When Alex Sames, a talented landscape architect from Mr Sames Landscape Architecture was given a new brief, it was a dream project with huge potential. His clients had just moved into a stunning classic bungalow in Devonport, and while the house was beautiful, the outdoor area was tired and needed a complete transformation to match the style of the home.
The existing space was an overgrown and unusable. It was a chaotic mix of plants, hedges, and avocado and banana trees—a testament to an enthusiastic home gardener.
The clients’ vision was clear. They loved the timeless look of Hamptons style and wanted to honour the home’s heritage while introducing a fresh, contemporary vibe with clean lines and modern angles.
Alex’s concept was to blend structured hedging and formal lines with lush tropical plants and palms. A key challenge was to create two distinct zones: one for dining and one for lounging.
Working closely with the clients’ budget, a plan was finalised and the work began.
To save costs and maintain a sense of privacy, some of the original fencing and hedging was kept. The large banana tree dominated the limited space, as did most of the other trees that didn’t fit the new design. One standout bangalow palm was saved, becoming a beautiful statement feature in the new layout.
Earthworks reshaped the space with retained walls and subtle inset lighting. A clean, minimalist paving plan was chosen, complemented by new planting for height and impact, The details were exceptional and chosen with intent. Star jasmine was chosen to soften one of the walls, while the bay hedge along the boundary hides the old fence and screens neighbours
Alex’s clients wanted durable furniture with neutral tones to blend with natural setting and allowed for accessorizing .As such, they chose our Unwind Lounge 2-seaters with Sunbrella ‘Linen-Look’ fabric plus coffee table, arranged conversationally to create an inviting outdoor living space. For the dining area, our Long Lunch Dining table was chosen and paired with a bench and four striking black Rakino chairs to create a bold statement.
The result was truly transformative and far exceeded the clients’ expectations. What was once a closed-in, cluttered space now feels like an entirely new living area—an extension of the home itself. The new outdoor lighting plan means they can now enjoy long, lazy summer evenings outside.
A big thank you to Alex and his clients for choosing Outside Space outdoor furniture to bring their vision to life.
Kerry is the co-owner of Outside Space NZ, offering a range of contemporary outdoor furniture for coastal living kiwis seeking premium quality products and design at achievable prices.
