Ultimate Indoor-outdoor Flow

Project Overview

After recently purchasing his new home in Saint Johns, the homeowner reached out to the Zones Landscaping and Ultimate Outdoor Room Consultant Thelma Meyer with a clear goal: transform a tired and run-down backyard into a modern, functional outdoor retreat.

The original space was poorly maintained, featuring uneven paving, a worn-out fence, and messy planting. 

Because the lounge, dining, and kitchen all opened directly into this space, the client wanted to create a strong indoor-outdoor flow that added value to the home and provided a usable entertainment area for immediate enjoyment.

The full renovation included a complete resurfacing of the 43m² courtyard, modern tropical planting, stylish outdoor lighting, and a future-ready pergola foundation.

Design & Planning

The client initially had a rough budget of $30,000. However, after the Zones Landscaping team completed the initial concept design, scope, and feasibility planning, it became clear that achieving the desired transformation would require a budget closer to $70,000. 

The client quickly understood the long-term benefits and was happy to invest in the quality of the proposed design.

Access to the rear courtyard was limited due to the steep stairs, which would have significantly increased excavation and labour costs. 

To avoid these expenses and delays, the team proposed a clever solution: a floating aluminium sub-frame system on jacks with 600x600mm outdoor tiles. The approach eliminated the need for deep excavation and provided excellent drainage due to the site's gentle slope.

The garden design also included hard and soft landscaping, new balustrades, and tropical planting (such as palms and broad-leaf species) along the fence line to soften the boundary and create a lush retreat. Extra tiles were purchased to allow for future pergola integration, and custom balustrade adjustments were made to accommodate the property’s kitchen conservatory window.

Project Execution

The Zones Landscaping team managed all phases of the build:

• Demolition and removal of the old paving
• Construction of the floating aluminium frame
• Installation of the 600x600 neutral-tone outdoor tiles
• Full tropical planting along the boundary
• Installation of sleek, off-the-shelf balustrades
• Strategic planning for a future pergola with foundational posts and spare tile replacements
• Integrated outdoor lighting

Trades involved included:

• Hard landscapers
• Soft landscapers
• Bricklayer
• Balustrade specialist
• Landscape architect
• Project management

The three-week project was delivered efficiently, and all works were carried out with minimal disruption to the client. 

The innovative sub-frame solution helped overcome the tricky access and reduced excavation time, while maintaining the clean, contemporary finish the client wanted.

Challenges Overcome

A key challenge was maintaining the desired design while working within tight access constraints and an existing conservatory window.

Initially, the balustrade height would have interfered with this window's operation. 

The team quickly adapted the design, lowering the balustrade in that area to ensure functionality while preserving safety and aesthetics.

Another logistical challenge was working around the steep access to the backyard. The Zones Landscaping team eliminated the need for major excavation by installing a floating sub-frame with tiles, avoiding heavy waste removal and reducing costs.