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Hoping to tap into the brains trust and seek some advice / inspiration for a outdoor renovation. We currently have the issue of having too much of a blank canvas to work with so while we have a number of ideas we are struggling to tie them all together and work out what order to do them in.
We would be grateful for any ideas on how to improve the area for the long term. Our budget would be around $50k but this is over time not in one hit and we would pick and choose appropriate projects over time.
Looking to make the space both more functional but also feel more welcoming as we currently feel no urge to use the space.
For context the house is a Victorian weatherboard circa 1945 and had been internally renovated while keeping some of the period features like ceiling roses and picture rails. Ideas so far have felt pretty basic so may not have the right feel if we don’t do it right. These included replacing the back sliding door with French doors, decking attached to the house to cover a large majority of the concrete, pergola, and potentially a tastefully done above ground pool (in the very distant future) in the current shed position to make use of the existing slab.
Factors we need to consider are:
- 2 boisterous dogs
- An 8 month old who will eventually need a space separate from the dogs for play.
- Dog door on the side of the house which happens to be the furthest point from the grass so if any area is partitioned off they will still somehow need access there.
- There is no shaded area so would like to have an undercover entertaining spot to both protect furniture and create a space we can use no matter the weather.
Long term we will want to reduce the size of the shed as we will not use it for storing our cars and while we do need the storage space, something even a quarter of the size would be adequate for what we need. Unsure if this is a first step or we could leave until later. (Does anyone know the sort of costs for removing a shed?) It is custom and two walls are metal and the two boundary walls are brick.
We expect to stage any renovations but want to ensure that all planning is in place upfront to ensure that we don’t invest in certain aspects that we will later have to change.
Thanks for reading this far, and looking forward to any brilliant ideas you may have to help inspire us to get started!
Looking at your area my first thought was keep the shed. Paint it white and change the garage door to folding aluminium louver doors. Remove everything inside the shed and build above ground pool inside! No more fencing worries because its an enclosed space! No evaporation worries as its covered and your chlorine stays longer for the same reason!
I am a Bunnings team member. Any opinions or recommendations shared here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of Bunnings. Visit the Bunnings website for assistance from the customer service team.
Insulation and whirly birds for sure!
I am a Bunnings team member. Any opinions or recommendations shared here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of Bunnings. Visit the Bunnings website for assistance from the customer service team.
Welcome to the Workshop community and apologies for the slow reply @MichelleM.
What an exciting project! Great to see you have already received one fantastic suggestion but I'm sure other members will have more helpful ideas for you.
I would also recommend you have a look at our Top 10 most popular decking projects on Workshop for some inspiration. The low cost backyard makeover by the @MakeItYours team might also be helpful, and these Bunnings guides - How to design your outdoor room and how to create a modern outdoor entertaining area.
Hope that helps,
Jason
The fact that the two boundary walls of the shed are brick is fantastic. It would allow you to do something like this - a brilliant outdoor room.
