There is something special about a rooftop space, a secret oasis where you can view the world from above. These homes from the ELLE Decoration archive offer inspiration on how to elevate your rooftop haven, from plant filled retreats to relax in or that encourage wildlife to the ultimate in outdoor entertaining.
A rooftop space for a design connoisseur
This elegant west London townhouse underwent a complete renovation with the only original features remaining being the staircase and the façade. This afforded design studio Angus Reid the opportunity to add this blissful roof terrace for their design conscious client. Keen to create a space to showcase their ‘Borea’ outdoor furniture designed by Piero Lissoni, Reid also introduced lavender, rosemary and star jasmine to encourage bees and other wildlife. Creating a fragrant and stylish urban retreat.
An homage to a visionary architect
‘It is a perfect example of Spanish organicism, a movement aiming to promote harmony between the human habitat and nature,’ explains Eduardo Tazón of Studio Noju about this Madrid building with geometric curves built in the 1960s by visionary Spanish architect Javier Sáenz de Oíza. The apartment in the brutalist building has two semi-circular outdoor terraces that Tazón and his partner Antonio Moro have respectfully enhanced with generous planting, verdant green tiling and crimson shutters with a classic ‘Rio’ table by Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret’s ‘Kangaroo’ chairs. The perfect retreat from the city.
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Minimalist design with maximum impact
The New York City duplex belonging to designer Lee Broom was the ideal space for him to experiment with interior design. Spread across the fifth and sixth floors of an old cast-iron building in the Tribeca district, this impressive duplex, with vast windows and room proportions allowed him to create drama. Inspired by 1970s glamour, the dining room, was designed to enhance the spectacular views of the Freedom Tower that greet you as you head onto the terrace. ‘I wanted this space to reflect the skyline at night, that beautiful blue light at dusk just as the lights of the skyscrapers are turned on,’ says Lee. ‘There’s an amazing sensation of nighttime approaching.’
The terrace that’s the height of destination living
The nomadic lifestyle of the owners of this Melbourne house was the inspiration for designer Jase Sullivan when it came to redesigning this heritage listed home. His idea was for it to feel ‘like a destination’. This is exemplified with the design of the elevated private terrace that leads out from the living area with views towards Port Phillip Bay. The terrace is designed with simple clean modern lines and, by using a palette of light stone and pops of terracotta in the patterned cushions and the coffee table, it complements the simple terrace planting and enhances the sea views beyond.
The stripped-back approach to rooftop style
An impulse buy of a Toronto penthouse that featured in Suits by a Grammy award-winning music producer proved a challenge for Trevor Wallace of Reflect Architecture. The L-shaped home needed to incorporate public areas for the producer’s team to work, but also a private ‘atelier’ with sun terrace for himself. Reflect stripped everything back to bare concrete and created a predominantly monochrome palette, using granite, concrete and stainless steel. This was carried through to the outdoor space, where tall stainless steel planters and granite paving envelop a crisp white dining space with chairs adding a playful pop of pink.
Landmark views from this secret gem
Lush tropical foliage surrounds the roof terrace in this central London home, from where landmarks from The Shard to the London Eye can be spotted. This impressive house designed by Retrouvius, known for its considered use of reclaimed pieces and pre-loved furniture, blends old and contemporary elements to create a sophisticated and characterful aesthetic. Travelling upwards (with the help of a lift or the stairs) visitors are treated to one last treasure, a private oasis where one can sink into the cocooning ‘Canasta 13’ lounger by Patricia Urquiola and enjoy the view.
Panoramic vistas in the ultimate sun-filled spot
A neglected roof terrace, almost as large as the 1970s penthouse it surrounds in Neuilly Paris, was the clincher for interior designer Romain Chancel when it came to his decision whether or not to take on this restoration project. The vast outdoor space was like a ‘real virgin forest’ recalls Chancel on first encountering it. Now, after a full renovation in his signature laid-back style, working in collaborating with landscape gardener Didier Clément, it’s been transformed into a breathtaking outdoor sanctuary.
The terrace that’s the crowning glory of a refurbished home
A roof terrace was always in the plan for the owners of this 1960s house on a quiet modernist estate in London’s Hampstead. After a lengthy but ultimately successful planning process, they entrusted the re-imagining of their home to design studio Zulufish, which created a space that builds towards the views across a leafy London skyline.
‘The lower floors are cocooning, contrasting with the upper areas and roof terrace, which have a sense of sunny openness,’ says Caroline Milns, head of interior design at Zulufish. Housed in corten steel planters the terrace’s greenery, designed by Liz Seymour, gives a soft wildflower sensibility.
Masquespacio’s rooftop terrace is designed for fun
Colour is at the heart of design duo Masquespacio’s practice, so it’s no surprise that the Valencian home of founders Christophe Oenasse and Ana Hernández is a bright affair, with its traditional façade revealing nothing of the bold design within. Their use of colour extends into the outside terrace, where the graphic shapes of the self-designed planters, table and bench are drenched in colour combinations of red and blue, counterbalanced by the luscious green foliage to create a space meant for fun.
The terrace that extends over two storeys
For interior designer Francis Sultana, this 16th century home in Valletta is a return to his Maltese roots. Tucked away in the narrow streets of the city, it has taken over 15 years to lovingly restore the five-storey former palazzo. The roof terrace extends over two of those levels, taking in breathtaking views of the city’s terracotta rooftops, golden limestone buildings and shimmering Grand Harbour.
