Diane Kent of DMK Interiors is the source of ‘Insta Inspo’ for many coastal style backyards through her photo journaling of her beautiful home renovation journey.
Having recently completed her backyard transformation, including a fresh EstateWall backdrop, ModularWalls caught up with her to get the juicy details of her inspiring outdoor area make-over and tips on coastal style designing.
How long did it take to design your gorgeous outdoor space?
Not too long, I guess — although, we had a fair bit of rain initially, and finding good trades in my area was challenging!
What inspired your outdoor design most? Did you go in with a specific plan?
We wanted a clean, calming, contemporary style. The only real plan we had was to keep it low maintenance, as our previous home had a lot of hedges. We worked on levels first, then all the different elements and lastly, the plants.
What’s your favourite element of your new outdoor living space?
My agave planter box and the tiled water feature wall! We saved costs by putting in a fibreglass pool and spent the money on dressing it; I love all of it! The best part is that I get to see it from every part of the back of my house.
In your opinion, what’s the most important part of designing a pool area?
The position of your pool area and landscaping is really important.
Stand in your kitchen or living area and think about what you’d like to see.
Do you have any tips for others in their outdoor renovation journey?
Look at the whole picture; landscaping should flow with your property. I have elements in my front yard that continue into the backyard, like the tiled column & letterbox in the front that matches our tiled feature wall in the backyard.
And always remember… less is more.
