What does it take to transform a terrace from a functional space to a fantastical one? It takes imagination, creativity and a willingness to dream. Who would have thought that in the middle of a pandemic, it’s possible to not just shift houses but also create a wonderland on top of a home? Some incredibly talent friends of ours, Babita and Bobo made the impossible possible by doing just that. We recently had the pleasure of soaking in this beautiful terrace garden on a Saturday night. We asked them how they went about creating this tropical forest in the middle of a concrete jungle. The story of the ‘Room With No Roof’ has some important lessons.
It always begins with a dream. Babita and Bobo wrote themselves a ‘creative brief’ that helped them visualise what the space would look and feel like. Among other things, the line that really stood out to me is that said they were going to transform their terrace into “a room that had no roof”. This evokes a sense of privacy and openness at the same time. And building on that essence they have created a living space of wonder and joy that gives them (and their friends) the privacy and intimacy of a room, with Alice in wonderland like qualities. Truly, the sky was not the limit in this case. To quote a line from the book where the Queen is telling Alice to believe in what she is saying “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” This oft quoted line – captures what this terrace garden represents. Babita and Bobo could visualise what others could not see and believed they could create a magical space that sounded impossible and then went ahead and did just that.
The devil is in the details. Planning and a lot of hard work is the secret sauce separating the dreamers from the creators of dreams that come true. Every corner of their terrace is packed with surprises. A putting green with 6 holes to play. A bar. A barbecue. A pond. Cozy corners with seating. A set of sun umbrella. And plants, more plants and even more plants. A lush green space with faux grass carpeting that makes you feel you are in a luxurious resort. And then just when you think you have seen it all you realise there is a whole other section converted into a greenhouse and vegetable garden that bears fresh and mouth-watering bounties.
Evolve and keep changing. The beauty of this space is that it keeps growing and changing. A cat area creatively called the “Catio” has now been added. Lots of lovely interesting solar lights have brought mood lighting to the ambience and some brilliant artistry on the walls just adds to the excitement of the space. I can’t wait to visit again and see what new creativity has been unleashed.
Do what makes you happy. In the end it seems to always be about doing what makes you happy. Our friends have created a terrace treasure that is so uniquely them. It’s their playground and you can see they are having fun. And when they are at ease and in flow, loving what they are doing and being themselves, others get to enjoy this journey with them too. It is our privilege that we were invited to share in that playful space and spend an evening enjoying their warmth and hospitality.
It begins with a dream, an idea, a spark of excitement…. And then it moves to “It’s probably not practical”; “I don’t have the time”; “I don’t have the budget”; “What will others think”. When you hear those voices in your head or from other, I urge you to remember the story of the ‘Room With No Roof.’ Let your imagination run and jump and play, the possibilities ignite thoughts and discussions. Thoughts give birth to actions. And then with dedication and passionate follow through, the dreamers make dreams come true.
If you have an idea that sounds impossible. Ask yourself – is it really impossible? It could be the start of something new. Start-ups seem to be in fashion right now. Make a start today, bring that idea a step forward in the world. As Babita always says, whatever you do #makeitmatter. The entire story of Alice in wonderland is about believing in the impossible. Babita and Bobo have created a modern day fairy tale on their terrace and inspire the same feelings of creativity, curiosity along with the demonstration of pragmatic problem solving capabilities that inspire me to want to create such interesting and innovative spaces in my life as well. There is room to dream and not even the sky is the limit.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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