Alfresco Design Melbourne Experts

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Outdoor Alfresco Designs in Melbourne

At Custom Outdoor Living, we’re not simply alfresco design Melbourne specialists—we’re the creative force behind some of the city’s most stunning outdoor transformations. Our passion lies in turning your ideas into beautifully designed, functional outdoor alfresco spaces that send both your home lifestyle and house appeal soaring to new heights. If you’re ready to embark on an alfresco experience, let’s begin crafting your dream space together today.

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Our Bespoke Outdoor Alfresco Designs Portfolio

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Delve into our collection of bespoke outdoor alfresco designs Melbourne-wide, where each project highlights our dedication to elegance, innovation, and adaptability. From sleek contemporary pavilions to inviting multi-zone entertainment areas, our portfolio illustrates how Custom Outdoor Living reimagines outdoor living with flair and precision.

The Custom Outdoor Living Design Advantage

Our unique design process sets Outdoor Custom Living apart from its competition in the wider world of alfresco design in Melbourne. We believe exceptional design combines creativity with systematic planning:

Creative exploration: We draw inspiration from your lifestyle, surroundings, and aesthetic preferences to shape original concepts.
Tailored planning: Every layout and architectural element is crafted to meet your needs, from flow and spatial layout to integration with your home’s architecture.

Meticulous attention: The finest design flourishes—lighting, materials, finishing touches—are executed with precision, delivering a cohesive and high-class final result.

Signs It’s Time to Design Your Dream Alfresco

Considering a professional redesign? These are prime moments to engage an expert in alfresco design Melbourne:

When your garden feels underutilised or lacks purposeful structure.
If entertaining amenities (like outdoor kitchens or lounge areas) are dated or missing altogether.
When you’re renovating indoors and need a complementary outdoor aesthetic.
If you want to boost your property’s market value with a refined outdoor plan.

Let us help you visualise and craft an outdoor environment that truly complements your lifestyle and property.

Reach out to our team

Trusted for Vision: What Our Melbourne Clients Say

It’s these kinds of experiences that reflect our commitment to bringing designs to life with precision, polish and professionalism.

5.0

75 Google reviews

				Peter Galeotti			

							We are delighted to recommend Custom Outdoor Living to anyone thinking of undertaking an extension or outdoor living space. They understood what we wanted to achieve and provided a solution that ticked all of boxes. We were impressed with the design development through to council approval process, reducing the stress involved, The implementation of the design went extremely well, on time and within budget. The workmanship is of a very high standard, all the tradesmen were professional, hardworking and very personable. The Project Leader and support staff provided ongoing updates and undertook site visits to ensure all work was up to standards and kept us informed of progress. The outcome is beyond our expectations, we are so pleased with extension and deck and will give us great living space. Peter and Julie Moonee Ponds
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				Louise McRostie			

							Custom Outdoor Living have impressed us at every stage of our build.

Each trade has been very skillful and professional, communicated well and been timely. The site was kept neat and well cleared. Any questions or concerns were answered and we were well informed throughout the process.

We are very happy with the final result!
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				Shrikkanth Rangarajan			

							Matt Goodie, Glen Mahoney and the team at Custom Outdoor Living have provided a high-end bespoke outdoor renovation to suit our specification.  After going back and forth for quite a while on the final quote and specification, we started the project earlier this year with demolition of the existing backyard decking, spa, concrete posts.  Then levelling works were conducted.  During this period we found that we had an issue with the rear retaining wall, and also an issue with the stumping and waterproofing of the side of the house - Matt was able to adapt and improvise the plan to account for the new levelling arrangement to counteract the issues we had, and the project was able to continue thereafter.  What we have now is a new backyard alfresco with built in seating, outdoor kitchen, pool with built in spa, and a practical area for the kids to play as well.  We didn't think it would all come together as it has done so, and we are very happy with the outcome.  The workmanship and attentiveness to detail, as well as the responsiveness of Glen as the project manager are highly commended.  The team was reliable and communication was effective and efficient.  As with any renovation of an existing building, there are unexpected findings, some glitches, and of course these were managed with promptness and professionalism.  We have, unapologetically, set very high expectations and the team at Custom Outdoor Living has delivered on those expectations.

Thanks again Matt and team, we would highly recommend your services.
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				David Longstaff			

							Great people to work with.  Quickly resolved any minor issues that cropped up along the way and extremely happy with our new garage
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				Rick Dempster			

							We recently had a carport completed by Custom Outdoor Living. It was integrated with the structure of the front verandah of the house, and the existing garage, including the roof plumbing.

The work was completed to budget as quoted, as well as to schedule.

Any queries and questions were dealt with swiftly and the site was left clean and tidy.

We are very happy with the work and would have no hesitation in recommending Custom Outdoor Living to anyone with a similar project in mind.

H.R. & A.Dempster
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				David Moyns			

							Our experience with Custom Outdoor Living has been excellent all they through. The design of our garage extension, the quality of work, the tradespeople and the efficient way the job was completed. Lots of communication from Glen, our project manager and follow from Matt. We are very happy with the work, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for any job.
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				William Haebich			

							Our little project involved fitting a carport, with an odd shape, into a tight space. Matt and his team were very efficient. The preliminaries and the construction went smoothly with a minimum of fuss and we are very pleased with the result.
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				AndyMc854			

							Very happy with finished carport - structurally very sound - and well matched to existing tiled house. One small aspect not as hoped that somehow got lost in communication during construction which disappointed. Was a long planning process because of Stonnington Council but well handled by Custom Outdoors.
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				Maria Seljak			

							Great experience, very professional team. We recently had a new alfresco built through Custom Outdoor Living and we found the whole process to be professional and well managed. Very happy with the end result. Throughout the design phase we worked closely with Matt who really listened to what we wanted and came back with great ideas as well as honest feedback. Matt has a wealth of experience which really put us at ease and answered all our questions and worked through all the amendments with no problems. When we commenced the build phase Glen took care of all the various trades and coordinating all the activities onsite. He was a regular visitor throughout the build and was always happy to answer questions or make adjustments. The team of trades used were all excellent, the work is high quality and nothing was ever too much to ask. Thanks to all the team at Custom Outdoor Living - we'll be recommending you guys to our friends and will definitely come back to you in the future if we do any other work!
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				Beth Massey			

							Matt and his team are amazing to work with. We had a garage built 5 years years ago and when it was time to build a studio, we went straight back to Custom Outdoor Living to build it for us! They take care of everything and do a fabulous job. I can’t recommend them highly enough!
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				Richard Jones			

							We recently had the team from Custom Outdoor Living design and build us a new carport.  It was a great experience from start to finish.  We found working with Matt, Glen, Mark, Demi and all the trades professional and friendly, who were focused on ensuring we got exactly what we wanted and kept us regularly updated and engaged all the way through.  All the trades involved were excellent and the whole experience had minimal impact on our day to day life.  We are very happy with our finished carport which was delivered without any setbacks, right on time.  We highly recommend the team at Custom Outdoor Living.
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				Greg Holmes			

							From the first visit by Matt Goodie to share ideas and options for the full garage build to replace an eyesore carport, right to the completion of the project, I was consistently impressed by the professionalism, speed & responsiveness, the competence of - and regular communication from Glen, the Construction Manager, friendly engaging team of tradies, and the quality of workmanship. It has altered my view that building projects are inherently risky and drag on forever. My new paradigm is: simply choose the right team and you will come out on top. This project has left me happy, impressed and quite sure that if I ever had another project in mind, I would simply go with Custom Outdoor Living. Thank you Matt, Glen, Demi, and the rest of the team. I am a very happy camper and take my hat off to all of you.

Greg Holmes
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				Rod Doyle			

							A great bunch of people to deal with right through from Matt initially to Glen, Mark, Demi and their extended tradies, to complete our fantastic carport.   Getting drawings done up from made the project come to life, a worthwhile exercise.   All in All, we can only express our gratitude and respect to everyone involved at Custom Outdoor Living.
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				Tim & Marie Holt			

							We could not have been more pleased with our experience with COL.

Our new brick garage project was managed by Matt and Glen with thought, care and … More
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				Tim & Marie Holt			

							We could not have been more pleased with our experience with COL.  Our new brick garage project was managed by Matt and Glen with thought, care and professionalism from start to finish.  The services and timeline were all as promised and the work of great quality. We are super happy with the finished garage.  The communication regards timing etc throughout was really fantastic and any questions we had answered/addressed readily.  I would certainly recommend these guys to friends and use them again ourselves if the need arose.
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				Michael Pierce			

							From start to finish Custom Outdoor were committed to get the right design, style and finish.  Super impressed with the attention to detail and minor tweaks to make all the components fit together seamlessly.
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				Tim & Marie Holt			

							We could not have been more pleased with our experience with COL.

Our new brick garage project was managed by Matt and Glen with thought, care and professionalism from start to finish.

The services and timeline were all as promised and the work of great quality. We are super happy with the finished garage.

The communication regards timing etc throughout was really fantastic and any questions we had answered/addressed readily.

I would certainly recommend these guys to friends and use them again ourselves if the need arose.
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				Jenny			

							This is the second carport we have had built by the team. Our first can be seen on the website - a period style carport in Templestowe. We love their professionalism and attention to detail so we engaged them again for a new carport at our new property. Even the building inspector complemented their workmanship. Thanks team - again!
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				David & Alexis			

							Very impressed with the whole process from start to finish. The design stage with Matt was smooth and professional, and any unusual requests (for example, custom sized windows) were readily accomodated There was a robust consultative process so we were confident with the plans. All the required regulatory paperwork was also organised on our behalf. The build itself was refreshingly fast and professional, with reliable trades who clearly knew their business, all overseen by the attentive site manager, Glen.  The end build quality for our garage, was far better than what we have seen in most new-build houses.  Altogether, a very professional operation with excellent attention to quality and service.
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				David & Alexis			

							Very impressed with the whole process from start to finish. The design stage with Matt was smooth and professional, and any unusual requests (for example, custom sized windows) were readily accomodated There was a robust consultative process so we were confident with the plans. All the required regulatory paperwork was also organised on our behalf.

The build itself was refreshingly fast and professional, with reliable trades who clearly knew their business, all overseen by the attentive site manager, Glen.

The end build quality for our garage, was far better than what we have seen in most new-build houses.

Altogether, a very professional operation with excellent attention to quality and service.
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				Anthony Frizza			

							C.O.L. turned an idea into reality within the time frame and budget originally allocated. The project with multiple trades was professionally organised whilst the whole team was a pleasure to deal with.
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				Joshua Nester			

							Owner and builder Matt kindly spent 30 mins with me on Zoom, quickly accessing floorplans and aerial views of my property online and sharing these on-screen with me and discussing options.  He quickly reshaped my thinking with his expert knowledge and set me on the right path.  This is despite his company not being in a position to help us given the scope of work, which he was upfront about. I am extremely grateful to Matt for his time, expert advice and willingness to help.
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				Katrina Phemister			

							Could not be happier with Custom Outdoor Living! Matt and Glen were organised, responsive to our requests and regularly in communication about progress on our job. Our new garage took no time at all and is exactly what we wanted.
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				Zenon Charalambous			

							Matt, Mark, Glen and the team did an incredible job. They gave great advice during the design stage, were very professional, got the job complete on time, and kept us up to date with clear communication every step of the way. We're incredibly happy with the results
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				Sam			

							It has been a wonderful experience with Matt and his team at Custom Outdoor Living throughout the whole process for our project. During our initial meetings, Matt explained the process and stages clearly.  He listened and understood our requirements and provided his honest and professional inputs during the consultation phase.   We were able to visualise the end product with a detailed set of plans and concept drawings and Matt was patient as we made amendments until we were happy with the design.  Moving to the build phase, the project was then handed over to Glen. Like Matt, Glen was very pleasant and professional to work with.  Additionally, the experienced tradesmen that worked on site were all friendly and delivered quality work. Glen was frequently on site to ensure work was completed with quality and on time.  Even when we were away for a few weeks, Glen constantly provided us with updates including photos of the progress.  Overall, we are very happy with the end result of our new carport and driveway and would highly recommend Custom Outdoor Living
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				Meagan Bauer			

							Matt and his team recently completed our backyard renovation, and we are really happy with the results. The whole process was smooth, and they were able to incorporate all of the ideas we had into the design. From the start, their attention to detail was clear, which helped bring everything together nicely for our project What stood out the most was the team's professionalism. Matt, Glen and Mark were always available to answer any questions along the way. They were easy to work with, kept us informed, and made sure everything was completed to a high standard. The renovation has really improved our outdoor space. It is a place our family will enjoy spending time in all year round, and we are glad we chose Matt and his team. We would definitely recommend them for your project.
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				Andrew H			

							The Outdoor Living Team have been great to deal with and have built a wonderful extension to our alfresco area. The initial advice/guidance from Matt was very valuable and the digitally rendered plans really helped us to visualise the project. During the construction, the project oversight has been excellent with very regular check-ins to review the progress and the quality of the work being done. We would be happy to recommend the Outdoor Living Team.
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				Liam O'Brien			

							We used custom outdoor living for our garage construction. Matt was great throughout guiding us to a achievable design within our budget. Glenn, Mark and the building team were fantastic to work with and were attentive to our requests and silly questions. The whole process was very smooth and we are very happy with our experience with custom outdoor living.
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				Tammy Medard			

							Matt and his team were phenomenal. They were great communicators along the way and there were no surprises. Their cost and timing estimates were accurate and everyone working on site was always respectful and committed to excellence. We are very happy with their work and would recommend them highly.
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				Peter Bosland			

							Custom Outdoor Living replaced our ancient asbestos shed with an awesome new garage. Matt and his team kept us fully informed throughout the process, each time letting us know exactly what would happen and when. Pleasantly, everything they said they would do - they did. All involved (Matt, Demi, Glen, and all the different tradies, were thorough, efficient, courteous and flexible. Overall: A great job, exceeding expectations. Cheers guys!
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Why Discerning Clients Choose Our Alfresco Expertise

Licensed, Accredited & Trusted in Design

We’re registered professionals with all the right qualifications, accreditations and insurances. These are the types of credentials that offer you complete confidence and make us the recognised, trustworthy team in alfresco design Melbourne people have come to rely on.

FREE 3D Fly-Through Video Of Your Proposed Project

Personalised Consultation & Planning

Your vision is at the heart of our project. We listen intently, ask thoughtful questions, and capture every detail so your design is as unique as you are.

Expert Material & Spatial Integration

We select premium finishes and optimise spatial layouts to ensure your new space is as durable as it is delightful. It’s a big part of how we’ve been able to proudly deliver some of the finest alfresco designs Melbourne has seen!

Your Design Journey: How Long Does the Alfresco Design Process Take?

We keep things clear from the start, so you’ll always know what’s happening and when:

Initial consultation & assessment: We kick things off with a site visit from one of our expert designers (a small expert consultation fee applies). This is where we get to know your space, understand how you live and start shaping the vision together.
Concept development: Next, we present design options tailored to your home and lifestyle, complete with sketches or mood boards that explore the layout, materials, and creative direction.
Refined plans & visualisation: Once you’re happy with the concept, we bring it to life with digital 3D renders that show the space in full detail, including lighting, finishes, and spatial flow.
Final design package: You’ll receive a complete set of plans ready for council approvals, trades and construction, all clear, coordinated and custom-fit to your needs.

General Project Timeline

Most designs are wrapped up within 4–6 weeks, depending on project scale and complexity.

Identifying Professional Alfresco Builders: Your Checklist

When choosing alfresco builders, here’s what to look for, beyond the brochure:

Proven Portfolios & Glowing Client References

Good patio builders will show you what they’ve delivered, not just talk about it. Custom Outdoor Living are proud to showcase an extensive portfolio and a track record of high client satisfaction.

Transparent Processes & Expert Consultations

You should know exactly what to expect, when it’ll happen and how much it’ll cost. Our consultation process is transparent, detailed and tailored to your home from day one.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I consider when designing an alfresco area?

Focus on how you’ll use the space—dining, entertaining, or relaxing—as this shapes the layout and features. Ensure weather protection with roofing, awnings, or heating for Melbourne’s changing climate. Create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow with consistent flooring or sliding doors. Choose durable, weatherproof materials, and add layered lighting for both function and ambience.

What materials are best for an alfresco space in Melbourne's climate?

Choose weather-resistant, low-maintenance materials to handle Melbourne’s changing conditions. Composite or hardwood decking (like spotted gum) is ideal for flooring, while Colorbond or polycarbonate works well for roofing. Opt for teak, aluminium, or wicker furniture with durable cushions. For cladding and accents, use natural stone or weatherboard, and consider porcelain or concrete pavers for long-lasting, slip-resistant paving.

Do I need council approval for building an alfresco?

Council approval may be required depending on your project’s size, complexity, and local zoning laws. Larger structures with roofing or extensive decking often need permits, while simpler designs may not. Always check with your local council and consult professionals to ensure your alfresco meets building codes and regulations.

What features can be included in a custom alfresco area?

Custom alfresco spaces can include outdoor kitchens with BBQs and fridges, built-in seating and dining areas, heating and cooling solutions, layered lighting, retractable roofs or awnings, entertainment systems, and greenery like vertical gardens. These features boost comfort, functionality, and year-round usability.

How do I maintain my alfresco area to keep it looking new?

Clean surfaces regularly with mild detergent and sweep away debris. Use covers for outdoor furniture and store cushions during harsh weather. Re-oil timber decking annually, inspect appliances and fixtures for wear, and tidy plant growth to prevent moisture damage. Prompt maintenance keeps your alfresco looking fresh and functional year-round.

From Concept to Completion — Explore Our Project Case Studies!

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