Large on life

This grand, contemporary outdoor design brings the scale and sweep to balance the renovated, now barn-like family home on the stately rural property

Outdoor living, barbecue station and sheltering loggia all

The main entrance is highlighted by an avenue

As the driveway brings you into the property

The designer's challenge was to design a landscape

The front door is highlighted through use of

River stones help delineate a flower bed. -

Mature trees are an integral consideration within the

The main entertaining area features a custom Epic-designed

Beside the main entertaining spaces, the custom-made pool

The design includes plenty of hard surfaces for

Landscape designer – Luke Robertson, Epic Landscape Design

From the designer:

The brief

This Ellesmere property was quite the undertaking.

The owners purchased this early 2000s property and undertook extensive house renovations to create a modern barn style dwelling.

Our challenge was to design a landscape that would match the new modern look of the property and create the correct scale of landscape features.

The bulk of the existing landscape was removed so we could implement the new modern style.

Starting at the front entranceway, the owner wanted to create a majestic wow factor to the property and to introduce good hard surface access to more easily and safely get around the property, which becomes very wet during the winter months.

The design had to include room for guest parking and access to the farm buildings.

Outdoor entertaining was also important to the homeowners who wanted lots of space to dine and relax outdoors.

A swimming pool was also high on the list and making the most of the existing pond as a feature in the landscape was important as well.

The outcome

The main entrance to the property is highlighted by an avenue of large oak trees which bring an amazing presence to the property and lead your eye to the dwelling's main entrance.

As the driveway brings you into the property, the entranceway and guest carparking are defined by the use of two different concrete materials, which offer visual cues as to whether to stop at the dwelling or carry on around to the utility sheds.

The front door is highlighted through use of hardwood decking, feature pots and vibrant planting.

The dwelling renovation and dark cedar cladding highlights the colours and textures of the planting.

Outdoor living areas are all designed to make the most of the natural vista to the pond, which creates a feature at the rear of the property.

We created large hard surfaces to create scale for the property and most importantly dry areas for the kids to play on during winter when the lawn areas are too wet.