Unwind In A Bamboo Garden

Lindsay Whitney Lindsay Whitney
Bamboo Terrace - Sintra, MUDA Home Design MUDA Home Design Rustic style garden
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Since it is summer, we at homify thought it was important to showcase a spectacular outdoor space, and the Jardim Bambus terrace and patio by Muda Home Design in Lisboa is perfect. 

What we see with Jardim is an otherwise flat and only mildly functional back terrace turned into a stylish and relaxing home outside the house—ideal for spring and summer get-togethers, or just chilling outside with the family, sipping some sweet tea and enjoying the fresh breeze. Lets begin with the main living area and kitchen—yes, a kitchen!

A fully functional terrace

In a nod to old Lisboa house fashion, the designers here were not shy about giving the inner alcove of the terrace a complete facelift by installing a fully operational kitchen and living space, including a sink and a coal- fired oven/grill, which can double as a warming fireplace when the chilly summer breezes come at night. A thatched roof provides additional shade, keeping this area as hidden from the beating sun as possible.

The floors have been updated with high-shine square tiles with a marbleised pattern, and, between the spacious sofa and the large dining table there is plenty of room for people to lounge around and chit chat. 

A terrace without a stove is not complete

Here we can see the old-style coal oven up close: lined on the inside with red bricks, smoke easily filters out through the chimney and not into the terrace. The chimney itself has a nice, pure white colour that contrasts gently with the light grey walls throughout the rest of the living space.

The sofa area is intimate despite being in a large room, and yet isn't cramped because it is set outside on a terrace. The designers have chosen a cherry wood sofa frame of slight build so as to not overpower the space. Moreover, this style of couch is super versatile with the ability to change out the sofa cushions, enabling the owners to experiment with a few different colour schemes. 

A modern patio

The kitchen and sofa areas look out onto this area, which is pictured here at night to show off the lighting design at the borders of the patio. 

Simple furniture items let the quality of the landscaping and bamboo flooring do all the talking. High grooved cement walls give the space privacy while the use of the area between the patio's edge and the wall has been made into a green space, with large, crawling trees set in easy-to-maintain rock soil, lit up at night to create a truly majestic atmosphere around the whole area.

Green space

What would a garden terrace featuring a cooking and dining area be without herbs? Thus, designers have carved out several, small 'green' areas, both in the kitchen and around the bamboo patio's circumference, for growing plants, flowers and cooking herbs. 

Kitchen a la terrace

This simple kitchen features a sanded wood countertop, a simple yet up-to-date tap and a muted beige curtain that serves a casual, fabric cabinetry function.

Because this terrace has a kitchen, dining and living area, all one really needs to enter the house for is sleeping at night. Otherwise, we recommend making full use of an outdoor area such as this, even when the summer rains come—in which case, enjoy a hot summer meal at this table, dress warm and enjoy the storm!

Hopefully, by now, you have got some ideas for working on your own terrace, and even got some inspiration for functionalising your terrace. For more about how to build a terrace garden to impress your guests, read these essential tips to create a garden perfect for entertaining.

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