Extending Your Living Space Outdoors
The transition from inside to outside is one of the most important elements of residential design. A well-designed deck or pergola creates an outdoor room that feels like a natural extension of your home, providing space for dining, relaxing, and entertaining while connecting you with your garden.
The Art of Outdoor Structures
Great outdoor structures do more than provide a flat surface or shade. They frame views, create intimacy, and extend the architecture of your home into the landscape. The proportions, materials, and details all matter—a deck should feel comfortable at furniture scale while reading as architecture when viewed from across the garden.
We design decks and pergolas as integral parts of the landscape, not as afterthoughts. This means considering how the structure relates to garden beds, pathways, and views. It means choosing materials that complement both your home and the surrounding planting. It means getting the proportions right so the space feels balanced and complete.
Timber Selection
We favour Australian hardwoods for their natural durability, beautiful grain, and connection to our local timber heritage. Species like spotted gum, blackbutt, and ironbark are naturally resistant to decay and termite attack, performing well in Melbourne’s climate without heavy chemical treatments.
These timbers develop a silver-grey patina over time that many clients love. For those who prefer to maintain the original colour, regular oiling keeps the timber looking fresh. We discuss these options during the design process so you understand how your structure will age.
For lower-maintenance applications, composite decking offers consistent colour and doesn’t require oiling. Modern composites have overcome earlier issues with heat retention and artificial appearance, though we still prefer natural timber for its authentic character.
Multi-Level Solutions
Melbourne’s north-east is characterised by sloping sites, and many properties don’t suit a simple flat deck. We design multi-level structures that step down slopes, creating a series of connected outdoor spaces. This approach offers several advantages: it reduces construction costs by minimising excavation, creates more interesting spaces with variety and discovery, and maintains better connection with the garden at multiple levels.
These multi-level decks often incorporate built-in seating, integrated planters, and subtle level changes that define different zones—a dining area at one level, a lounging space at another, perhaps a private reading nook tucked into a corner.
Pergolas and Shade
A pergola extends the useability of outdoor spaces through Melbourne’s variable weather. Open-rafter pergolas provide filtered shade while maintaining a sense of connection with the sky. For more protection, shade sails, louvred systems, or climbing plants can be added.
We design pergola structures to complement your home’s architecture. Steel frames suit contemporary homes, while timber construction feels more appropriate to traditional or bushland settings. The roof structure itself becomes a design element—the pattern of light and shadow it creates is part of the pergola’s appeal.
