Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
This attractive rooftop space, overlooking a London mews, was bleak and windswept before garden designer Georgia Lindsay got to work. There was a tired barbecue and a couple of chairs (at risk of being blown around when not in use), but also a large, beautiful tree, around which the house below is built, as a stunning focal point.
Georgia saw plenty of potential and now the terrace is a welcoming, multi-zoned space with plenty of planting, a large dining area, a generous outdoor kitchen, intimate seating zones and even a dedicated spot for the owners’ grandchildren to play.
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
Georgia saw plenty of potential and now the terrace is a welcoming, multi-zoned space with plenty of planting, a large dining area, a generous outdoor kitchen, intimate seating zones and even a dedicated spot for the owners’ grandchildren to play.
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
It’s not just the sunshine that makes the reinvigorated roof terrace so inviting.
In the dappled shade beneath the swaying Ailanthus, there’s now a heavy, eight-seater dining table at the heart of the terrace. Around the perimeter of the rectangular space there are different seating areas backed by planters spilling out soft, rustic blooms. There’s also, seen straight ahead, a gas barbecue at the centre of a well-equipped outdoor kitchen.
Along with the cedar-clad dumbwaiter, the silvery decking was existing and well-weathered. Georgia explains that she deliberately went for lots of complementary wooden details that will also fade in colour as time passes.
“Anything too modern here would make the decking look old and tired. The silver bark of the tree and driftwood tones of the decking work well together,” she says.
Along with the cedar-clad dumbwaiter, the silvery decking was existing and well-weathered. Georgia explains that she deliberately went for lots of complementary wooden details that will also fade in colour as time passes.
“Anything too modern here would make the decking look old and tired. The silver bark of the tree and driftwood tones of the decking work well together,” she says.
The table has a deliberately flexible location and can be turned according to the direction of the sun or moved to create more floorspace for drinks parties.
The lantern is purely decorative; in fact, Georgia explains, there’s little lighting up here apart from that illuminating the planters, including the one containing the olive tree in the top left corner.
“The clients were adamant there was enough light spill up here from the surrounding buildings that it never feels truly dark, so they were keen not to go overboard with added lighting,” she says.
Dining chairs, Ikea.
The lantern is purely decorative; in fact, Georgia explains, there’s little lighting up here apart from that illuminating the planters, including the one containing the olive tree in the top left corner.
“The clients were adamant there was enough light spill up here from the surrounding buildings that it never feels truly dark, so they were keen not to go overboard with added lighting,” she says.
Dining chairs, Ikea.
The clients, who have a busy social life, grown-up children and young grandchildren, wanted the rooftop to become somewhere they could entertain family and friends in large and small groups. It also had to provide a spot where the couple could enjoy a morning coffee or a drink on their own.
As such, Georgia built a number of distinct zones into the design. The kitchen, on the left here, was an important one. It contains a sink, a drinks fridge, a gas barbecue and lots of storage (needed for gas bottles), all beneath a granite worktop.
“Granite is recommended for exterior use,” Georgia says. “There aren’t many materials not at risk of cracking with frost and temperature changes. Cast concrete is another good option.”
Discreet, cube-shaped lights are attached to the trellis posts to illuminate the preparation area.
As such, Georgia built a number of distinct zones into the design. The kitchen, on the left here, was an important one. It contains a sink, a drinks fridge, a gas barbecue and lots of storage (needed for gas bottles), all beneath a granite worktop.
“Granite is recommended for exterior use,” Georgia says. “There aren’t many materials not at risk of cracking with frost and temperature changes. Cast concrete is another good option.”
Discreet, cube-shaped lights are attached to the trellis posts to illuminate the preparation area.
Just in shot on the left here, between the kitchen and this seating area, is the dumbwaiter, in which food can be sent up directly from the kitchen below. “It’s super-convenient,” Georgia says.
Georgia installed a planter around it, which she filled with herbs to have them within easy reach of the chef. A clematis climbs up the cedar tiles.
The lightwell beneath this seating area is above the couple’s living space and dining table.
More: How Can I Create a Garden on a Balcony or Roof Terrace?
Georgia installed a planter around it, which she filled with herbs to have them within easy reach of the chef. A clematis climbs up the cedar tiles.
The lightwell beneath this seating area is above the couple’s living space and dining table.
More: How Can I Create a Garden on a Balcony or Roof Terrace?
Georgia created a corner ‘room’ here, with bench seating and planters bursting with Penstemon ‘Rich Ruby’.
The benches are not built-in, but made from lightweight concrete-effect resin. This means they can also easily be moved around as needed. The oak chairs and coffee table were made to order by a small company in Cornwall.
Chairs; table, all Mena Woodwork.
The benches are not built-in, but made from lightweight concrete-effect resin. This means they can also easily be moved around as needed. The oak chairs and coffee table were made to order by a small company in Cornwall.
Chairs; table, all Mena Woodwork.
The kitchen is conveniently positioned opposite the dumbwaiter.
Discovery gas barbecue, BeefEater.
Discovery gas barbecue, BeefEater.
The planting had to be pretty hardy to withstand the windy rooftop conditions. Here, you can see purple Verbena bonariensis arching over evergreen Convolvulus ‘Cneorum’. “[The latter] is a very tough, evergreen plant, with little white flowers in the summer” Georgia says.
Metal railings behind the raised beds look over the mews. “The owners wanted a bit of privacy here,” she says. But rather than continuing the trellis, seen around the rest of the space, the owners opted for gentler screening with planting.
There’s a simple irrigation system on a timer running around the planters, making it a low-maintenance garden to look after. “I always recommend these, they’re well worth having,” Georgia says.
Search the Houzz Professionals Directory for reviewed landscape architects and garden designers in your area.
Metal railings behind the raised beds look over the mews. “The owners wanted a bit of privacy here,” she says. But rather than continuing the trellis, seen around the rest of the space, the owners opted for gentler screening with planting.
There’s a simple irrigation system on a timer running around the planters, making it a low-maintenance garden to look after. “I always recommend these, they’re well worth having,” Georgia says.
Search the Houzz Professionals Directory for reviewed landscape architects and garden designers in your area.
Georgia designed the seating zones to catch the sun at different times of the day and to be useable during the different seasons. This spot is perfect for a mid-morning coffee and is surrounded by cottage planting, including gaura, Echinacea purpurea ‘Sensation Pink’, and Agapanthus (out of shot). There are also Geranium ‘Rozanne’ here and throughout the space. These are the purple flowers tumbling over the fronts of the pots.
The horizontal trellis, which goes around much of the terrace, has several functions: as well as looking smart and providing support for any climbing plants, it also creates a soft windbreak. “It’s not solid, so it’s not like a sail – it lets some of the wind through,” Georgia explains. All the same, it had to be fixed to an L-shaped bracket under the decking to ensure it stays in place.
The horizontal trellis, which goes around much of the terrace, has several functions: as well as looking smart and providing support for any climbing plants, it also creates a soft windbreak. “It’s not solid, so it’s not like a sail – it lets some of the wind through,” Georgia explains. All the same, it had to be fixed to an L-shaped bracket under the decking to ensure it stays in place.
This area is another example of the flexibility Georgia built into this garden. Here, it’s shown as a spot for the grandchildren to play in. However, it doubles up as a secondary area for food and drinks close to the dining table.
“The stools are beautifully made. They will silver back over time and get that lovely driftwood feel, too,” Georgia says.
Just visible behind the tree is a handy low construction with plastic containers inside for storing cushions and lanterns.
Stools, Mena Woodwork.
Tell us…
Which details do you like most? Let us know in the Comments.
“The stools are beautifully made. They will silver back over time and get that lovely driftwood feel, too,” Georgia says.
Just visible behind the tree is a handy low construction with plastic containers inside for storing cushions and lanterns.
Stools, Mena Woodwork.
Tell us…
Which details do you like most? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A retired couple, active in the arts
Location North London
Property A 1980s mews house with a rooftop that takes up the whole third floor
Garden dimensions 94 sq m
Designer Georgia Lindsay of Georgia Lindsay Garden Design
Landscapers PerlaRose Landscapes
Photos by Nathalie Priem
After a recommendation from their neighbours, who’d found Georgia on Houzz, the owners of this home got in touch with the designer to see how she might reinvent their under-used roof terrace.
The roof could be windy and had no clear function, but it did have two big pluses. One is the natural focal point – the tall Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven). This grows up from the ground floor and access to the terrace is via a spiral staircase that encircles the trunk.
The second was the roof’s dumbwaiter, seen here before works. This connects the terrace directly with the owners’ kitchen, one floor below.
Georgia started with these two features and created a wonderfully inviting garden around them.