Outdoor entertaining plays a big part in the lives of most Western Australians. An abundance of warm, balmy evenings naturally lends itself an alfresco lifestyle, with many peoples’ outdoor settings seeing far more action than their indoor spaces over the warmer months.
You know the setting: BBQ smoke wafting through the air and mixing with the heady scent of mosquito coils, lively chatter over a bring-a-plate dinner party and a few ice-cold drinks straight from the esky. It’s a quintessentially WA scene.
However, the way in which we enjoy our great outdoors has changed in recent times. In the past, spacious blocks left plenty of room for patios, verandahs and decks on which to entertain. But with block sizes shrinking and high-density subdivisions becoming more and more popular, this extra room has all but vanished for many people.
So what is a modern home builder to do if they want to preserve their outdoor entertaining lifestyle while still maintaining their property’s privacy, comfort and practicality? Enter the rise of the courtyard.
When it comes to making the most out of minimal space, few cities do it with as much style as New York. That’s why our New York range of bricks is perfect for adding a touch of edgy urban chic to your courtyard space.
However, if you’re going for a different look - be it modern minimalism, rustic warmth or anything in between - we also have the building materials you need to make it all come together.
To give you some courtyard-building inspiration, we’ve compiled a set of 5 stunning designs to get you excited about your summer building projects.
Compact Urban Chic
Who says you need a lot of space to create a knock-out alfresco entertaining area? This compact & stylish space is living proof that less can definitely be more, especially considering that you can easily pull off this style of courtyard in the kind of desirable, high-density area that is so popular nowadays.
By keeping things simple and sticking to high brick walls and timber offset with minimal greenery, it makes excellent use of space while exuding an edgy, shabby-chic sense of style.
Midland Brick products you can use to recreate this effect:
Hidden Oasis
This fab contemporary courtyard is another great example of how a few smart decisions can help make a smaller space feel a lot more spacious and inviting.
The dark monochrome colour scheme - featuring neutral-coloured paving on the floor - help the space to feel open and uncluttered, while the living wall and well-chosen pot plants help to inject a sense of life.
Even if you’re building on a smaller block in a more built-up area, this hidden oasis-style courtyard is proof that you can still create a sensational outdoor entertaining area.
Midland Brick products you can use to recreate this effect:
Lush Tropical Paradise
Tired of having to go overseas on holiday to experience the lush greenery of a tropical getaway? Then why not create a private paradise in your own back yard?
Large slate-coloured pavers like these provide the perfect foundation for a verdant space full of tropical plants and exotic decor.
You can also have some fun and incorporate some style elements from your favourite tropical holiday destination. No matter whether that’s somewhere in South East Asia, Latin America, Africa or Polynesia, even a few well-chosen pieces of furniture or decor can help to bring your courtyard together and give it a unique feel.
Midland Brick products you can use to recreate this effect:
Rustic Gandeur
If you have a little more space to play with - and have the patience to see a long-term plan come together - then it’s possible to achieve some truly breathtaking results like this grandiose, French-country-style courtyard that’s just brimming with rustic charm.
With large limestone pavers, rustic red brick and natural timber tones as a base, the space is really brought together by the luscious covering of ivy.
Can you imagine a more pleasant place to have dinner on a glorious summer evening?
Midland Brick products you can use to recreate this effect:
Contemporary Cool
As the size of the average block in Perth shrinks, home designers have come up with ever more ingenious ways of making the most out of the space they have to work with. As a result, combined indoor/outdoor spaces like this have become increasingly popular as they enable your courtyard to effectively become an extension of your living room.
We love how the contemporary furniture and decor used throughout helps to tie both indoor and outdoor areas together, while at the same time the use of rustic red brick paving, wood, bamboo and feature lighting help to give the alfresco entertaining area it’s own unique sense of style and identity.
Midland Brick products you can use to recreate this effect: