Porcelain patio, Uppingham

What we did

A stone townhouse near the centre of Uppingham with a long, narrow garden stepping down the hill — and access only through the house. The brief: a generous terrace for entertaining, steps that made the rest of the garden reachable, and lighting for long evenings.

What we did

Every tonne of this job — out and in — travelled through a protected route in the house, which shaped the method: smaller loads, more hands, floors and walls sheeted from day one. Hilltop gardens like this are why we plan builds around access rather than treating it as a footnote.

The terrace itself is large-format porcelain in a warm grey, full-bed laid with falls running to a discreet slot drain — on a stepped site, you decide where water goes or it decides for you. Brick steps in a reclaimed blend tie the new work to the house, and low-level lights in the step risers carry the garden into the evening.