Capitalise on the best nature has to offer this summer by transforming your outdoor spaces into zones for entertaining, relaxing and having fun.

Just like any room inside your home, creating the ultimate outdoor oasis requires careful planning in order to create a functional, stylish and relaxing backyard retreat that you’ll love spending time in.
There are plenty of aspects to consider when it comes to striking the right balance to suit your lifestyle, including: your home’s architectural style, existing colour and material palettes, traffic flow, spatial requirements and furniture.
Outdoor ‘rooms’ have their own set of elements to factor in, such as: creating shelter from the weather and privacy from the neighbours, while supporting the types of activities that you enjoy, such as cooking, dining, entertaining, lounging and being active.

Expert Planning
Whether you’re contemplating tackling a large scale project, or are keen to improve your outdoor area by adding a few bespoke elements, employing a landscape architect is money well spent. From concept through to plant selection, right through to construction, they will help you realise your vision.
Many landscape architects and designers have the ability to successfully design and manufacture custom-made outdoor furniture to suit your specific requirements and have built long-standing relationships with reputable suppliers and craftspeople.

Practical Design
For optimal practicality, it is important to consider access between indoor preparation spaces and outdoor dining areas. Ideally, your outdoor area should be easily accessible from the house, with outdoor food preparation areas located near your indoor kitchen to reduce trips back and forth. If this is not a viable option, you may wish to invest in an outdoor kitchen where everything is at your fingertips.

Keep Warm
Outdoor heating will enable you to enjoy your outdoor areas long after the sun goes down and throughout the year. With a vast array of options on the market, from gas to electric to outdoor fireplaces, there are plenty of options to suit your particular needs and predilections.

Come rain or come shine

Transform your outdoor spaces into oases for pleasure, and enjoy spending time outdoors all year round with louvres from Johnson & Couzins.
Pioneers in innovation and technology since 1866, Johnson & Couzins bring New Zealanders the first retractable and rotational Sky Louvre. Designed and manufactured here in Christchurch, Johnson & Couzins offers premium quality engineered aluminium louvres made with advanced composites that are designed to last a lifetime.
Providing the best possible protection from the prevailing winds and searing sun here in Canterbury, retractable Sky Louvres are the ideal solution for your outdoor spaces.
Powder-coated to colour-match precisely different building materials, they can be fitted to any style of building, from upmarket bars and cafés, to contemporary architectural homes, to traditional weatherboard villas – adding value and comfort to any setting.
Offering the user complete control over the elements, the Sky Louvre comes with a smartphone application that enables easy operation; and, when it begins to rain, an intelligent rain sensor automatically retracts its fins, keeping outdoor furniture and entertainment systems dry as a bone even when you’re not at home.
As the proud market leader in custom shade design, manufacture and installation, Johnson & Couzins offers an extensive range of shade sails, awnings, parasols, umbrellas, canopies, screens and blinds, in addition to the innovative retractable louvre roofs – with reputable after-care service that strongly supports the quality craftsmanship and longevity of their products.

0800 664 083 | johnsonandcouzins.com

Take the plunge

Ensure you have all bases covered with these top tips from the experienced team at Compass Pools.

PLANNING
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge and invest in a swimming pool, it’s important to take your time to explore all the options before making any final decisions. As a long-term investment in a permanent fixture, it’s vital to consider the raft of possibilities, to ensure the result is something that adds value – not only to your enjoyment, but to your home, should you decide to sell in the future.

PROTECTION
As a swimming pool is a sizeable investment, it pays to have long-term protection as a consumer. Offering unparalleled warranties, Compass pools come with a lifetime structural warranty, which is transferable to new owners for 25 years. And, if you live in an area prone to flooding or one with a high water table, a lifetime hydrostatic warranty is essential, as many insurance companies exclude it from their policies.

QUALITY & TECHNOLOGY
As one of Australasia’s leading fibreglass pool manufacturers, Compass Pools offers the latest in technology to reduce the effort required for maintenance: their intelligent Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system also maximises energy savings, reduces maintenance costs and minimises the need for extra chemicals, while adding a lifetime of enjoyment for you and your family.

SPLISH SPLASH
Compass Pools’ philosophy is to help people find the best possible solution to suit their individual needs. With a free on-site consultation, their team will help you determine just what’s required to reach a result you’ll enjoy for years to come.

0800 766 562 | compasspools.co.nz

Don’t fence me in

When it comes to improving the look of your swimming pool and landscaping, ensuring uninterrupted views, and keeping your family safe, frameless glass pool fencing is a sleek, transparent solution.

Using premium toughened glass, NZ Frameless Glass offers a stylish, robust and affordable fencing option that complements modern architecture, while blending
seamlessly into the background with more traditional homes.
For innovative designs that are tailor-made to your specific requirements, NZ Frameless Glass ensures a high quality finish every time. Designed to protect, while adding value to your property, frameless glass systems can be utilised in and around the home in a variety of applications, from pool fencing to balustrades, partitions to mirrors, splashbacks to shower screens.
And, compared to other fencing materials like metal or wood, frameless glass is considerably easy to maintain. While wood fencing requires staining or painting and will eventually rot, and while metal fencing will rust over time, frameless glass requires only hosing down in order to maintain it.

0800 333 545 | nzfglass.co.nz