Want to make over an apartment courtyard but body corporate restrictions make you think you can’t do much? – just don’t give up and do nothing.
In city apartments around Australia body corporate rules can restrict the styling of courtyards.
They can even stop you fixing things into the balcony spaces right outside your own door. This may make you think you can’t do anything to create a private outdoor space of your own.
Rather than leave the area plain, we helped these owners create their own personalized space.
With strategic styling and the right accessories we completed a courtyard makeover on this waterfront apartment in the space of a day. Even managing to stay within body corporate guidelines!
Here’s how we did that.
- We added legs to the 1100 trellis, to create a free-standing screen. This minimalized the fitting required.
- Used a water feature in front of the trellis which added a focal point, helping build the layered look you need to get the feeling right. Fallen frangipani flowers float in the water bowl.
- On the other side of the courtyard, we hung the bowed front mirror and matching planter. The mirror reflects the gorgeous water views from inside the apartment and the bowed front planter beneath it brings more greenery into the mix. It brings light to that area and reflects the whole courtyard, which increases the sense of space.
- We chose shade-loving rhapis palms for the pots and the calathea for the planter. These are easy care green life that suits the shady courtyard space making the outdoor area is easy to maintain.
- Lightweight pots and the water feature were sourced from Pots Online to compliment the colours of the trellis and the contemporary deck chairs.
Of course the dining table can be dressed with accessories to strengthen the style and more plants added as required, but the foundations that were laid gets this space off to a great start.
The fact that it extends the living space to take advantage of a new private courtyard is a great bonus. Testimony to what happens when you refuse to give up and do nothing.
