DECKING & PAVERS: GROUND RULES

GET THE BEST USE OUT OF YOUR BACKYARD WITH DESIGNATED OUTDOOR ZONES THAT BEST SERVE YOUR STYLE AND LIFESTYLE

- STEPHANIE HOPE

Create entertaining areas that work year-round, such as this one by landscape designer Paul Bangay.

With our love of both the great outdoors and entertaining friends and family, it’s little wonder the majority of Aussie homeowners consider an outdoor living space a must-have inclusion for their backyard. Be it a quiet place to sit with a hot cuppa, a sleek pool deck for a spot of sunbaking, a fully functional meal space or simply a flat area where the kids can ride their scooters, a deck or paved area not only expands the available living space, but also provides an additional vantage point from which you can relax and enjoy nature’s beauty.

“Pavers and decking are an important design tool that can help elevate your backyard and establish purpose within your space,” says Brett Ward, general manager of international marketing for Brickworks. “They can be used to delineate different areas, to make a decorative

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

To pave or to deck? The route you take really depends on what you’re hoping to achieve in your outdoor space. “Decking is great for a raised entertaining area and blends in beautifully with the natural surrounds, while pavers can provide more of a statement,” says Gil Bennett of Sydney interior design studio More Than Space. “The smooth surface of pavers contrasts with the textures of the surrounding greenery.”

“Decks often provide a subtle transition from indoor living areas to the outdoors and are typically elevated by a frame to be level with the house, whereas pavers are built at ground level on a layer of earth and sand,” clarifies Christian Hansen, product manager at James Hardie, a building materials company.