City living has many advantages. It can drastically reduce your commute time and even mean that you can consider different opportunities. City living puts you in the middle of the action. There’s always someone to see, and something exciting going on just around the corner. It can be great fun living in the centre of a busy city.
However, there are drawbacks. If you’ve always dreamed of a long garden with a luscious lawn and a large water feature, you might struggle to find it in the city. Fortunately, apartments with roof terraces are much easier to find, and there’s a lot that you can do with one with a little careful planning and some imagination. Below is a look at some of the best ways to make the most of your roof terrace, ensuring that you’ve got an outdoor space that’s as trendy as your city apartment and lifestyle.
Think of Your Roof as an Outdoor Living Room
If you want somewhere to relax and entertain, then try not to think of your terrace as a small, dark space that you can’t do much with. Instead, think of it as an extension of your indoor living area. Think about what you need in a comfortable living space, and start at the bottom, just like you would indoors.
A comfortable and safe decking area is a great place to start and the ideal choice for your city terrace. Ecoscape UK offers a range of trendy and hardwearing composite decking options that provide the perfect solution. Clarity walnut decking is one fantastic example that’s ideal for an outdoor living zone. This kind of decking has countless benefits, including a 20-year warranty, very low maintenance needs, UV resistance and anti-slip technology. All of this means that Ecoscape UK’s composite decking is the ideal option for roof terraces, allowing you to really make the most of your space. Check out this London WPC decking renovation project if you need more convincing.
Once you got your decking installed, add an outdoor rug, a comfortable seating area, throws and cushions. If you’ve got space, you could create an eating area that’s separate from your relaxing area. Add any homely touches, like candles and even artwork that helps you to unwind.
Don’t Be Scared of Greenery
In a small space, it can be tempting to avoid large plants and shrubs, as these can grow out of control and take over. However, greenery can be a great way to give your terrace a little privacy, blocking out the rest of the world. Large shrubs, plants and even trees, and the addition of colour can also help you to welcome wildlife and insects on to your roof, introducing contrast to the concrete city space that surrounds you.
Create Softer Edges
Roof terraces and city skylines can be very bold and harsh. Lines are very square and tough. You might want your terrace to feel a little softer and more comforting. Creating softer edges in boxy settings can be tough, but it’s certainly not impossible. Simple additions like curved benches, round planters and a circular table can add softer lines. Plants with round leaves and ditsy flowers can also be effective. Another option is laying your decking in diagonal lines. While these are technically still straight, the contrast of diagonals can help to reduce the boxy frame of the space.
Add Colour for a City Oasis
Greenery is great, but adding more colour helps to make your terrace feel more unique and can help you to feel less like you are in the middle of a big city. Add colourful flowers, shrubs with different coloured leaves, and pretty planters instead of plain industrial colours. You might also want to paint fences brighter colours and invest in more colourful furniture.
Indulge More of Your Senses
A relaxing garden isn’t all about how it looks. Concentrate on pleasing more of your senses with the addition of flowers with soft scents, and perhaps a small water feature that makes a gentle and relaxing sound.
Take Advantage of Height
Your roof terrace might not have much free floor space once you’ve added some seating, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have space. Hopefully, you’ve still got plenty of height to work with. Look at tall plants that don’t need much floor space, and add outdoor artwork to your fences, or a mural to your walls. Hang baskets on walls and add window boxes to any ledges.
Add Lighting and Cover
One of the best things about a roof terrace with comfortable seating is that you can use it all year round. Unlike a grassy lawn, you never need to worry about mud or ruining your grass. Add a cover to stay dry, and lights so that you can entertain late into the evening and ensure that your terrace is fit for use, whatever the weather.
Consider Your Priorities
If you’ve got a small space, you might need to prioritise. What do you want from your roof terrace? Think about what you are happy to sacrifice for your must-haves.
Creating a sophisticated roof terrace can be a challenge, but it can also be an adventure, and once you’ve got a comfortable and stylish terrace, you’ll always have somewhere to relax, to entertain friends, to exercise and to enjoy. So, why not start to make some changes today?
