A covered deck does not have to become one fully enclosed room. For this Berwick home in Melbourne, Victoria, Furite Outdoor Living combined a glazed sunroom with an open-sided patio cover. The overall 9.3m × 3.5m layout covers 32.55m², keeping space for outdoor gatherings alongside a room that can be closed when the weather changes.
Project Background: An Existing Deck with Two Different Uses
The owners already had a timber deck along the rear of their home. They wanted somewhere sheltered to sit with visitors during wet or windy weather, but they also valued the open feeling of their backyard. Enclosing the entire deck would have given them more glass walls than they wanted and left less space for outdoor activities.
The brief therefore centred on choice: an enclosed place to relax, plus a covered outdoor area for fair-weather entertaining. Concerns about summer heat, a closed-in atmosphere and budget helped shape the decision to divide the project into two complementary zones.
Client Requirements
- Retain an open-sided deck area for outdoor gatherings and the owners’ barbecue plans.
- Create a separate glazed sitting area that can be closed during wind and rain.
- Include several opening windows for adjustable ventilation.
- Connect both areas to the existing timber deck and the house.
- Allow for a future air-conditioning installation in the sunroom.
Materials and Dimensions
| Location | Berwick, Melbourne, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Overall dimensions | 9.3m × 3.5m |
| Combined footprint | 32.55m² across the sunroom and covered open deck; this is not the enclosed room area alone |
| Frame | Black powder-coated aluminium |
| Sunroom glazing | Double-glazed insulating glass units |
| Windows and access | Multiple top-hinged awning windows and a glazed hinged door |
| Open patio section | Polycarbonate roof panels with open sides |
| Floor connection | Integrated with the existing timber deck |
| Future comfort provision | Space allowed for air conditioning in the enclosed zone |
Our Solution: One Structure, Open and Enclosed Zones
Following a site inspection and consideration of the project’s approval requirements, the design brought both spaces together within one coordinated frame. The enclosed section sits beside the open patio, so the owners can choose where to spend time without losing the connection between the house, deck and garden.
The patio cover provides overhead shelter while leaving the sides open. In the sunroom, tall glazed panels maintain garden views, and the black aluminium members give the walls and roof a consistent outline. A hinged glass door provides access, while the repeated awning windows allow the owners to adjust how much air enters the room.
This arrangement limits the amount of enclosing glazing to the area where it is useful. It addresses the owners’ budget priorities without quoting an unverified saving against a fully enclosed alternative. The open section remains part of the overall building proposal; this case does not establish an approval exemption or guarantee an easier application.
Explore our Melbourne sunroom designs and material options to compare glazing, doors, screens and roof arrangements for your own property.
Completed Result
The finished deck offers two distinct settings. On pleasant days, the open patio keeps the outdoor character of the backyard, while the sunroom windows can be opened for airflow. When conditions change, the glazed room can be closed to create a more sheltered place to sit.
The existing timber surface visually ties the two zones together. From the garden, the glazed corner keeps the room transparent rather than presenting a solid wall across the deck. The project balances a defined enclosed space with an open area that still feels connected to the yard.
Double glazing, opening windows and provision for future air conditioning form part of the comfort plan. Actual room temperatures still depend on sun exposure, shading, ventilation and any conditioning installed; opening windows alone does not guarantee a cool room on hot days.
Project Photography
The three photographs above document the completed installation from different angles. Before-installation and construction-stage photographs are not included in this gallery.
Planning a Sunroom and Patio Combination in Berwick?
Start by deciding which activities need an enclosed room and which belong on an open deck. Send us your suburb, approximate dimensions, photos of the existing deck and house wall, and your preferred balance of open and enclosed space.
Read our sunroom quotation guide for the factors that affect scope and budget, or request a site measure and custom quote. You can also return to the Melbourne case study collection to compare other layouts.
Compare the layout with our Mount Waverley glass sunroom and Glen Waverley glass sunroom projects in Melbourne.