More and more citizens are trying to hide from the city bustle outside the walls of cozy country houses. And let someone for some dacha site, and someone else wants to permanently reside outside the city, unites their availability of a plot of land and the country house itself.
But the connecting element of the landscape design of the site and the exterior exterior of the house is such a kind of additional space, like a terrace. With a competent design, it is able to become a true decoration of the house and a center of attraction for the whole family. That is why the terrace design of the is of no small importance.
What is a terrace? As a rule, it is an architectural component of a private house, which is the connecting part between the house and the garden, the street. Often this is not a glazed and not heated room, which is a fenced( and sometimes not) pad.
Summer terraces are widely distributed, which are a continuation of the entrance to the house, but there are also those that are raised to the level of the second floor or even to the roof. For greater convenience, the terraces are equipped with awnings, awnings or sun umbrellas, although sometimes there are variations with a stationary canopy or roof.
The southern( or southeastern, southwestern) side of the house is the best place for the terrace. This allows us to catch, in a completely tropical climate, the early spring, and later the autumn sun, and also to comfortably spend the summer days on the terrace.
The most important rule that should be observed when building a terrace is its proportionality to the total area of the house, as well as the stylistic unity with the exterior of the building.
That's why the design of the summer terrace is most often executed in a single spirit with the appearance of the house. Starting from this fact, for a cozy wooden country house you can choose a terrace interior in the style of Provence or vintage, and for a modern cottage in the style of hi tech - ascetic Japanese style, modern classics or minimalism.
We begin the design - the floor for the terrace
In fact, when starting the design of the extension to the house, special attention should be paid to such details as the floor for the terrace. Honestly, this is not only the most important, but often the only thing that is present on the terrace from the finish, with the exception of the adjacent wall of the house. After all, the roof of the terrace may not be at all, as well as the fences.
To cover the floor on the terrace, the materials most commonly used on the street are tiles, artificial stone, mosaic, a terraced board made of solid wood species, such as teak or cedar. Variations with qualitative types of linoleum or porcelain stoneware are much less often used.
When choosing a floor covering, it is worth considering the wear resistance factor, as the open space of the terrace is exposed to all weather conditions: to sunlight, and heavy rains, and frequent walking on the cover in street shoes. However, the factor of the chosen terrace design style is decisive in the final choice of the cover.
Modern styles are preferred in combination with the original paving tiles, the country style will perfectly match the wide deck board. Well, the Mediterranean style or style of Provence will look nice on the terrace, the floor of which is decorated with mosaic.
Let there be light, or a choice of lighting for a terrace
As well as any premise of the house, the terrace should be illuminated. However, one must take into account that the external and internal lighting should be made of isolated and waterproof components. This is necessary in view of the safety regulations, and so that would not stay at the right time without the light.
At the moment the market offers a lot of street lights for the garden and outdoor areas, both stylized in the old days, in the form of lanterns with openwork forging, and ultramodern. It remains only to choose one that fits perfectly into the terrace design of the of your home.
Cozy chairs and other furniture for terrace
Despite its openness, the terrace, however, is an additional living space of a private house, where people spend much of their time. That is why furniture can not be provided without its furniture.
When choosing furniture, the same rules apply as for the choice of floor covering: resistance to the damaging effects of weather conditions. Thus, the most optimal solution will be the purchase of specialized furniture for the garden. Currently, manufacturers offer a variety of solutions for every taste and purse: from more than budgetary plastic furniture for the garden, to the inexpressible elegance of forged compositions, performed with art forging.
But the widest distribution was wicker furniture for a terrace. Wicker furniture has a lot of design solutions from the simplicity of the classical style, to the delicate interlacing, so it will be appropriate when decorating the terrace in any style you want.
Eco-style lovers will appreciate the furniture made of solid wood that is resistant to moisture and sun. The upholstery of such furniture is also made of waterproof and wear-resistant materials.
If you generalize the information, then the most suitable furniture for the terrace should be made of plastic, teak, cedar, pine, glass or metal. But the textiles for the terrace is almost irrelevant, only as a supplement, which is brought if necessary and carried away to the house after the end of operation. For example, pillows and mattresses for chairs, armchairs and garden swings, rugs for hammocks and the like.
Terrace fencing - draw the borders
As already mentioned, the terrace may not have fencing at all, although this is rather an exception than the rule. However, the variations of the fence for the terrace are great. It can be a fence that is part of the house wall:
Some kind of lattice:
Or stylized columns:
But the most common are picturesque, crooked plantspergolas. They shade the terrace and unobtrusively separate it from the garden plot, being part of the general garden composition
In general, it is difficult to underestimate the role played by plants for the terrace. After all, it is the terrace that unites the garden and the house into a single whole, which means that in addition to the elements of home comfort, elements of the plant world must be present on it. Many terraces, attached to the house, have in the form of a fence beautifully trimmed perennial bushes - green fences.
And some can boast of flower beds of roses, which give to all sitting on the terrace its delightful aroma. No less relevant and growing in pots are flowers for the terrace, giving it a truly picturesque appearance.
Sometimes bamboo or rattan is used to protect the terrace.
It is quite natural that the landscape design of the garden will largely determine the stylistic solution and the overall design of the terrace.
Cozy decorated terrace can give you unforgettable days and evenings in the open air. A leisurely tea party at sunset, friendly gatherings with friends or a fruitful evening with a laptop on a cozy sunbed - it's up to you how and for what purposes to decorate this room. After all, the summer terrace is part of your house, so let it be its best corner!