The typical verandah or patio is a rectangular extension along the back or side of the house that allows you to enjoy a place of relaxation without going outside. Since it is completely roofed over and attached to the house, it becomes part of the house but still allows you to step out into fresh air without being ‘outside’ as it were.

Some people break with the traditional idea of the verandah and create an outdoor space that is truly luxurious, being much larger than the usual long, narrow area. If you choose to install composite decking, the result can make a stunning addition to the home that is both exotic and beautiful. Here’s how to do it.

  • Make the verandah really large so that it extends well out from the home, giving you even as much room as is in the house itself or near to it. Rain can’t blow into this space because it is too deep.
  • Tile the floor rather than having treated timber floorboards.
  • Line the ceiling so it looks like the interior of the house, or have exposed beams that become a feature of the area.
  • Add a luxurious sofa, easy chairs and a table. Cushions, rugs and other aids to comfort will be in abundance. A daybed will allow you to have a nap during the day if you are tired.
  • Add a built in swimming pool. This would be fully within the verandah area, or perhaps it could be half in and half out, depending on your tastes and the room you have left over.
  • Add deck chairs and a sun umbrella if the roof has polycarbonate sheets that let the sunlight through.
  • Make sure there is a cooking and eating area so you can all enjoy alfresco dining, entertain friends and family and generally do everything out on the verandah.
  • Also include a chiminea for cosy warmth as the evening turns chilly. That way, you won’t have to go back inside.
  • Have roll-up blinds made of mesh to keep out mosquitoes or flies when you are eating.
  • Don’t forget adequate lighting so the party can go on all night.

With such a luxurious verandah, you won’t want to go back inside your home. You can add value to the home with such a fancy verandah, but it does cost extra, and you may not get much of a return on the investment when you go to sell. But since you have made the area so lovely, who would want to sell up and go elsewhere anyway? Some home renovations are more about enjoying life than adding a monetary value to the home anyway, and the luxury verandah definitely comes under this category.