Field notes on outdoor living.
Long-form guides, material studies and design trends from our ongoing work on villas across Marbella, Sotogrande and the Costa del Sol.
16 articles
Outdoor Living Trends Shaping the Costa del Sol in 2026
Shade as architecture, quieter materials, year-round terraces and the end of the outdoor 'showroom' kitchen.
Read the essay →
A Design Guide to the Marbella Villa Terrace
Orientation, the Levante wind, urbanisation rules and the terrace decisions that matter most in Marbella.
Sotogrande: Designing for Space, Cork Oaks and Old Money
Why Sotogrande gardens follow a different set of rules to Marbella — and how to design with the cork oak canopy.
How to Plan an Outdoor Living Space That Actually Gets Used
A practical planning method: zoning, circulation, seat counts, budget bands and the order of works.
Designing the Mediterranean Outdoor Kitchen
Why the best al fresco kitchens begin with the way you actually entertain — not the appliances.
The Quiet Luxury of an Oak Pergola
Hand-cut European oak, mortise-and-tenon joints, and why a pergola should age — not weather.
Fire as Architecture
How a single, well-placed flame can hold a 200-square-metre terrace together.
Infinity Pools That Belong to the Landscape
The trick isn't the vanishing edge. It's the coping, the colour and the line of sight.
Ancient Olive Trees as Living Sculpture
Sourcing, transplanting and caring for centenary olive trees on a Marbella villa.
Travertine: The Thinking Person's Stone
Why we choose unfilled, brushed travertine over polished marble for terrace floors.
The Anatomy of an Outdoor Bar
Built-in ice wells, hidden bottle storage and the height that makes guests linger.
First Impressions: The Driveway as Arrival
Cobblestone, cypress and the choreography of arriving at a Marbella villa.
Spa Rituals: Private Wellness on the Terrace
Plunge pools, cedar saunas and the case for a wellness suite in the open air.
Lighting a Mediterranean Garden After Dark
Colour temperature, layers, and why the best garden lighting is the lighting you never see.
Drought-Tolerant Planting for the Costa del Sol
A working palette of plants that look considered in April, survive August, and cost almost nothing to water.
Buying Outdoor Furniture That Survives a Coastal Summer
Teak, powder-coated aluminium, rope and performance fabric — what actually lasts within sight of the sea.