Built in 1939, renovations over the years left the outdoor spaces feeling disjointed from the unique details of the home. Our design objective was to capture all the small details through materials, shapes, curves, and textures to look as though the exterior was original to the home. Heated in winter and cool in the summer, the water feature can be enjoyed year round and also provides relaxing acoustics to be heard throughout the home. Brick, travertine, and porcelain tile visually warm up the spaces with traditional textures historically found in the 1930’s. The family’s ‘Bambino’ fountain was repaired to flow and shine again, as it has been in the family for several generations. Gathering around a fire after a late night soak was important, as was comfortable furniture that could weather the elements and the grandchildren. New exterior lighting on the house and in the landscape gives the space a perfect glow for evening enjoyment.

As the landscape nods back to the architecture, this home feels complete…as do we, knowing our clients are soaking in all the details.

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2 acres, a lot of sun, wind, and dirt, and a family who desperately wanted both active and cozy lounge spaces incorporating their modern, artsy aesthetic already established on the interiors. Pulling horizontal visual lines through the porcelain tile on the TV wall and island, furniture, louvres on the custom shade structure, and landscape lighting, the aesthetic is cohesive even with the different textures and materials. Providing shade through the automatic louvered structure and large cantilevered umbrellas, and also creating wind breaks via the vertical evergreen plant material around seating areas was a top priority. Additionally, creating plenty of ‘rooms’ for friends and family to play, gather, eat, and relax was paramount. We wanted them to be able to play a game of pickleball, followed by dinner and drinks under the heated shade structure, and finally relax under the stars next to the fire.

Our only question was, ‘Can we hang out and play, too?!’

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With the youngest child off to college, our clients decided to turn their outdoor space into just what the two of them wanted for their next chapter. We started with a list of desires…room to relax, cook, dine, garden, entertain, workout, and soak all while being surrounded by favorite colors and textures. And, of course, after raising a family, they wanted less work, not more! The home was built in 1925, so we used materials nodding back to that era…brick, travertine, and concrete. The cocktail pool allows for socializing, cooling off in summer, warming up in winter. Moving all of the workout equipment into the new fully finished outdoor studio freed up space in the home and allows for al fresco workouts. A kitchen with bar top seating and foot rail, a no-maintenance Dekton countertop, grill and sink enables all to hang out together while meals are made. A custom TV wall was designed to not only visually balance the pool fountain, but to allow them to watch a game while soaking. Plant palette chosen for screening and texture in a hot, southern exposure. Furnishings were curated with relaxation and easy care in mind.

Don’t tell the kids, but Mom and Dad are adjusting just fine…

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Like the finishing touches of a tailor made suit, it’s the exquisite details that complete the look. This property was functioning well for our client, but needed posh touches to bring it to life. New exterior paint selection, front door, handmade address tile, and lighting brightened it up, while subtly nodding to it’s 1930 roots. Pool parties are a regular vibe here, so we curated an ensemble of furniture, umbrellas, and a new fire feature to feel as luxurious as the interior furnishings. UV/stain resistant textiles were specifically selected for handmade outdoor pillows. A planting update added more color and texture to the spaces while staying low maintenance. A new outdoor kitchen allowed for more countertop space, while incorporating herringbone natural stone tiles and a velvety porcelain countertop. We disguised an unsightly electrical panel on the house wall with a custom built ipe wood armoire for storage, anchoring the dining space. And since we love art in the landscape, we designed a feature piece with lantern posts that illuminate the pool area for those late night summer swims. Luxe lounging in all the custom details!

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Bold color, clean lines, natural materials, and minimal forms. Welcome to the 1960s! Playing off the architecture and horizontal lines, we used this as our design inspiration. This family of five hosts friends often and wanted a functional and fun rear garden with an aesthetically beautiful front garden. An ipe deck and bench tops bring visual warmth to the period appropriate concrete hardscape. We designed the pool and spa to nod to the minimal lines of 1960s design, including selecting the vertical pool tile and gorgeous blue pool finish. Furniture was curated for comfort, form, and durability, all while using mixed materials that work together without being ‘matchy’. The landscape needed to be suited for the full sun exposure while also bursting with color and texture year round. In the front garden, we anchored the space with matching pilasters bookending the property with a carefully selected stone to match the existing original on the house. Colorful pottery, new exterior lighting, and a custom rear garden entry gate finish the timeless look. From boring to groovy!

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After fully restoring the interiors of this 1950's mid-century modern home, our client asked us to completely remodel the exteriors for a seamless aesthetic with many spaces to lounge and relax. Large floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the home reinforced the need for every view to the outside to be carefully designed. Long, linear shapes of this iconic architecture were carried throughout the landscape in the planting patterns, site furniture, hardscape, and light fixture selection. While the property is large, our client opted out of lawn, preferring a drought tolerant landscape full of texture. Can you believe there was a time when our client rarely stepped outside?!

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We met this sweet family of 3 during the pandemic and their desire for a safe, fun, peaceful retreat at home was huge. A total bank slate with a gorgeous view, we transformed their rear garden into an extension of their home. A place to cook, dine, shelter from the sun/rain, relax by the fire, lounge on sofas, and explore on age appropriate play equipment with proper safety fall zones. As a busy family, low maintenance was a top priority! So, we incorporated artificial turf, a seasonal California plant palette, outdoor site furniture meant to withstand all seasons without covering, and TimberTech decking. The louvered pavillion allows adjustable control of shade and rain protection, while the custom Brown Jordan outdoor kitchen with commercial appliances truly facilitates indoor/outdoor living. When the world around you is seemingly chaos, isn’t it grounding to just hang out in your ‘family room’?!

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Nestled on a corner in the South Land Park Hills, this sweet home was lacking character, useable space, and beauty. The property was separated into front and back yards when we first met it …but we eliminated the boundary and created an entire wraparound garden! The hillside lot called for terracing with board formed concrete walls to form more useable flat spaces. Careful consideration was taken to secure the property for pool safety while keeping an open aesthetic. We collaborated with DVB Architecture to expand the front porch architecture to look as though it was original to the home. New house paint color selection, exterior house and landscape lights, pool tile, stone, and pool finish color, and site furniture selection were all part of our scope. The rear deck kept the same footprint, but we updated all the materials to freshen the aesthetic. Creating for this young family was an honor as we imagined all the years they will spend making memories at home.

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We love creating spaces for peeps to hang out in! Her roots are from colorful Florida and his from California agriculture. They called upon us to blend these two aesthetics seamlessly, all while creating spaces to entertain, dine, and rest. Low maintenance plant palette with lots of texture and edible plants like olive and date palm trees, figs, bay laurel, rosemary, lavender, citrus and an in-ground vegetable garden. Site furnishings were chosen for longevity, comfort, and entertainment in mind. New landscape lighting, house lighting, hardscape, outdoor kitchen/bar and pool fountain remodel pull the spaces together cohesively. California Cool.

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We were asked to bring this 1930s home back to its roots after a few inconsistent design choices over many years. We chose new house paint colors, exterior light fixtures, new front door and garage door, pottery, house address tile and a custom fabricated driveway gate…all with the lines of the house and the time period in mind. And, of course, new landscaping as the icing!

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