Synlawn turf on the balcony

Synlawn

Written by Erin Cebula

From Empty to Inviting: Volume 5

Well folks, we’ve come to the end of our ‘Empty to Inviting’ series. I truly hope you have enjoyed getting to know the movers, makers, and design shakers who helped transform my empty Vancouver condo into a warm and inviting home. I know I sure have!

For my final act, I would like to introduce you to the turf pros at Synlawn Westcoast. I met the team back in 2011, when hubby and I were looking for flooring inspiration for our East Van space. That deck was definitely epic, but we had absolutely no idea how to make it liveable. On hot days, the concrete slabs became unbearably hot and it seemed that no matter how many plants I filled it with – it never felt cozy. Synlawn’s artificial grass changed everything for us, and our deck became the go-to spot for many a happy hour.
Synlawn turf on the rooftop patio
Our old East Van deck with Synlawn turf
I knew I wanted the same kind of vibe for our new space, so I reached out – once again – to Synlawn Westcoast’s Matt Chattwell.

Erin: How did SynLawn Westcoast come to be?
Matt: I was looking to get back into having my own business and along with my business partner Chris started looking for opportunities. We wanted to start something that would allow us to use creativity, work in outdoor spaces, work in an upcoming industry with growth potential and variety. With Synlawn and artificial grass we were able to accomplish all those goals; creating beautiful putting greens and outdoor spaces including backyards, roof decks and patios like yours.
The Synlawn Team
Synlawn
Erin: So what makes Synlawn’s artificial grass different than that tacky stuff from the 60s?
Matt: Our products lead the industry in innovation and continuing to improve features and benefits for a better look, feel and durability. We are also leading in the green movement by using renewable plant based products and replacing petroleum polymers.

Erin: What are the pros of going the turf route?
Matt: Using turf can have a variety of benefits aside from having a green lawn. It’s super low maintenance, and saves so much water. Turf also creates a usable and clean space in areas that may have been unusable for many reasons such poor drainage, lack of sunlight, and damage from animals.

Erin: Tell me about some of your favourite backyard/patio transformations.
Matt: With the scenery and views in Vancouver as a backdrop we get to work on some amazing projects, but some of the coolest are when we can incorporate multiple aspects to the transformation of a space by featuring a backyard putting green, a SYNCourt basketball sports surface and landscape grass that doubles as a kids mini soccer field or just an area to chill out and have a backyard picnic.
Synlawn putting green
A backyard Synlawn putting green
Fun right?! Now, I there certainly wasn’t room for a putting green on my West End deck, but I knew this turf was going to take it next level. Matt (who had designed our last deck) popped over to take measurements and brought samples of Synlawn’s newest offerings. I chose an artificial grass with a very natural look that is super soft on the tootsies. On installation day, the team measured, cut and expertly placed our new green in under 2 hours. By that evening… we were barefoot, and enjoying bevvies by the fire.
Installing Synlawn turf on the balcony
Installing the Synlawn on our balcony
Thanks to the Synlawn crew we now have a comfy and super low maintenance outdoor space that we will definitely be enjoying all year round!
Synlawn turf on the balcony
The finished product of our Synlawn balcony