TWICE AS NICE

This home boasts dual entertaining spaces that work in accord with the interior living rooms

- CARROL BAKER

Minimalist in design, this modern garden in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern takes designing outdoor spaces, especially ones for entertaining, to an exciting new level. Designer Nathan Burkett of Nathan Burkett Design says the garden and surrounding hard landscaping features represent the ultimate in contemporary indoor-outdoor living.

“When designing the project we set out to create a series of interesting layers that could be experienced visually from inside the house while maintaining a high level of functionality,” he says. The homeowners were also looking for a garden and entertaining space that was family-friendly, practical to use and sculptural in nature.

To create a uniform look and feel within the spaces, Nathan opted for a combination of materials including sand-and-cement render, powdercoated steel and timber. The final outdoor design incorporates varying contours that harmonise with the home’s interior.

“It demonstrates that curves and straight lines can work together to create a clean, sophisticated look that is completely understated yet creative,” he says.