The view of the terrace, or which windows and accessories to choose

A well-arranged terrace can be great for relaxing, meeting with friends or enjoying family meals outdoors. The right furniture and accessories make it a functional extension of the house and its decoration. A beautiful terrace needs the right windows to blur the line between the inside and outside.

We associate the terrace with relaxation, fun, and time spent together in comfort. We owe all of these to the right furniture in the form of sun loungers, sofas, and armchairs with comfortable cushions or warm blankets sprawled on them. The right atmosphere is just as important. We can evoke it with lights, lanterns, or candles in suitable covers. And don't forget greenery: an evenly trimmed lawn, trees, or potted plants.

Ideally, the terrace should be located at the back of the house to ensure peace and privacy. Those hosting evening gatherings with friends should face westwards, providing light in the afternoon and a view of a beautiful sunset.

For people who love warmth and sunbathing, a south-facing position may be suitable, providing sunshine throughout the day. In this case, however, it is advisable to ensure window coverings, such as blinds or roller shutters, to protect the interior from heat. A larger or smaller canopy is also a good idea, so we can shelter ourselves from the excess sun and rain without leaving the terrace. We can use it to safely store furniture too.

We can divide a sufficiently spacious terrace into two zones: one for relaxation, furnished with sofas, armchairs, and sun loungers, and one for dining with a table and chairs. While arranging all of these, we should mind the space for routes. We'll need them to move freely between house and terrace, terrace and garden, and among furniture and accessories.

For the terrace to be the highlight of the house, it needs the right setting created by glazing. The option of choice here is sliding systems, especially those with low or no threshold. Its elimination dispels the boundary between the house and the terrace and, while being child-friendly, also removes the risk of tripping for us. Threshold-free systems make things a lot easier for people in wheelchairs and everyone with impaired mobility.