Urban Chic - the principles
Urban chic is slimmed down, sleek and contemporary. It's ideal for small town gardens, roof gardens, terraces and even small balconies, because the design principles it uses make the best of the tiniest spaces. To design an urban chic garden, begin by listing what you want to DO in it. Lounge around, drink wine, eat breakfast, perform tai chi, read books, work at home ...? Whatever is on your list it needs to be as detailed as possible, and not some unlikely dream (don't say tai chi if your nearest approach to exercise is picking up the popcorn and remote control) because this is what allows you to determine what your garden contains. Let's assume you want to work at home and drink wine in the evenings - sounds like a good menu for a happy life. Begin by deciding what you need to have around you to work - connections for your laptop and wifi? Telephone? Desk? Then visit your local furniture suppliers and garden centres, or shop online to find out what combination of equipment will both look good and do the job. Functionalism is one of the principles of urban chic, and it means every item has to have a job to do, and that job can't just be looking pretty. So your outdoor lights should be good enough for you to work by as well as illuminating your favourite garden features. The reconstituted stone bench you choose should be just right for storing a wine cooler and six glasses underneath, along with a hook for your bottle opener, so that when the day's work is done, you can haul out your pinot or whatever and pour a glass without having to go indoors. Make sure not to clutter the space. Modern materials: concrete, glass and steel, blend well with natural stone and wood, and can be used effectively when creating an urban garden. If you have space, a labyrinth like this gives you a contemplative route to walk, as well as adding a strong visual element to even the smallest lawn.
Posted by The Allotment Blogger on Thursday, August 2, 2007
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