When Rosie Daykin entertains, her guests spill out from the house onto sunny terraces, dine to the sound of falling water, and retreat into a lush, hushed cedar grove. It was exactly this vision of seamless indoor- outdoor living that guided Rosie (interior designer and owner of Butter Baked Goods) and husband Paul when they renovated a neglected rental property on a two-level lot in west-side Vancouver.

"That yard is what the bedrooms overlook," Rosie says. "It's all about the view." The house hugs a slope, so its main floor now opens to the bright front courtyard, and the lower floor is level with the backyard's dense foliage.

Garden haven The Daykins seek out this secluded backyard oasis when peace is paramount, accessing it directly from the family room or by descending the stairs from the carport. Ferns and hostas thrive in the dappled light of the cedar canopy.

 

Dining terrace Rosie and family enjoy breakfast on the 40' x 18' dining terrace, which runs the entire width of the house. Unlike most front yards, which are simply walked through on the way to the house, this courtyard works harder, serving the Daykin family as an April-September living space.

 

Seating area One step down from the dining terrace is this outdoor sitting room, which is level with the lawn. Rosie balanced the coolness of the concrete with the warm teak of the furniture.

 

Water feature Rosie incorporated a 20' long water feature into the garden wall by designing a stainless steel trough from which water cascades in a wide sheet. Two varieties of leafy bamboo provide green accompaniment. The antique green fishing float bobing among the gazing balls was a gift from her grandmother when Rosie was a child.

 

Peaceful pathway The Daykins are happy to putter in the garden beds, hand-watering and weeding, but to minimize maintenance, Rosie designed pea-gravel pathways lined with concrete pavers, and chose shade-tolerant hostas, ferns, magnolias and hydrangeas.