Create a natural connection between your home and garden through considered design, bringing together glazing, terraces and outdoor spaces for brighter, more generous everyday living.
Extending the living space
Modern homes are increasingly designed around large areas of glazing, flush-track sliding doors and bifold doors.
Once those doors are opened, the interior and exterior are no longer experienced as two separate places. The kitchen, dining area, terrace and garden become one continuous living environment.
For Paul, this relationship is considered from the very beginning of the architectural design.
The garden is not something to be addressed after the house has been planned. What happens outside is just as important as what happens inside, because each space affects the way the other is experienced.
The position of the glazing, the level of the floors, the width of the openings and the way the internal layout meets the terrace are all developed together.
Wherever possible, flush-track glazing can help create a seamless transition from the home to the garden. Flooring, sightlines, furniture positions and circulation are considered so that the interior appears to flow naturally beyond the glass.
The aim is not simply to provide access to a patio.
It is to extend the living space.
Designing for a changing way of life
Summers are becoming longer and warmer, and people are spending more time living, eating and entertaining outside.
A well-designed home should respond to that.
Paul considers whether the terrace should remain completely open, whether part of it should be covered or whether a simple structure close to the house could create a more intimate outdoor room.
These spaces might include an exterior kitchen, barbecue area, dining table, relaxed seating, outdoor rugs, pendant lighting, heating, planting and soft furnishings.
The structure itself does not always need to be complicated.
A carefully designed canopy, veranda, pergola or garden pavilion can provide enough shelter and definition to create a genuine living environment while remaining closely connected to the house.
Creating places people want to stay
Outdoor structures are often storage areas for unused gym equipment , uncomfortable seating and a tired looking BBQ.
They should make people want to sit down, relax and remain there.
Paul aims to create environments with the warmth and atmosphere of a cosy bistro, a beautiful restaurant terrace or a hidden backstreet courtyard in London.
They are places for eating, talking, entertaining, thinking or simply doing nothing.
Lighting plays an important part.
Low-level garden lighting, carefully positioned pendants, concealed illumination and warm light around planting and structures can completely transform the mood as evening arrives.
Comfort matters too.
Slouchy sofas, generous chairs, rugs, cushions and carefully planned shelter can make an exterior space feel every bit as inviting as the rooms inside.
PS Dream Home looks beyond surface appearance, helping homeowners consider the details that shape a more attractive, balanced and practical exterior.
Garden as part of the home
The garden is no longer something to look out at, something that consumes time and money but rarely enjoyed.
It is an extension of the living accommodation and should be designed with the same care as the kitchen, lounge or dining room.
When the relationship is resolved properly, the house appears to fall naturally into the garden.
The boundaries soften, the living space expands and the entire home feels more generous.
The result is a complete indoor-outdoor experience: one connected environment designed around the way people now want to live.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are thinking about changing the outside of your home, these answers may help you understand what to consider next.
Do I need planning permission to change the exterior of my home?
Can you help improve the kerb appeal of my property?
Can exterior design include windows, doors and glazing?
Can you show what the exterior changes could look like?
Recent Projects
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