a mix of dark, glossy leaves and silvery foliage, as well as flowers in hues of purple, yellow, cream and white. Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’ (a dwarf evergreen magnolia) and Tristaniopsis laurina (water gum) were planted against the rear fence and, in time, will grow to provide privacy, while the silver leaves of Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ (kidney weed) drape over the stone-clad retaining walls.
On the lower level, an original palm tree that survived the pool installation was surrounded with new plants: Lavandula (lavender), Carissa ‘Desert Star’ (natal plum) and Pittosporum ‘Miss Muffet’ (a dwarf pittosporum).
“One of the biggest challenges faced on this project was the weather,” says Matt. “We had a huge amount of rain at the beginning of construction and, combined with the digging of the new pool, it meant a very wet and muddy worksite. Many, many days were spent just rectifying the drainage and improving the site conditions so we were able to work.
“Another big challenge we had to tackle was the very limited access to the backyard. Most of the materials were painstakingly moved by hand, bucket or wheelbarrow as there was no machine access.”
In the 2022 Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards, this project was entered into the Residential 2 Category (projects valued between $50,001 and $75,000) and was Highly Commended.
For more information
Outdoor Oasis Landscapes
Mobile 0449 978 625
Website outdooroasislandscapes.com.au
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