Samuel Moore, owner of Consilium Hortus, is renowned for creating beautiful, bespoke outdoor spaces which are designed specifically to meet his client’s tastes. Taking inspiration from landscapes, architecture, art, design and nature, Samuel meets briefs and creates stunning projects in gardens and spaces of all sizes. This recent project in Colchester, Essex, had a brief to create a fully equipped outdoor entertaining area. With a desire for an extension of their home, Samuel has created a space that can be enjoyed throughout the seasons. A louvered pergola covers the full length of the back of the house. Despite being a permanent structural cover, the roof, which can turn 160 degrees, enables the sun to be chased as it moves throughout the day. Heaters and lights have been incorporated for those colder months, so those chillier days and evenings can still be spent outdoors. The slatted feature wall, not only matches the extended outdoor table but also provides a backdrop for the Outdoor Kitchen drawing out its Iroko Hardwood details. For a couple who love to entertain, it was obvious that a trio of cooking appliances needed to be incorporated into the outdoor kitchen design. Featuring our Gusto, the Bull BBQ and the Deli Vita Pizza Oven, the pair and their guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to alfresco dining. The addition of our single outdoor fridge also ensures that glasses are never empty, whatever the tipple.

A white powder coated aluminum frame with Solar White impact resistant acrylic panels bring maximum light into this classic rambler and provide covered outdoor living space.

Outdoor living room designed by Sue Oda Landscape Architect. Photo: ilumus photography & marketing

This brick and limestone, 6,000-square-foot residence exemplifies understated elegance. Located in the award-wining Blaine School District and within close proximity to the Southport Corridor, this is city living at its finest! The foyer, with herringbone wood floors, leads to a dramatic, hand-milled oval staircase; an architectural element that allows sunlight to cascade down from skylights and to filter throughout the house. The floor plan has stately-proportioned rooms and includes formal Living and Dining Rooms; an expansive, eat-in, gourmet Kitchen/Great Room; four bedrooms on the second level with three additional bedrooms and a Family Room on the lower level; a Penthouse Playroom leading to a roof-top deck and green roof; and an attached, heated 3-car garage. Additional features include hardwood flooring throughout the main level and upper two floors; sophisticated architectural detailing throughout the house including coffered ceiling details, barrel and groin vaulted ceilings; painted, glazed and wood paneling; laundry rooms on the bedroom level and on the lower level; five fireplaces, including one outdoors; and HD Video, Audio and Surround Sound pre-wire distribution through the house and grounds. The home also features extensively landscaped exterior spaces, designed by Prassas Landscape Studio. This home went under contract within 90 days during the Great Recession. Featured in Chicago Magazine: http://goo.gl/Gl8lRm Jim Yochum

Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT The customer requested a large 22 foot 11 inch wide x 14 foot, attached, 2 span (3 post) water proof retractable deck patio cover system with front water drainage. The plan was to have rain water drain through the invisible downspouts (inside the posts) and exit through a hole at the bottom of the posts. The entire system used one continuous piece of fabric and one motor. The system frame and guides are made entirely of non-rusting aluminum which is powder coated using the Qualicoat® powder coating process. Frame color chosen was our vendors proprietary Grigio Ferro. The stainless steel components used were Inox (470LI and 316) which are of the highest quality and have an extremely high corrosion resistance. In fact, the components meet the European salt spray corrosion test as tested by Centro Sviluppo Materiali in Italy. Fabric is Ferrari 302 Precontraint color Avorio P741, light filtering and opaque, a PVC fabric that is fire retardant and totally water-proof (not water-resistant). This retracting patio cover system has a Beaufort wind load rating Scale 10 (up to 63mph) with the fabric fully extended & in use. A hood with end caps was also used to prevent rain water, leaves and debris from collecting in the folds of fabric when not in use. Purlin covers were requested to prevent rain water, leaves and debris from collecting in the space between the two sections of aluminum (purlins) running from the house to the front posts. Motor operated with remote control. PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT The homeowners preferred a more modern design to their entire home. They are very active people and enjoy the outdoors (they both train as triathlete’s). Their desire was for the retractable patio cover system to provide shade on the desk that receives a great deal of afternoon sun. Prior to the installation, it got so hot, the client could not walk on the deck without shoes. Essentially, as much as they enjoy the outdoors, they did not use their deck. Again, with the modern design preference, a traditional roof structure was not their vision. They printed a retractable patio cover picture from Pinterest for the contractor. That was the start of the entire project. In addition to the upper area, they wanted to utilize the area below their deck, as well as create an area for their Jacuzzi Hot Tub. All this work was to be performed while keeping the overall design modern. UNIQUENESS OR COMPLEXITY OF THE PROJECT First and foremost was the initial design of the project. The contractor worked with the client for 11 months creating this living area using Chief Architect software. They created numerous different designs & elevations. They looked at every aspect of the design in great detail. For example, the slope of the retractable patio cover structure and if the retractable patio cover base plate would be above or below the transom windows on the house. They revised the width of the structure numerous times, which then affected the posts below with each design change. The width of the space was decided based on the clear span of the structure. There were multiple design options with the retractable patio cover & the contractor looked at each of those options. When ordering the retractable deck cover system, the contractor had to have it fabricated to a fraction of an inch because the cable railing posts where to be directly adjacent to the retractable deck cover posts. There was very little margin for error. Planning was essential! The deck posts below needed to be replaced, this included new footings. The layout of the posts and the sizes of the posts needed to correspond to the supports of the patio cover structure. The posts for the rail system were designed to duplicate the posts of the retractable patio cover structure. The contractor created a method for draining the rain water from the posts of the retractable patio cover structure to the ground below. PROJECT RESULTS One extremely happy homeowner and proud contractor. Our company is honored to work with a client who allowed us to assist them in providing a retractable shading system to keep the homeowners deck cool. We are very proud to have been a part of this project. This complex and time consuming project met every desire the clients had. After the project was complete, the homeowners told the contractor how excited and pleased they were with the space. That, to us, is what is so critical in our line of work. The comments related to how they enjoyed the entire process and are able to enjoy their lives even more now.

Outdoor entertainment area with pergola and string lights

James Morgan Photography

Adrien DUQUESNEL

Espace détente sous la pergola et vue sur le Sacre-Coeur

Welcome to the "Rooftop Down-under...This picture shows a variety of fetures, dining with 13' square umbrella, nicely shaded pergola area with soft surroundings. water feature with custom bronze staute. Tyrone Mitchell Photography

Tony Soluri Photography