Netherlands, country par excellence for the covered terrace
Gert-Jan Schouwenaar is a landscaper at Sparq Gardens, and shares his knowledge on Hoog’s blog. In this blog, Gert-Jan talks about the possibilities of installing a porch in your garden.
The most discussed topic in the Netherlands is undoubtedly the weather. Especially in the summer! Can we sit outside or not? Will the barbecue continue? Or still set up a party tent just to be on the safe side? Perhaps this is why covered patios and verandas are in high demand. On our clients’ wish list, ” A covered patio, so we can sit outside more often,” is often the number one item on the list .
What style?
Looking for a roof over our heads in the garden, we come across several choices. First, a standard product or customization. The disadvantage of a standard canopy is that you are not free to choose the style. You are also more bound in terms of sizes. It goes without saying that customization often occurs in our gardens. A landscaper simply loves the freedom to design what’s in his head.
A luxury standard canopy with built-in heaters and speakers
With customization, you can choose a covered patio that matches the style of the home or is different. If the patio or porch is attached to or close to the house, I often choose to match the style of the house. If the canopy is further away or against greenery, the veranda may actually be designed differently to better blend into its surroundings.
Covered terrace and dwelling house form one unit.
Here the porch is far away from the house and is made of natural materials.
Where will the covered terrace be?
In many houses you see that the porch is attached to the house and then often in front of the French doors. That is not always the right choice. Before installation, consider whether there is still enough light coming in. Nothing more annoying than a dark house! A skylight or dome may help somewhat, but 50% of your light is lost just like that!
In our plans, we often explore whether a porch can be placed so that it becomes part of the house, but does not take away light. Often this is also advantageous in relation to sightlines from the interior.
Here the porch is part of the house, but does not take away light inside.
Another consideration for location is sunlight. Do you both work during the day? Then it’s nice when the evening sun is just falling under the canopy.
Finish and luxury
The sky is the limit these days with the finishes and accessories that can be included in a porch. TV, internet, (gas) fireplace, kitchen, barbecue, and so on. Another consideration is whether or not the walls can be sealed with glass walls, for example. The latter combined with heaters or a fireplace will ensure that the covered patio becomes an additional living space. Ideal also for growing teenagers who want their own space!
Luxury canopy with fireplace, projector, TV, Sonos audio and Green Egg!
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