A beautiful sunny terrace expands the living space outside in the warm season. You will feel like you are on vacation at home when you start your day with a cup of coffee in the morning or enjoy the sunset with friends in the evening. To ensure uninterrupted enjoyment later, you need to think carefully about the terrace design and preliminary planning. We give suggestions below:
DON’T DESIGN YOUR TERRACE TOO SMALL
Basically, no matter how you want to use your terrace in the future, plan for enough space. You get annoyed to death when the furniture then blocks the way to the garden or bumps into you with the slightest movement. Even larger areas can be made more beautiful.
However, the size of the terrace should also be proportionate to the size of the house. A terrace that is too small seems lost in a large house, just as a terrace that is too large can «overwhelm» a house.
Otherwise, when designing the terrace, the question of the purpose for which you want to use it later plays an important role. Is it a place for sunbathing, a cozy lounge corner or a nice place to sit with a barbecue for intimate evenings with family and friends? Once you know what you want, you can design the patio accordingly. When planning, do not forget about the space for the grill and the minimum distance of one meter from the edge of the terrace behind the chairs of the intended dining table.
THE CORRECT ALIGNMENT OF THE TERRACE
It is not always possible to freely plan the orientation of the terrace. This is especially true if the orientation is more or less determined by the position of the house within the plot or the layout of the garden. However, if possible, you should orient your terrace so that it is ideal for its intended use.
If you want to have breakfast on the terrace in the sun in the morning and are looking for shade in the midday heat, you should be facing east or north-east. For sun lovers, a south-facing terrace is ideal. Here you have pure sun all day. A west-facing terrace, on the other hand, invites you to enjoy the warm evening sun after work. The best place to enjoy the late afternoon and evening hours under the setting sun.
TERRACE COVERING – THE CHOICE OF THE CHOICE
Numerous materials with different properties are available for terrace coverings. Wood, WPC (Wood Plastic Composites), concrete blocks, natural stone, clinker, tiles or decorative gravel are the most common. Choosing the right covering for the terrace depends not only on the price, but above all on your taste and the style of the house. Terracotta or clay-colored natural stones go well with a house with a Mediterranean hipped roof. The puristic Bauhaus style is supported by gray tiles or concrete blocks with clear lines. Wood lends itself to a rustic touch and underlines the character of a country house.
Wooden or WPC decking has the advantage that it doesn’t get too hot in direct sunlight, so walking barefoot doesn’t feel like running the gauntlet. They also appear visually softer than a stone floor and create a warm and welcoming environment, which can be further enhanced by installing floor spotlights. However, wooden decks require a lot of maintenance and WPC panels can quickly appear cheap. Here you have to pay attention to the quality of the material so that they do not look like plastic or get hot in summer.
Ornamental gravel is easy to care for and inexpensive to purchase. On the other hand, the material can be felt when walking, furniture cannot be moved easily and gravel is not so easy to clean.
The advantage of tile floors is their longevity. They are durable, easy to clean and do not require much maintenance. The tiles are available in different colors and patterns, so that a terrace can be set up very individually with them. However, when it comes to floor tiles, it is important to pay attention to their slip resistance when wet.
Stone floors or clinker bricks are also durable. Natural stone has a naturally textured surface, but is less adherent and more expensive than concrete stone or clinker. Concrete slabs collect moss more quickly. A compromise in this case could be a mix of materials, where the patterns create an interesting and visually appealing terrace area.
When choosing a terrace cover, also consider the size of the elements. The larger the slabs or planks, the quieter the area appears, but the more time consuming it will be to install them professionally.
SUN PROTECTION FOR THE TERRACE
To avoid unbearable heat in the summer, adequate sun protection is essential on the terrace. The cheapest option is an umbrella to provide shade. It can also be flexibly installed wherever needed. Awnings that are attached to the wall of the house and can be extended and extended electrically or manually using a crank are more complex. An awning gives the terrace a very special character and can be opened as needed.
If it isn’t shaded enough, you can have a solid wood or aluminum roof installed on your terrace. This not only offers effective sun protection, but also allows you to stay on the terrace even when it rains heavily. A pergola can also be covered as a support for climbing plants and serve as a privacy screen for the terrace at the same time.
PLANTS AS VISUAL PROTECTION AND STYLE DEVICES
The terraces are often visible from nearby gardens and houses or from adjacent paths. In this case, a wall or trellis covered with climbing plants can be helpful, as it not only keeps prying eyes away but also protects from excessive wind. You can also place tall potted plants on the edge of the terrace to ensure privacy or you can plant the side of the terrace to be protected with tall bushes or bamboo.
Oleanders, hibiscus, olive trees or citrus plants give the terrace a Mediterranean touch. In terracotta pots they evoke the atmosphere of holidays in your own garden. Banana plants, strelitzias, date palms and aloe vera are exotic.
Especially if you have a large terrace, keep in mind that in winter it will not be occupied by a dining table or sun loungers. With a border made of plant boxes left in the ground or with mini-beds integrated into the terrace floor, in which resistant trees such as boxwood or holm oak, for example, are planted, the terrace does not appear bare even in the cold season.
Your regional construction partner will not only advise you competently on the planning of the terrace of your future dream home, but will also be happy to advise you on the individual planning and furnishing of the entire house. Contact us now.
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