The Ibiza theme is pulled together with a Lutron lighting system that was retrofitted to his home. Val has customised two settings for the garden – “party mode” and “relaxed mode”. Each includes a combination of mood lighting and music and the ability to turn the water feature on to a pre-programmed flow – all controlled through an app which can be pre-set to come on before you arrive home.
Julia says: “This is a hugely successful garden renovation beautifully linking the indoor and outdoor spaces.
“Val has cleverly continued the colour palette throughout and a continuity of materials, particularly the floor colouring, creates a seamless transition between the two spaces. A bold but rather brilliant decision was rendering and painting the outside walls in the same colour and to the same height as the internal walls creating an illusion of a ‘room without a ceiling’ outside. This creates a magical effect.”
Julia cautions against taking the holiday theme too far, however. It can be a good starting point for the design but not every aesthetic translates well from sunny climes to the drizzly UK, she adds.
“Bright colours that look stunning in equatorial regions, for example, do not tend to travel well,” says Julia. “Tropical garden planting is on trend but care will need to be taken to protect many of the not-so-hardy plants over our harsh winter. Using tall stem bamboo and standard trees ensure the garden looks verdant and lush without crowding the lower scape. These are a great choice for providing privacy and will remain in leaf year-round.”
Julia says the success of the garden renovation, as a small space, is largely due to the layered lighting which draws the eye to the extents of the garden highlighting planting and architectural features. “The overall effect is cosy and inviting,” she says.
