Bali Thatched Pavilion

In the Garden > Gardening Styles and Feature

Caroline and Jack Linschoten are passionate about Bali, where they've had many wonderful holidays over the past ten years. They've brought back everything from woodcarvings and candlestick holders through to masks, handmade furniture and stone statues. They also brought back a dream - to recreate an authentic slice of Balinese paradise in their own backyard. Last year the dream became a reality when they built an impressive thatched pavilion, complete with Indonesian style furnishings, a bar and a dining area. The pavilion has become a peaceful oasis where Caroline and Jack can unwind at the end of a hectic day. Don Burke describes this as "one of the best outdoor structures I've ever seen in my life".

Forget the gazebo

Pavilions are ideal replacements for gazebos, which are not very functional. Pavilions have been around for thousands of years, but gazebos are relatively modern structures. Gazebos are often small and cramped, with no room for a table or for people to move around freely. Caroline and Jack's pavilion is open on three sides. It has a total feeling of space and is comfortably able to accommodate up to 15 guests at a time.

Simple yet strong

Jack says the pavilion was not difficult to construct once he found the general design and layout. "It's a simple structure with four posts and a roof, and providing the dimensions are right and the foundations strong enough you can't go wrong". The merbau timber used in the frame is a hardwood imported from Malaysia, and the thatched roof is the same dried grass used on many roofs in Indonesia. The grass, 'Alang-Alang', is waterproof and filters heat from the sun, reducing the inside temperature by 10-15 degrees. Caroline says that the pavilion has more than fulfilled their expectations "It's like being on holiday every day of the year".