Little spaces with big hearts: create an extra living room on your roof terrace for summer

To successfully tart up your roof terrrace you create a room, not a garden in the sky. And think sofas not plant pots, says Kate Lough
Small spaces: turn your roof terrace into an extra living room (Picture: IKEA)
Kate Lough2 March 2016

When you’re living in the concrete jungle, outdoor space is the most precious commodity. And for urbanites, it is roof terraces not gardens that hold the greatest allure.

Gardens are a drag. They have lawns which need mowing and flower beds that need weeding. Roof terraces are the dream. They come with views and act as sun traps. But it’s not enough to stick a few grubby plant pots and a deckchair on your terrace. This is the year to focus on design and make the most of your outdoor space, by creating an extra room that’s stylish and functional. Think of it as somewhere to sip sundowners, read a book or have breakfast al fresco – not a giant herb garden.

“More and more of our customers are looking to bring the indoors-out during the hotter months, whatever the size of their outside space,” says Ian Chumbley, a merchansider at John Lewis. “People are increasingly looking for a versatile space where they can relax.”

Pierre Wilter, director of Urban Roof Gardens, has seen demand for roof terraces expand exponentially year on year. His top tip for anyone furnishing one is to remember you’re designing a room, not a garden in the sky. “Don’t pull out a gardening book, choose an interiors book that specialises in small spaces and design it as if you were designing a living room. Decide what you are going to use the room for – chillaxing? – and then add in stuff like the view and plants.”

Get the look - in pictures

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It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a large pot of money to spend. The most important thing is to create a consistency between your interior and exterior style. Wilter explains: “If you’d spend £200 on your living room, spend £200 on your terrace. The quality of the finishes and materials outside must match the inside.”

So how to go about tarting up your terrace? Clotilde Passalacqua, Ikea’s interior design leader, advises: “Decide on a theme and stick to it. A mish-mash of colours and designs makes areas look smaller, while focusing on one trend creates the illusion of more space.” So choose a colour scheme as you would for a living room – it doesn’t have to be all greenery and natural colours – a Scandinavian palette of muted greys, white and black are bang on trend for spring.

Stick to a colour scheme: use neutral tones with added pops of colour

Start with decent wooden decking, which looks smart and allows easy access to the roof for repair work. Instead of dominating the space with a dining area, create a relaxing area with an outdoor sofa and low table in hardwearing materials such as rattan and choose a modular style to maximise your space. Complete the ‘‘interior’’ look with details and pops of colour: think wall clocks, art, storm lanterns and strings of outdoor lights, as well as throws and cushions to add eye-catching touches.

Adding this extra room should boost the value of your home as well its saleability. “We are increasingly seeing owners invest well-spent time and money on creating amazing spaces that make a lasting impression on a buyer,” says Savills’ Barbara Allen. “It’s not uncommon for prospective buyers to ask for terrace furniture to be included in a sale.”

Just remember to do your homework. You won’t necessarily have planning permission to convert a roof terrace and you’ll need to employ a structural engineer to check it’s strong enough to take the weight of your designs.

Bring on the sunshine.

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