Before and after: 5 fabulous terrace transformations

This old house had the privilege of a small and well-defined space on the roof, an area receiving the best cool breeze and where anyone can enjoy the sunny weather in privacy. Over time, however, the space had deteriorated somewhat due to disuse and a lack of proper maintenance. The walls and flooring had become damaged due to so much rain and sun. The façade of the house also seems quite faded and we may ask what had happened here? It is the ideal terrace space, yet it looks dull and undervalued.

Well, it seems like the owners definitely got the message. The façade is now coated with brick detail instead of the dull plaster. This is a much more natural effect and the earthy hues of the bricks create a vibrant backdrop. The two single windows from the home had now been replaces by a door and single window, integrating the indoor and terrace environment more.

New ceramic tiles in a clay colour had been used to replace the old worn ones, continuing the same range of colours of the new brick wall. The perimeter of the terrace is delimited by a series of pot plants. What a good fit in this new space! Now the terrace looks colourful and full of life, perfect for sunbathing and getting into a relaxed mood.

From this area, we can immediately see why an intervention had been necessary. Despite having the perfect porch area next to this door area, with plenty of space and next to the garden, the space almost seems in ruins. There is absolutely nothing about this area which inspires relaxation or recreation. In addition, it is poorly maintained with many structural flaws and damage.

The house to which this terrace belongs, had been renovated in its entirety by Sway Design, and we can see how the new image and style had been continued here on the terrace as well. The owners opted for a very traditional style, since the house is located in Japan, and decided to design a zen terrace without neglecting modernity.

A small space next the entrance of the home had been sectioned off with a bamboo fence and filled with white sand, ornamental rocks, colourful vegetation, traditional sculptures and a path around it where you can take a seat and spend a few minutes of pure contemplation.

Here we see a house with great potential which was practically deteriorated to the point of destruction, and had become a blank canvas to create new shapes, designs and different recreational areas.

The fact that there is a lot of space in the yard does not mean that it should all be devoted to the garden. On the contrary, this gives the owners the option to demarcate areas, creating paths and generating several different spaces. Let’s see what happened…

Having a large area and wanting to use it effectively can lead to creative ideas and different uses of the same space. As we can see, the spacious patio is delineated into several areas: a porch in front of the doorway, two areas of land to the sides intended for the garden, and a small terrace in front of the window of the bedroom, raised above the patio section. This sweet little terrace is covered by a wooden roof and furnished with only a chair decorated with a potted plant. A new place is created, cute and discreet, from which to observe and enjoy the rest of the home.

This terrace has all of the features to make it perfect: it is raised quite a bit from the ground level, bordered by masonry to delimit the space and create privacy, surrounded by a large garden with ample trees and plants, and connected to the interiors with furniture to make time spent here very comfortable. Somehow, though, the ensemble does just not look right. The appearance is outdated, obsolete and faded. If only it could take a breath of modernity…

The renovation of this particular terrace involved the removal of the iron guardrail to allow direct contact with the environment. The stone foundation of the terrace had also been updated, and this stonework had also been echoed in the façade for continuity. This is much better than the façade before, which had been discoloured and opaque.

The new terrace also seems much larger, and it is adorned with colourful pots and furniture which are all modern and fresh, creating a beautiful outdoor living room from which the inhabitants can enjoy their lovely garden.

To end off our tour, we will take look at a seemingly hopeless space. Here we find an enclosed balcony to an apartment, common for multi-unit buildings in big cities. It is a spot that may at first seemed to have a lot of potential, but it has clearly only been used to hang up the laundry and store less frequently used items for many years. It was high time to capitalise on that potential!

The renovation of this area did wonders for this terrace. The door from the interior had been replace and windows added in order to integrate the terrace into the home. The outer windows of the balcony had been replaced with aluminium frames, making the look more modern and allowing much sun to flow into the home.

What we see here is a diamond found in the
rough, and the designers did an excellent job. A fresh coat of paint and the addition of subtle furniture, plants, and decorative items made this room look like a little piece of heaven. The perfect spot to enjoy a cup of tea and a good conversation!

If these conversions inspired you, why not take a look at some ideas to: Create your own perfect terrace?