Just avoid evergreens with high amber content, like cedar, cypress etc. It burns like a gasoline. I think Oleander, aloe, queen of night will fit . Fig tree will give you a large shade. Instead of vine , you can plant kiwi 🥝
I love the terrace, it’s beautiful with the vine and all the plants.I would probably lay some beautiful tiles on the concrete and furnish the area with some comfortable seating and umbrellas for shade. The room off the terrace I would use for covered entertaining, with a rustic dining table and have some storage for outside cushions when not in use. So many lovely things you could do there. Love these videos, looking forward to seeing the progress.
I love Edwardian era tea room decor so I would recommend it for you beautiful house. There's a lovely scene of Agnes Conway with her mother in a tea room in the wingless bird 1996 movie.l believe it would look great on your terrace. For the inside decor of that room that you are considering transforming into a dining area l also recommend an Edwardian style decor but this time the style adopted by the hidden treasure tea room in Exeter, England.
My parents have an old villa just outside of Nice. The villa has a terrace with a natural green foliage canopy of climbing plants such as vines, wisteria, honeysuckle, roses to provide areas of shade on the terrace, take edge off the sun. You could achieve a similar effect running wires over parts of the terrace to grow climbing plants up and over creating dappled shade underneath. X
Yes Zoe beautiful idea those are having terraces myself with flowering trees , plants, tubs of flowers give me SUCH joy right outside my bedroom window showing the top of our volcano...heaven.
From personal experience, Wifi availability outside is imperative. Some stylish chairs around a table with canopy is a wonderful, creativity-inspiring way to work. A water feature helps me. And color!
THIS 👆🏼Its actually quite easy & cheap to achieve!! One of the simplest methods is to use cheap bamboo ‘fencing’ rolls (often sold @ hardware or garden shops). Depending upon the area / existing ground - Having posts placed is the greatest expense but can also be DIY as its basically cemented into a hole. Use twine to secure the thin bamboo around the structure & allow the roses/plants 2 become established. As they mature over a few years the bamboo & twine will naturally break down - replaced by the plants deadwood!
I recommend looking into Passive Ventilation for your covered terrace. You add vents at the highest point of the roof to release the heat. This creates air flow that pulls cooler air near the ground into the room. It's an inexpensive option that will make the room at least useable until you decide to do a larger renovation. I love all of your videos! Thank you for sharing your house renovation journey. Congratulations on your move to the South of France!
There is one problem with it. The terrace is covered in stone or concrete. It is heated up by the son, and it stays hot for a long time. So the air drawn in by the went is hot as well. If the other side of the room is next to a lawn, or just uncovered earth, try an draw in cooler air from that side, put a door in the doorway. The doorway is practical, close to the kitchen, but takes all the heat from the terace + from the roof. How about 2 vents, facing each other, right under the roof's highest point. Shading the wall would help, by eaves, but it might not be acceptable in the region.
I second the vent hole for the covered terrace. Near the highest part of the wall. Here in the desert, home attics, even in barns or garden sheds, we let the heat rise to the top and escape out a vent. A large olive tree in a precise spot would provide shade and olives. Perfect for Mediterranean weather.
How about creating a body of water at the incoming vebt, like in the anciebt Arabic world? A pool, a fountain, a waterfall, cascade, moved by a pump?..... To cool the air, of course. 🙂
That terrace is fabulous! I’d be building a pergola structure so the grape vines can grow over it for cooling shade. If you were able to hook up some mist sprays, you would be in heaven.
Get internal shutters, blinds, or thick curtains. This is how they would deal with cold or hot windows in the old days, not just external shutters. And make sure old windows are in good repair, good wood, weather seals, and secure glazing. Storm windows or screens (both of which are temporary and get used or stored depending on season) may also help.
The greatest idea ! Internal shutters as in the old houses in Greece, in combination with double energetic windows outside... this way you will not have to worry about licenses.
@@sofiadaliani8956 in Germany it is common to install triple-glazed windows when a house gets renovated. It's not much more expensive than double-glazed and helps a lot against the heat in combination with shutters inside.
I feel external shutters keep the heat out better than any internal curtains and things... For keeping the cold out we've found curtains inside work fine but with the heat it seems to be very different in our house and external shutters work best.
@@FrenchCountryLife I guess it depends on the sort of shutters. I have some that reflect the sunlight which works pretty well in my flat. I can imagine it is not the same with an old house. Though, until the permission for any changes of the external facade ist through internal shutters might be an appropriate makeshift.
GREY WATER! Dear Justine, I have lived in an uninsulated house in Italy.... Summer was incredible.... I used the water from the washing machine to cool the terrace, and the water from the RINSE cycle to water the plants. This arrangement works very well. Please try it as it uses water that would otherwise be wasted. 🥰🥰🥰
I understand so much about the unbearable heat this Summer. I live in Spain and it has been suffocating. We also had many fires in parts of the country. Thank you for that tidbit about how to recognize true lavender. A tea made with this flower is so healthy for you. I do wish that I could smell fields of them, as you did. Your terrace is lovely and quite large. I would look at how the Arabic (maybe Morocco) people for how they design their terraces to protect themselves from the sun. I am sure they have great ideas.
@@justineleconte look at photos online of the gardens and patios at the alcázar in Sevilla, Granada, etc. They were all about getting out of the sun. A fountain will be very helpful
Your patio is beautiful and has so much potential. I live in California and like so many, we have been experiencing extreme heat, 44° this past week and the worst drought in 500 years. Planting succulent plants has really helped. Also I keep a large bowl in the kitchen sink and collect water when rinsing dishes and getting the water warm. I then use the water to give my thirsty plants a drink. Can’t wait to see your upcoming renovations.
You know there's a special kind of white paint that reflects the sun so it has a cooling effect. You could use that for your terrace. If you take good care of your terrace plants you'll have more shade next summer! I love the vines growing around the wall
Tried a version of the heat reflective paint on our roof, definitely it worked. You could feel an immediate difference inside, and could lay on the painted roof, but would be burned on the unpainted section. I don’t know how well it will translate to flooring, I’d do a trial section to see how it held up.
Would that make the terrace unusable? The reflecting heat will reflect onto people on the terrace, essentially cooking them! Also, I think Justine said they can’t alter the exterior. I expect this means painting the lovely stonework is out.
Definitely a pergola / pergolas for shade, with table underneath to eat at or just sit and read.. The vine is already there so it would be easy to train fronds up and over the top. Alternatively, make a canvas 'sail' cover to create shade and shelter for sudden downpours. The BBQ nook looks perfect for a wall fountain - the soothing sound of water is not just peaceful but also makes us *feel* cooler. Free standing fountains, with stone backs should be available - with something like a lion's head dribbling water (I'm describing the one that I have)! The wall nooks are good places for ferns in pots. I'd delineate upper level from lower level to create 'rooms' (and for safety) - perhaps with antique stone troughs if budget will extend to that. If not, maybe wooden planter or an array of pots. Solar lights to twinkle on the uprights and horizontals of the pergola , and/or around garden. Outside rugs are a thing in the U.S. (I'm in the U.K. where weather is probably too changeable to warrant that) - but where you live, an outside rug might be nice. A plant to consider if you don't have it Cordyline (coming in shades from ruby to yellow/green). They are drought resistant, very easy to care for, and have an architectural look - the single stem gradually lengthening to make them into a 'palm'. The 'head' can be chopped off if it has grown too leggy for your liking and it will sprout several new stems to make a multi stemmed 'palm'. (I love the idea of sweet smelling citrus blossom on your terrace in spring). :)
You might consider a native type of vine, one that is gentle enough that it will not hurt the wall structure, that could grow with or even replace the vine that got sun urned, if the climate stays too dry for it and it continues to burn?
Definitiv eine Pergola. Für die Dachschräge habe ich Calciumsilicat-Platten genommen. Die sind relativ dünn, gut für das Raumklima und isolieren gut. Viel Spaß beim renovieren!
About shade on your terrace: How about cutting out a circle of paving - at a safe distance from the house - and plant a deciduous tree - i.e. shade in summer and sun in winter?
You can save the rinsing water from the washing machine to water your plants. And save the water from if you have a bath (with no bubble bath of course). We lived in a very long drought here in Australia, I think for 7 years.
@@evr134 when it starts draining the rinsing water, you pause the machine, remove the pipe the water drains from at the sink end, and fill up buckets :) don't forget to put it back in though!
We use rain barrels. We collect rain off our garage roof. It doesnt take much rain to fill the barrel. We also collected water from our shower to use to water flowers but not veggies.
I live in Las Vegas, NV, and here some people install a type of solar screens over their windows on the outside which helps deflect much of the heat from coming through the window glass. We lived in a house that had them and they worked really well.
As an Indian I can 100% understand how painfully hot it can get. I’m from a city called Bangalore which is usually known for its pleasant weather but summers can go up to 38-39 degrees. Here’s a tip, invest in ceiling fans and also table fans that you can move around.
The best summer shade is under FIG. It grows easily like weed, gives delicious fruit, and after a few years grows like tree, you can shape it well. Wonderful. Grapes do not grow under it, but your shady terrace will compensate. About your terrace-room without door: try to knock out walls, leaving only coloumns. We have in Hungary very hot summers, and a terrace with roof and no walls is super! Your residence is lovely!!
Hello Justine, a pergola seems an essential for your terrace! Indeed shade is the key if your comfort in Provence. My grandma had one totally covered with wines/ivy and we spent so much time / lunch under it during the hot summer. Added local plants also should be helpful for fighting the heat.
This summer I was in Tihany, Hungary - this is the other place except Provence where they grow a lot of lavender, it was brought in XIX century from France, Provence. This is the place where you can get anything and everything made with lavender. It smells just like summer in Provence just before lavender harvest. I can smell the lavender as I watch you in the field. It's a great thing to be able to be in such a lovely place.
My new favorite RU-vid genre is European gals renovating their old homes. I really appreciate your attention to the effects of climate change... it's scary but it's something I need to be thinking about myself right now while I renovate my own place. Great inspiration.
I don't know the size of the terrace ... but: concrete willheaten up and stay very hot for a long time. So the concrete will be a kind of oven heatening the evening and early nights hours. And this stored heat is a problem for the plants in pots as well. Try to get rid of the concrete, as much as possible!!!! This kind of cealed earth can't take in any drop of rain. Make it a little garden with small trees, little bushes ... every inch of earth covered with plants!
maybe plant small plants in pots placed on the surface of floor with most of noon sun. because before and around sunset the heat decreases. So this way you could still have concrete floor left and not much of heat will be absorbed on covered concrete.
Hello! Some suggestions : 1. White reflective paint so that the roof does not absorb so much heat (this will help cool down the inside of the house as well). 2. Small bushy trees in pots to create shade areas. 3. White canvas gazebos. 4. A fan with a mist function if an electrical outlet is available ( or just spray water on particularly hot days) 5. Solar panel or solar water heater so that the sunshine is used for something productive! :)
Hello Justine! I see everyone is suggesting pergola, i also would recommend this construction, but this summer being the hottest, i would be careful with flowery/fruity climbing plants, as were I live ( I don’t know how it was in Provence) it was just an attack if wasps and bees (but mostly wasps…) they were everywhere, like literally everywhere, and the more hotter it gets, the more they come to towns and cities looking for food as everything else is in drought… just my small observation, to take that into consideration :) good luck with renovation!
You can add reflective film to the inside of your windows to help with the heat. It will not change the look of the outside. Huge difference in interior temps.
My only tip for the terrace: get rid of the concrete floors. Keep it natura if you can.. the flora is up to you, I'm sure anything will look great in a natural ground.. and pleasant for the hosts and guests too. ❤️💜 loved it...
I admire that you have patience enough to work with an old but naturally sustainable (in the long run) house. These days everyone's answer to hot weather is air conditioning. But they don't think about what it's doing to our climate with its toxic gas emissions. You are such an inspiration to me and others around the world, to not rush to instant solutions for comfort and convenience, but rather make the natural materials work. And I agree the super thick stone walls they made centuries ago do have natural insulation that keeps the house cool enough in summers and warm in winters. We used to use the same wisdom in India in mudhouses and other sustainable materials like cob, bamboo, earthbag, etc in the olden days. Kudos to you Justine for being a sustainability champion! I hope more people notice that about your home videos. 🏡 goodluck and lots of love. Bisous ❤️
I feel you! I live in Italy and it was the worst summer ever. We do have shutters and an insolated roof, but it was still impossible to live on the second floor where we have our bedrooms and my office (I'm a graphic designer). Our air conditioning was broken and so I spent many weeks sweating and with a bad headache inside the dark, hot house just waiting for the summer to pass. Awful!
@@kamillaerdos7636 sure, open all night. But we had very warm nights this year. Unfortunately the thick old stone walls get heated up so well, one night of slightly (!) less hot air, doesn't make any difference inside the house. It takes a week of cool weather to feel the difference inside. Also the wooden shutters and the metal parts were still warm in the mornings.
We live in the countryside in central Italy, north of Roma, our terrace faces south we build a wooden pergola and planted wisteria, buganvilla, a huge Rosmary, and uva-fragola( grape-strawberry) which is a grape very sweet like strawberry 😊, the plants provide wonderful shade during the summer and when the leaves fall you get light back inside the house in the winter. You could train the already existing vines on your terrace. Terrace furniture: look for Unopiu (Italian brand) we happened to have the main outlet warehouse around the corner but at least for inspo should be good. Congratulations on your place is very beautiful, brave as well to make a good move from Berlin back to France to start a new chapter of our live. 👏👏
I have the experience, that only plants and trees with deep roots can help to reduce the heat in places with such an amount of stone and concrete, as seen on your terrace. Althoug this seem to be a huge project, in my mind, this is the only way to cool down such places with shadow and evaporation. I would recomment to reduce the concrete, dig some holes and plant a tree (in the middle) and some shrubs around the wall. And i would change the rooms: the room you use most (working space and bedroom) in the coolest corner, those you need occasionally ( bathroom and perhaps living room?) in the hottest corner. And i recommend two windowdoors left and right for the room at the terrace and close the middle entrance to get in more light and create an airflow between those doors, so it may become a kind of atelier (after insulate the roof).
Great recommendation by your architect: when we moved into my current home we lived in the house for about 3 years, and then decided what needed to be remodeled. One may not need a full three years, but I would recommend at least a year to really get the feel for the house, the ups and downs, the pros and cons, and the constant change of ideas and priorities. It's been about 16 years since we remodeled, and I still love my decisions. Thank you for sharing your home remodel journey. It's fun.
waiting (and setting aside money!) for one year is an excellent suggestion. You get to experience the house and terrace in all seasons; especially the way the sunlight travels across your spaces at different times of year - which is very useful information when designing spaces that can then be well-used, all year round. it is a good way to pass the time waiting for the permits for other items, such as the shutters, and plumbing, etc. Bonne Chance!
I love the small mosaic near the barbecue area. If you like mosaic, you could add mosaic tiles to the face of the steps in the terrace to add an artistic flair. I hope the weather cools off soon. Take care 🌼🌸🌺
I don’t know if it is permitted, but to make the covered terrace cooler, you could make a green roof. Which is a roof covered in plants. And like other people said, a pergola would be great for the terrace. The shade from plants and trees really is the coolest shade you can get (:
Hi Justine! I have a decorating suggestion for your terrace. I think you should build a wooden pergola on your upper part of the terrace coming off the kitchen, and then encourage the vines over the kitchen window to grow across the pergola for shade. There is nothing better than having an outdoor eating area just outside your kitchen door. I can just picture it with a beautiful long wooden table and chairs topped with cozy mismatched cushions. I'm sorry this has been such a rough summer, but know that we are all loving to follow along with your renovations!
Insulation is key! We purchased a new house last year in wine country in California. It’s a new build (post 2017 fires) with significant insulation and heat-resistant windows that face south and west. This keeps the house cool and reducing use of electricity. With it up to 113 degrees here in the last week, we are thankful for the protection from the oppressive heat. You’re on the right path about living in the house for awhile before doing anything. This proved essential for us too. Finally….you’re terrace is incredible!! So many possibilities. I see many gatherings and peaceful nights in your future. Congratulations!
This is so nice, I love these vlogs! The closeness to the camera and the way she talks makes me feel like she personally talks to me 🥰 Like an old good friend who moved away and still keeps me updated about her adventures 🥰
I live in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, which has hot, dry summers. I have a few suggestions: -For shade, try a pergola or an assortment of sun shades. The nice thing about the sun shades is that they can be moved around as the sun moves. -For the covered part of the terrace, I would take advantage of the sheltered heat. Did you know that sweet potatoes need to cured in a hot, dark room? What I've read is that the ideal temperature is 32 degrees Celsius. -You could also use it to dry herbs. Garlic also needs to cure in a dark, dry place, but it prefers a cooler room. Since there's no such thing in our house in the summer, I cure it in a room that's simply not too hot. -There are a variety of plants that thrive in the hot weather. Here, we plant garlic, tomatoes and a variety of peppers (this year we have banana, jalapeno, and arbol peppers, plus mad hatters and starfish). They will need to be watered if they're in pots, so get great, big pots and water them at least once a day. Mulching them will help them tolerate the heat during the day. -The vines around your terrace should provide a cooling effect. Also, if you have the time and patience you could plant more trees near the house for shade. Ideally, plant them on the south and/or west side of the house. Once they get big enough, they'll make a huge difference. -You could also look at umbrella tables, if they're not too old-fashioned for your taste. -DON't get metal furniture, and whatever you get, I would suggest light colors. I hope some of these suggestions appeal to you.
Ideas to cool the terrace down: Bamboo screen on the western border of your terrace. Creates plenty of shade and blocks the hot sun. Big shade umbrellas - keep it folded up most of the time, just open it up to create shade when you’re using the space. Or an awning. For the interior terrace - insulate the ceiling, install shaded louvres, install a ceiling fan. Check out the architecture in Queensland, there’s plenty of adaptations to heat!
I would look into getting top ridge vents put in when the roofing is replaced. It will let the hot air that gets trapped between the roof and the interior ceiling escape. We added them to our home when the roof was replaced, and it made a big difference in the room temperature during the hot summer months.
There are many wonderful terrace ideas in the comments. Since there are strict rules about the look so it is still French from the street, I'd talk to some local landscapers. They deal with the rules daily and may have suggestions the rest of us don't know about.
This is my dream house! I've watched movies for no other reason than being filmed in a place like this. Congratulations, enjoy it good health, it's a wonderful home!
In the US, especially in hot and dry climates, we will install a whole house fan. Typically, you must have an attic, but there are new versions that do not require one. A whole house fan works by blowing out the hot air in your house at night. It is much more powerful than a regular fan. It only works in places where the temperature drops significantly at night. We use them in California and they save us a lot on energy and money.
Check out the Tesla solar roof tiles....the look like tuiles, gather electricity and are much stronger than tuiles!!!! they also have faux slate if you move into a chateau en Bretagne!!!
Justine, what a charming terrace!! I can totally see adding beautiful mosaics on the vertical smooth surfaces - the wall that's illuminated by sunset, and the low one by the steps. I saw you already have a small mosaic, so it would make total sense to create another one to rhyme with it! I'm a mosaic artist and would be honored to come create something unique for you... We can incorporate your designs or mine or do something Provence-themed - there are so many delicious possibilities :)
That’s excellent advice about living in the house before renovating. Last summer, my husband and I purchased a new (to us) home. The house was only seven years old and should not have had any big issues… We had a home inspection and everything. Well, the day we moved in, there was this horrendous smell coming from the basement. We open up all the windows and doors and the smell cleared out in just a few minutes. We didn’t really think much of it until it happened again a few days later, and then it kept happening over the next few weeks. We thought some kind of animal must’ve gotten into our house and died behind the drywall or something 🤢 So we started taking down the drywall in the basement, and quickly identified the issue. When the house was built, it should never have passed the plumbing inspection. The sewage pipes had only 1° of slope, so they were basically flat… so the pipes were backed up with waste and then the smell was getting out into our basement and just rising up through the house. We ended up having to have the plumbing work redone and it cost us over US $9,000. 😑 we had planned on remodeling the kitchen, but we were unable to afford that after spending all that money on the plumbing. One day…
Difficult summer, I tend to hate summers as i get older. You need to plant some bergamot and more speciality citrus 😍. The covered terrace could have more openings?
We live in SE Arizona. Our house had 10" walls but no insulation. A year ago we added 4" insulation plus stucco on the outside which has made an amazing difference. Even if you only add it to the west side walls it will keep the inside cool (and warm).
I live in Dallas, Texas and we have many days that are well over 100 degrees, unofficially many times 110+degrees. I guess that is over 37 or 38 to you. We just simply can’t use our terrace in the heat of summer..even with shade. Some people have a pergola with a ceiling fan installed that will help a bit but that much concrete or tile just holds the heat. Part of our patio is shaded by a roof but it does get morning sun. I can keep my herbs and limited flowers growing there in the “dead” of summer. You might ask at a plant nursery about roses in big pots. I have been successful getting blooms and keeping one of those alive. I have my herbs in a huge ceramic pot with a wheeled platform underneath so I can move it under shade or in the sun when it cools off a bit.
Your house is beautiful! I can't wait to see what you do with it in the renovation. My dream is to have a little place in Provence one day, it looks so pretty there! My family is from the Alsace region and many still live in the little town, but I think I would enjoy Provence even more. I love the videos you do on your house and the region! ❤
Yes you definately need a pergola of some sort. Our French house was built right beside the’fire break’, which was of course a road. A scary thought that the forest was just beyond our house! We were issued with guidlines as to what to do in the event of fire eg spray your house with the water from your swimming pool, we didnt have one!! Our house was super cool inside thankfully
Great content! The heat was real this year, we also are making our house and garden more heat resistent, as sustainable as possible. What we already did: blinds for the windows, less concrete in our garden and as much green as possible (you can check wat other people in your areas have to see what plants survived the heat well). We water our plants max 1 time a week so they can handle drought better (as long there are nog restrictions). On our list is: rain barrels and green rooftops on our horizontal roofs.
There are many excellent suggestions in the comments. So all I can suggest is an aromatic herb garden (maybe in pots so that they can be moved around easily) with "the babies" residing inside until strong enough for the climate. Acquiring that lavender was a great idea. Get those requests for shades, shutters, blinds, lattices or whatever, filed quickly. Weather does not care about tourists (or residents for that matter). The Provence area of France is beautiful and the home has "good bones". My local area (in the usually temperate part of the eastern coastal area of the U.S.) left that blistering heat wave about a week ago. Glad Europe is beginning to seeing more livable temperatures also.
Ceiling fans can help keep you cool if you have high ceilings. Eight feet ceilings or higher will work. You need to create an opening on your terrace to allow cross ventilation from another direction. There are triangle shades that you can fasten to posts or the walls to create shade on the pavement, they are grouped with umbrellas online in the U.S. Putting curtains or shades on the windows helps to keep the heat out.
Your terrace has so much potential. So much. I love gardening and outdoor. I would love to chill out there, have an outdoor cinema on a balmy night with a glass of wine on banana lounge. So good !
We have ceiling fans in our covered outdoor areas. You can look into those shade sails for the terrace if you like a more contemporary look. There’s always umbrellas and those larger gazebos if your town codes will allow. I love the space!
yes, exactly what I was thinking! Also, Justine: look into the shade/terrace/planting/decor of homes in Greece, Italy, etc for inspiration. The stairs on your terrace remind me of those in Crete (and other places) - Mediterranean or Moroccan style would look great in your space
You can put giant pots with a palm tree (fortunei) and I can recommend jasmin as a climber, grows pretty fast and the flowers smell wonderful! Canna plants in big pots bring a tropical touch, the red ones are so bright, just beautiful. When you put a green palm in a dark purple pot both colours pop. A yellow canna plant in a turquoise pot…have fun creating your garden❤
I have a vision for your terrace similar to 1:43 of your Provence villages video, except maybe with 1 or 2 pastel colors, plus white, for the flowers. If you made it through that heatwave, you should've been here in Arizona with us, while the AC was out, in July! 114F/45.556C. (As they always say, ". . . but it's a dry heat." Yes, like an oven.) You could do it! Lol On another note, I was so sorry to read of the fires in France. I was praying for all of you, the animals, and people's sentimental and important belongings. Thank you for sharing your house project and the difference between real lavender and not. I wish you well on your home project! 🌼
We spend 4 weeks in Provence (in our caravan - without air-conditioning), and it was SO hot this year. We vent to Sault and saw the exactly same lavender field, you showed in your video. It was so beautiful, and the smell was fantastic.
I have three lavender plants in my terraced garden, the real lavender. I love that time during the summer when it blooms and the smell is amazing. The bees love it and that’s why I planted them.
I would construct wood vine rafters and grow fast growing Vines on top to provide shade. Second I would grow a beautiful garden in pots flowers and vegatables
Hey, Justine! Congratulations on your new house! I am from Greece so I know a thing or two about warm summers. So, insulation is a must throughout the house, shutters for the windows and nets also, the heat brings mosquitoes and all sorts of insects...it's essential that you have a pergola built and I read that vines give the best shade and help keep the temperature a little lower. Also, for the garden, mulberries have a thick foliage which also helps and if you have a couple of them you can get the branches to intertwine and create a natural canopy. Good luck!
Hi Justine, we have air conditioner at home, one for bedroom and one for living room and the temp. reaches 45 during the day. And also you can buy those ceiling vantilators, that also helps. Welcome to mediterranean climate :) It takes time to get used to the house and the neighbourhood, wish you the best. Cheers from Turkey
Dear Justine I have watched and enjoyed your Channel for a few years now and must thank you for all of you beautiful insight and creativity. I live on Northern Arizona where it is very hot in the summer. We installed sail shade in beautiful earthy colors above our terrace and they provided both shade and coolness to a space that was scorching. Also, during travel to France several years ago, I was incredibly inspired by Mont’s home and gardens. When I returned home, we built a simple metal arbor, painted green where I planted jasmine vines which are very hardy and have cooled and shaded the space above my terrace. It’s both aromatic and shaded. A natural evergreen space. Hope this helps!
At home and on the balcony - you can use a fan aimed directly at you to prevent sweating. A rotating fan is also possible. Inside the house - it is advisable to leave windows open on two sides of the house, so that there is circulation of the air, and thus it will be less hot in the house. If there are high windows close to the ceiling, then it is advisable to open these windows, because the warm air is lighter than the cold air, and therefore the warm air always rises up, and can leave thruw the windows if they are open. On the balcony - you can put a high mobile partition - made of fabric or a climbing plant - on the side from which the sun comes in the afternoon, and in this way you will have a shaded area on the balcony from the partition.
I live in Australia , we never have west facing as it’s so boiling in summer here too, insulate , block out blinds, air conditioning , or put up a sail or sun shade pop up to protect the heated area, or pergola cover with vines to create shade. Bottom room insulate , double doors , and cover with overhead sail . Wind in sail or wind in awning .I once rented a west facing room it was boiling , I had to leave every night it was like an oven. I had a large west facing window and pull across curtains, the room needed air con and an out side pull down blind. Good luck Justine . ❤❤❤❤😊 I now can never ever live without air conditioning. And insulate every wall and ceiling . It makes a huge difference.
Oh how I sympathise! I live in a badly insulated flat in Athens without air-condition. Summers are getting heavier each year in the Mediterrean, a pleasant thing if you're a tourist but rather exhausting if you're a local.
Your architect friend is giving you good advice. Living in a cold country, many people don't know that insulation is for temperature regulation of both heat and cold. Once the house is more liveable, you can think about the outside. Looking forward to the next renovation video!
A vine covered pergola would offer some relief from the Sun and it would be beautiful. If you could furnish your terrace with a table and chairs for eating maybe some sitting areas for when it isn't as warm. The little room could be a place for serving food maybe a refrigerator to store cool drinks a sink possibly. The little room would need a door to keep the mosquitoes and leaves out, also ceiling fans would be helpful to keep the small room cooler.
For your (potted or ground) plants, some mulch cover during the summer will definitely help protect the soil from drying out. We always do this before the heatwaves / before summer's start here across the pond. Or plant/run a vine across their soil for shade and moisture control. That aloe looks to be thriving of course. For the terrace, take care with anything like structures (shade roofs) that may impede natural ventilation
Here in Moldova people have grapevine in order to have some shade. They build a kind of carcass and then grapevine starts growing. They only drawback is that eventually berries will start falling down and they will stain the surfaces of your terrace.
I can totally related: Living in Athens made me realize that the heat is the enemy not the cold weather! Your open room in the terrace looks like a perfect place to do your laundry. For the terrace in my humble opinion you could use only a shadowing system umbrella or a pergola. Some small sculptures will add a lovely touch ! Kisses from a very hot Athens
Suggestions: retractable awnings over the west facing doors and windows. If a permit doesn’t allow this, try several large umbrellas placed to shade doors and windows. I would also suggest a ceiling fan for the covered terrace, or even upright fans, powered by extension cords into the house if you don’t have an outdoor power outlet. You have a gorgeous terrace; you want to make it as usable as possible.
Main recommendation for the terrace is a water feature. Just listening and seeing water will make you instantly cooler and calmer. Even if you had no furniture and had to sit on the pavement, but could hear the gentle splash of water, you would smile. :)
I agree the heat is getting a bit much. Last year I made a faux icecube neck sock and made a few for my coworkers. So I made a cloth tube and filled it with plastic icecubes with the freeze fluid and made an elastic loop and sew on a button. So it looks like a scarf and it stays cool for two hours, just enough for house chores. For the terrace idea, why not get a screened (keep the bugs out) gazebo and hang a few lights. Also I think a fountain and patio set would make the place comfortable. Stay cool ! 🌷
I live in Australia, where we are used to hot, hot summers. I live in a timber-framed cottage that had almost no insulation when we purchased it. We spent a long time renovating, and insulation was a big priority. We have insulated all the walls, including interior walls, plus the ceiling AND the roof, so two separate layers of insulation above us. The timber floor has a layer of insulation below (the house is elevated off the ground, on piers). All the windows have heavy curtains and pelmets, which also helps in winter to keep the warmth in, in winter. In summertime it can be up to 20ºC cooler inside than out (when it's 40ºC outside you need a place to retreat) without an air conditioner. We have Aeratron ceiling fans, in the lounge room and the bedrooms. Highly rated for energy efficiency, and very quiet. We run the fan on low in the bedroom at night; the gentle breeze stops mosquitos being able to land on you while you sleep (a big problem here!). We also removed concrete paths around the house, as they absorb and reflect heat in summer. We installed a gravel driveway, which is cooler than concrete. That doesn't help you with your large terrace, but shade sails to keep direct sun off is a start.
Before getting to the part about permits, I was going to suggest adding a green roof, but you can still use sedum or other similar plans to cover part of the Terrance, since they're succulents they should be hardy enough and will also bring down the temperature
I live in Los Angeles without air conditioning and this summer the temperatures went above 100 degrees! I survived by wearing loose oversized dresses which I doused in water in the shower and walked around my house with a wet dress. Very refreshing and even chilly at first!!
I feel you on the heat wave, I live in the south of Spain and since the end of June to today we are living a heatwave (37 to 45 Celsius degrees). It's really important to insulate the house (doors, windows, but also ceilings and walls) but the upper floors will always be hotter than the lower ones, I will try to invest in a good air conditioning system, it's the only thing that make summer bearable here in my city!
Yes - the keys to keeping a house cooler are insulation, and blocking the sun wherever you can, inside and outside the house (window shades/shutters, even light/heat blocking curtains), and electric fans throughout the house (ceiling fans if you can install them, otherwise floor-stand or box fans) to circulate the air! I live in the hot/dry western United States (Utah). For an extra cooling effect, we drape damp towels over a box fan (evaporative cooling)
It is super easy to propagate lavender. Snip the stalks after the flowers are cut, leave two or three leaf/leaves nubs, and then pop that into a pot of soil against the edge, water well. I put three to five in one pot and usually most survive. They'll sprout up.
With the changing climate I think the build itself is an issue, unless it cools down at night those thick walls will heat up over summer and stay hot a very long time inside too. I have the same issue, thick walls are great for insulation, takes a while to heat up but with the heatwaves it still stores the heat and lets go slowly. Amazing in winter, I don't even need to heat. Your terras is all thick stone and as such it does the same thing. Here we have to get rid of tile so we have more soil to plant and that cools down the entire area and also helps with the heavy rains following the droughts. Which is all part of climate change. Basically we in the Netherlands are getting south of France weather and you guys are getting Spain I think. So if you want to cover your terras you may have to look at what they plant at their hottest regions. The plants you already have like that vine may still not be strong enough with deep enough roots. It may burn over your hot terras.
So true. You must live in the house first in order to see what are the renovation priorities! My priorities also shifted after I bought my house! For the terrace I like the idea to continue to build on the idea of the clay inset. It looks authentic. And then add pergolas or temporarily large white market umbrellas, side-by-side, until plants don’t cover your pergola. I would keep the area right outside of your kitchen just for eating, and perhaps only keep it with the umbrella. The rest I would make it for lounging with the pergolas above.
Moved from UK to Greece 30 years ago. Can just about bear 30degrees, 40 is inhuman!!! We have Virginia creeper for shade above our yard and it is positively DARK !!! Loses its leaves after an unbelievable display if red and orange, letting the welcome winter sunshine enter the windows . It may be considered invasive but the bees absolutely love it's almost invisible flowers. Underneath you can hear their mad buzzing,but they never explore the shady underneath!!! And then there is Bougainvillea..stunning. Grapes need lots of care and attract many insects. So best further away from the house. Loved your trip in the lavender fields...a dream of mine. Enjoy your new home🌷🌿
I've always enjoyed watching your videos, even when you were just in your apartment talking about fashion with not much atmosphere. These new vlogs in your new place are such a beautiful new chapter! Wishing you all the best from the UK :)
for your terrace: pergola & wisteria (if environmentally appropriate, if not: another trailing floral) with a bench on one level (swinging?) & a pair of chairs w/ drink table on the other level + more potted plants to fill it in
Another plant that can tolerate high temperatures and provide shade, beautiful flowers and tasty fruit is the pomegranate. Also, sweet potato vines in bright green and deep purple can be very lush and still tolerate heat and full sun. If you put plants in large pots, you can move them around as needed. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your lovely terrace!
I think a table and seating would be nice on the top layer and like a sunken couch type lounge area in the lower portion. then the potted plants around the furniture
Insulate the roof of the outside shed, you can finish it like now but it will render useful year round. Pergola, definitely! Bring those vines further onto the terrace and train over. Also I’d add a bigger lemon tree in a large pot offering shade and cool - likewise and olive tree or figuier. Leaves will create cooler zones. Also, ikea make insulated blinds for inside the house that could act as a stopgap until shutters are approved and fitted.
@@neasajordan929 In the south of Spain, where they have lemon trees on the street lining the sidewalks, and the Orange tree patio at the cathedral in Seville, I never saw trees that would be large enough to really provide significant shade for more than one person. Maybe you're in the US?
