After working together on two previous successful home projects, it was only natural these homeowners would call on the same company to transform their latest house into something truly special
This exquisite Sydney project began with a phone call A Total Concept director John Storch received from some long-term clients. They advised him that they had purchased a new property and wanted to develop it with him. Fortunately, they were so impressed with John’s work on their previous projects that they wanted him to weave his magic on their third property. Mission accepted.
“Each property that we designed for these clients was different and as such had very different requirements,” explains John. Previously, the young family had moved from their first property, a semi-detached home, onto a large suburban acreage, with a teenae family and their entertaining needs in mind. However, this, their third property, was a downsize and would be just for them, hopefully to be enjoyed with their future grandchildren down the track.
The original layout for the rear of this property was poor and the main elements were badly positioned. The pool was close to the house, which cut off access to the sunken lawn at the rear, and the alfresco area adjacent to the house was uncovered, not wide enough for tables and chairs and lacked a barbecue. The gardens also needed attention. Within the home, the kitchen, dining and lounge rooms, located at the rear, were restricted in size and the rear timber doors were badly warped and needed replacement. On the upside, a large unkept Murraya hedge provided privacy to one neighbour.
“We addressed the home first by infilling a superfluous niche at the rear, adding more than a metre in width to the kitchen, dining and lounge rooms, and we worked with a consultant to redesign the kitchen and other internal spaces,” says John. “We also replaced the rear weathered timber doors and windows with contemporary folding steel and glass doors to visually update the facade and provide a better integration between inside and out.”
A Total Concept then increased the size of the paved entertaining area, growing it towards the swimming pool, and relocated the pool fence to a lower position to minimise visual impact. The project also involved the addition of a retractable weatherproof pergola-style structure, a floating barbecue, and heating and sound systems to increase usability. All was then repaved in a clean, contemporary porcelain tile.
To enable the entertaining area to be increased in size, John and his team infilled the pool’s old swimout area (which had the added benefit of creating a clean-lined pool shape) and installed new steps and a long bench within the pool for access and entertaining grandchildren. In addition, he increased the width of the paved coping to the rear of the pool, retiled the pool’s interior with a contemporary black pearlescent tile, and retiled the exterior paving with the same tile as the entertaining area to create unity throughout the property.
The rear lawn area was raised by more than a metre to better integrate it with the rest of the garden, so that grandchildren can be viewed easily from both inside and out. This also enabled a garden shed to be installed and concealed to the rear of the lawn.
The entertaining area had little privacy from neighbours, so John and his team bounded the entire space with tall plantings, integrating and pruning the existing Murraya hedge. “This has created a concealed garden in which we were able to develop our design and achieve a stunning outlook from the kitchen and living areas of the home, day and night,” says John.
The aspect of the property provides a mix of sun and shade, which has allowed for a complex palette of planting including Trachelospermum, Salvia, Quandong, Gardenias, Iris, Clivia, Convolvulus, Hippeastrum, Gardenia, Viola and Tradescantia.
At night, the lawn and gardens are well lit with LED lighting for both aesthetic and functional purposes which, together with energy-efficient LED lights in the swimming pool, creates mood effects with washes of light and dancing shadows.
A Total Concept Landscape Architects & Pool Designers designed, gained approval for, specified and project managed this entire project. It integrates the home and external areas seamlessly to create a stunning entertaining and private retreat for the owners. John and his team have truly succeeded in creating a beautiful environment for the homeowners that reflects the practice’s philosophy of “A Total Concept” and adds immeasurably to the lifestyle amenity and value of the property.
A Total Concept, established in 1992, is a multi-award-winning design and management practice specialising in the integration of external areas and even the home itself for projects ranging from simple family dwellings and elaborate residential properties to boutique and resort-style developments. The company provides a total service that creates a fusion of home and garden areas for clients.
“We specialise in the integration of beautiful and functional swimming pools, gardens, cabanas and the home itself for projects ranging from the smallest inner-city courtyard to family residences and large country estates,” explains John. “We can help with any design project anywhere in Australia, from contemporary through to traditional.”
Services extend from consultations, designs and specifications, council approvals and builder recommendations to the total management of the project and contract administration for home alterations and additions, pools, cabanas and gardens.
The company brings together all aspects of the project, helping to explain the alternatives available, then holistically designing your property and specifying the choice of materials and colours, planting, lighting, internal fixtures and fittings, flooring and paving.
For more information,