Paved Areas & Garden Decking: Design Your Outdoor Living Room

In tiny urban gardens, the whole space may be paved. Regardless of size, hard standing against the house has been essential since Humphrey Repton reintroduced the terrace (post-Capability Brown's grass-to-windows). Regency clients walked terraces mornings; Victorians Italianated them but took tea under deodars on lawns.

Modern servantless life demands sun, shelter, convenience. This roofless room outside the house is the garden hub — first view, contemplation spot, post-exertion flop zone.

Materials

Outdoor room = hard floor. Quick-drying, year-round good looks (near house windows), safe (some natural stone slippery), complementary to house/enclosing screens. Path materials overlap — nearer house = more formal. Crazy paving for economy? Set panels into regular paving/brick frames for acceptable form.

Slatted wooden decks (Atlantic-inspired) popular. Wood = equable temperature (not extreme hot/cold like stone). Not cheaper than stone. But second-hand timber, professionally impregnated = competitive, surprisingly durable.

The Terrace

Decks sit slightly higher — steps enhance terrace feel. Achieve this wherever possible, even by excavating 15 cm (6 in) for base. Warnings: Thin topsoil? Skim it, use subsoil for raise, replace topsoil or use for raised beds — too valuable for ballast. Heavy clay? Raised terrace good, but excavation may become winter pond = plant/lawn death. Raised terrace against house? Respect damp-course levels.

Size

Proportion to garden, but don't reduce to nonsense. If tiny, treat whole garden as terrace. Use dictates size — surprising space needed for chairs, tables, children. Generally terraces are undersized; they should be the garden center. Surround planting vital.

Aspect

Use-dependent; may need multiple sitting areas. South-facing straight front works most of year. Late summer sun moves NW — L-shape with east arm captures evening. Existing trees/walls/buildings affect this.

Shady Areas

Full southern exposure can be too much. Tree shade on lawn corner = desirable terrace addition. Pergola/arbour on house/wing wall with fruiting vine/ornamental climber = style for outdoor meals.

North-facing house back invalidates standard terrace ideals. Dry house-garden access only. Close planting: shade-tolerant, interesting. Inviting path to enclosed sunny sitting area — distance annoying for trays, but better than no garden living.

Barbecues

Distant sitting area justifies permanent BBQ more than house-adjacent. Kitchen better for prep. Portable BBQ (seaside/country usable) supplements for that authentic charcoal-sausage aroma fashionable outdoor eating demands.