A terrace extends the living space to the outside in summer. We give tips for terrace design, beautiful furniture, the right flooring and how a terrace can be harmoniously integrated into the garden.
Article content
- Planning the terrace
- Orientation of the terrace
- Plan for the size
- The right look
- Patio furniture: what to look out for
- The covering: natural stone, wood, terrace tiles
- Sun protection and lighting
The terrace is the perfect place to enjoy the garden and the warm season. It is the successful mix between indoors and outdoors. To ensure that the summer joy is not spoiled by anything, some preliminary considerations are necessary when planning the terrace.
Planning the terrace
When planning your terrace, the first question should be for what purpose you want to use the terrace: be it for sunbathing, for a cozy meal and barbecue with friends or as a play area for the children. The best way to do this is to collect examples from living magazines, photos or inspiring websites in advance. Of course, a simple list of keywords is also sufficient.
It is important that you know your wishes so that you can design the terrace accordingly. Because the space for the barbecue, a large dining table or the parasol should not be forgotten when planning. This does not happen with a concrete line-up. Another side effect: The collection also clarifies which furnishing stylethe terrace will later get.
Orientation of the terrace
The later desired use is also important for the location of the terrace. For sun worshippers, it makes the most sense to orient the terrace to the south. So you can soak up the sun all day long. On the other hand, a west-facing terrace does not lie in the sun all day, but still receives the warm evening light. Such a place is ideal for enjoying the late afternoon and evening hours.
If you’ve always wanted to have a nice breakfast spot, you should think about an orientation – or a small second terrace – facing east. She catches the first rays of sunshine of the day in the morning. Even a north-facing terrace is not to be sneezed at, if the plot only allows it. Its advantage: In summer, it gets light in the morning and evening, but offers cooling shade at noon. Our tip for planning: Before you finally determine the location of a terrace, it is helpful to sit in the chosen place for a rehearsal. In this way, other details such as trees or beautiful views can be included in the planning.
Plan for the size
No matter how you want to use the terrace later: Plan enough space! Because if the terrace is too small, the annoyance will be great later if furniture blocks the way into the garden or you bump into something at the slightest movement. The same applies if you can’t move away from the table at the dining area without landing on the lawn. Chairs should therefore have a minimum distance of one meter from the edge of the terrace.
For this reason, even small terraces should measure at least 3 x 3 meters. If the space in the garden is very limited, you should consciously create a spacious terraced garden instead of dividing the area too much. If, on the other hand, you have enough space and create a very large terrace, you have to keep in mind that large parts of the area will not be equipped with chairs, loungers or the like in winter. in this case, a varied design with terrace plants and other elements is required so that the terrace does not look too desolate and desolate in winter.
The right look
The favorite among terrace styles is an authentic-looking nature look. Shrubs, perennials, low-maintenance furniture and a terrace floor made of wood or natural stone are suitable for this. Ponds in the immediate vicinity of the terrace bring the element of water to the garden and improve the microclimate on hot sunny days. Garden furniture made of wood or – depending on your taste – also made of aluminium or stainless steel goes well with this.
When designing the terrace, it is particularly attractive to extend elements such as the floor or a colour concept from the inside of the house to the outside onto the terrace. When the doors to the terrace are wide open in summer, the boundaries between inside and outside seem to disappear.
Patio furniture: what to look out for
A seating and dining area belongs on almost every terrace. After all, a summer evening in company and with a good meal is a wonderful experience. Therefore, make sure you have enough seating and a sufficiently large garden table. In addition to the seating and dining area, the sun lounger is a must for sun worshippers. Plan appropriate space for them as well. In general, it is advisable to invest in high-quality patio furniture. Although they are more expensive, they usually last longer in comparison.
Above all, design the terrace according to your preferences. Just because outdoor kitchens are trendy, doesn’t mean you need one too. However, if you are planning a romantic terrace in a rose garden, cast-iron patio furniture is the first choice. While creating a modern ambience with straightforward furniture. For a change, how about modern lounge furniture with comfortable outdoor upholstery? They quickly turn the terrace into a cozy open-air living room.
The covering: natural stone, wood, terrace tiles
Terrace floors are versatile and can be made of wood, natural stone slabs, concrete or tiles. Decking boards made of wood or WPC have the advantage that they do not heat up so quickly in the sun. So you can walk barefoot on the terrace even in midsummer at lunchtime. At the same time, they appear visually softer than a stone floor and, as a wooden variant, develop an attractive patina over time. In addition to controversial tropical woods, robinia and larch wood has increasingly established itself as an ecologically justifiable terrace covering.
The advantage of stone and tile floors is their extreme durability. Outdoor tiles also make it possible to design the terrace in different ways, as tiles are offered in a variety of patterns and colours. Particularly large terraces can be varied in this way. However, care should be taken with floor tiles on the terrace: in winter or when it rains, they can make the terrace slippery due to their surface. Here it is therefore important to pay attention to high slip resistance when buying.
Sun protection and lighting
Whether wood or stone as a floor – in midsummer it can get very hot on the terrace. The right sun protection for the terrace is therefore essential.
Classics are retractable awnings, awnings, a partial canopy of the terrace and the parasol. If you like it natural, you can plant a shady tree nearby or have privacy screens overgrown with climbing plants.
As patio lights, lanterns are particularly atmospheric. But wall lights and spotlights under plants also provide a beautiful light. Where there are no electrical wires and no bright reading light is needed on the terrace, solar lights are an alternative. These are available in many shapes and colors for the terrace. For a harmonious ambience, you should make sure that they emit a warm white light as much as possible.