Coastal escape

Embraced by tropical planting and offering a pool and cabana, this is the ideal resort-style sanctuary

- Karen Booth

If you're lucky to call a beachside suburb home, you'll want to enjoy the full coastal lifestyle experience such was the case for the owners of this property. "They wanted me to create a tropical retreat that would capture the essence of what it's like to live near the coast- and they wanted it to have a resort-style escape vibe," says Karen Staunton-Ross, garden designer and founder of Outside Living.

A new house was being built on a battle axe block and, in the process, vehicular access would be changing from the front via a long driveway to the rear lane. "This change gave us the opportunity to really tie the house and pool together," says Karen. "It also allowed us to convert the driveway into a leafy transitional space that would usher you from the pressures of modern living to a place of seclusion and retreat. At the end of the journey there are places for friends and family to gather and enjoy being together a pool area, cabana and an open space.