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Week 10: Emma and Ben

The room: Alfresco terrace and shed

Cash spent: $35,167 (Budget: $20,000)

Score: 26/30 (fourth place)

“I really feel that the alfresco area has honoured the exterior of the house,” said Darren Palmer, “which I really love.”

Outdoor area with a Barbecue and kitchen in it on decking.

Emma and Ben created a huge timber deck and thoughtful outdoor entertaining area to capitalise on the views of their house


Emma and Ben decided to capitalise on the elevation of their home and its views by investing most of their time and energy into their new deck and alfresco area, creating a relaxing space that encouraged outdoor entertaining.

A large L-shaped outdoor sofa, timber dining table and outdoor kitchen provided plenty of space to cook, eat and congregate. The couple chose a dark and luxurious colour palette with charcoal tones that complemented the exterior of the house.

With the outdoor shed, Emma and Ben created two spaces – a garden workshop/toolshed on one end and a golf simulator at the other end.

Outdoor area with a lounge and coffee table in it on decking.

The toolshed area was well equipped, with a workbench, plenty of tools and heaps of storage located in practical, hard-wearing metal cupboards and drawers.

It won lots of praise from the judges, with Marty Fox saying that “this is, exactly what you need – with space for the lawn mower, the blower, the whipper snipper”.

The golf simulator made the judges smile, adding it was a lot of fun and would appeal to the many keen golfers in the area.

Design tip

Retractable outdoor blinds are a stylish way to make an outdoor area weather-proof. Emma and Ben installed blinds around the perimeter of their deck, which will allow the sun to shine through on cold days, but keep the area dry in wet weather.

 

Create the look yourself with these D.I.Y. projects 

How to oil your deck

How to make D.I.Y. dining table bench seats

Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.