Beautifully structured contemporary family garden in Cheswick, west London, designed by Karena Batstone and constructed by The Garden Builders, features an impressive decking scheme laid out over a long, narrow space, complemented by attractive greenery.

Divided into four areas with plenty of bespoke elements, the garden creates a seductive outdoor environment for recreation, entertainment and children's play. The garden is an excellent combination of hard and soft landscaping, geometric shapes and play of materials, disrupting the narrow, 'corridor' line of sight.

The family garden functions as a multi-purpose living extension with four distinct zones. Dividing up the area into smaller spaces is a popular technique to detract the eye from the narrowness of the garden.

A minimalist terrace paved with flame-finished basalt plays off several linear elements "a dining table, an aluminum pergola in powder-coated finish, and a rectangular reflective pond of corten steel, filled with black-dyed water. Special dyes, such as black dye, enhance the beauty of garden ponds, controls algae growth and provides depth and movement, creating a mirroring effect. Low mixed planting around the pond softens the metallic elements of the terrace.