Transforming a tired pergola to year-round coastal-inspired living space

Thinking of upgrading your outdoor decking area to a space ideal for entertaining all year round? With some clever design elements and low-maintenance materials, it’s easy to create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow that feels cosy in winter and breezy in the hotter months.

Of course, having a few expert hands to help doesn’t hurt, either. Enter: Outdure decking materials and systems and Brennen Laverty and his team at Laverty Constructions. 

When a client approached them with a project for a low-maintenance outdoor decking area, Brennen knew that Outdure’s QwickBuild® system was up to the task.

Our clients requested a well-planned and designed outdoor area which provided them with a space they could enjoy year-round, whilst having little to no maintenance at all,” Brennen explains.

Creating a seamless flow meant bringing the outdoor decking up to the level of the existing living room, which hid the step down to the old pergola area and properly extended the entertaining and living space – a task made easy thanks to the QwickBuild® system.

“One of the most important factors for our clients is having that indoor-outdoor flow, which Outdure provides,” says Brennen. “One of the benefits of this QwickBuild® system is that it can be built as low as 71mm off the ground to up to 2m above the ground, so no matter what the project is we can adjust the height to suit that indoor-outdoor flow perfectly.

Brennen also noted the ease of installation of the QwickBuild® system, making the project quick and straightforward. “From setting heights with the adjustable pedestals to installing the marine grade aluminium bearers and joists, installation was efficient and done with minimal effort.”

As for low maintenance? The QwickBuild® aluminium frame is termite-proof and doesn’t move or rot over time like a traditional timber subframe, so that certainly fits the brief!

With level flooring installed it was time to focus on aesthetics and design details. “Our client was after a modern, coastal design, with high-end finishes for a touch of formality, all while tying in the new outdoor living space with their home,” Brennen says.

The client selected our composite ResortDeck in ‘Sea Salt’ to blend closely with the flooring of their existing indoor living area. Says the client: “We chose this colour and the surfaces we did because we wanted to have something that had a beach feel about it and also matched the original colours of the house.”

The ResortDeck is oil- and stain-free, as well as scratch- and UV resistant, and isn’t prone to buckling or warping like regular wooden decking, which makes it a durable choice for a multipurpose alfresco area such as this.

To create the feel of another room, the outdoor space features a fireplace surrounded by mineral tiles in ‘Haze’, bringing understated formality to the cool-toned space. The outdoor decking area was finished with beach house-inspired furnishings such as a light timber dining setting, separate cushioned lounge space framing the fireplace, and potted statement plants contrasting against a dark grey privacy screening.

“Everything we constructed for them was an essential part for their outdoor space,” says Brennen. “From insulated roofing, privacy, ability for warmth and cooling… and having little to no maintenance at all.”