The formation of Gazebo - Part 2

The Formation of Gazebo - Part 2

Once I had established the blueprint of the house, it was time to start working on how it would look. I knew I wanted every room to have a different feel, so it was a case of working out which of my ideas would best fit in each space.

Initial Ideas, Room by Room

Living room

• Soane style vaulted ceiling
• An elliptical shape with curved corners

Library

• Regency bookcases set within the walls
• Moroccan-inspired design style

Dining room

• Generous curtains with Chinese pelmets
• Pale grey colour scheme
• Plate room

Bedroom

• French windows overlooking the sea
• Snoring room and ensuite

Guest house

• Four bedrooms with en-suites
• Hammam and massage room
• Flower room

Orienting the House Within the Garden

The house is north-facing, which means it gets less sun, but this was a compromise I was willing to make for the stunning view. To make the most of this, every room in the house apart from one has a sea view.

It was also important to me that, although the house is built into a slope, you could walk straight out from every room onto a flat surface. Beyond that, you can then take stairs to get to other parts of the house and garden.

The swimming pool is on the west side of the house and is enclosed by palm trees.

Timelines

The most stressful part of an interior designer's job is time, and so I would advise that, where possible, you remove any restrictions of timelines and constraints.

I encourage clients who are building a new home or doing large-scale renovations to rent somewhere they love, so as not to put pressure on rushing the new project, which can cause costly mistakes.

We started work on Gazebo in 2011, and I didn't move in until 2016, but this time was completely necessary to get everything right.

Architectural Formality Contains the Chaos of Informal Planting

Once building at the main house was almost complete, I could turn my attention to the garden.

Stucco walls and stone walls were built to create the structure of the terrace. Clipped hedges were planted to give formality to the otherwise wild planting.

I have also grouped the garden into sections and only planted one thing in each section.

Below is a list of plants I have included in my garden.

• Plumbago
• Canna lily
• Clivia
• Salvia
• Iris
• Cosmos
• Hollyhock
• Datura
• Agapanthus