The why
This family wanted to come home every day, pull into their driveway, and be greeted by the type of landscape that passers-by stop to look at. They built a beautiful rustic home on a quiet street with views in the backyard, but they also wanted a peaceful spot to enjoy a morning cup of coffee in the front yard.
Whatever we designed, it was going to be enjoyed from viewpoints inside the house and invite the owners out there to use it. With inspiring front yard focal points, the traditional principles of curb appeal still apply, which include accenting the home without drawing attention away from it. Guests needed to envision the experience they would have walking up to the front door, and we wanted to evoke a sense of whimsy and adventure with that. All of this had to be considered without forgetting the importance of how a front yard functions as well.
"How to keep a front yard captivating for many years?"
If this front yard feature was to become a staple of the curb appeal for the home and remain captivating for years to come, then it needed to have the ability to evolve. Something natural that would change with the seasons was a must, and we wanted the feature to get better with age. That way, when homeowners come back to the house day in and day out, they would continue to get the enjoyment out of it. A beautiful water feature with rushing water over jagged stone will naturalize over time. The lush West Coast gardens will mature and change with the seasons. The creeping thyme will continue to spread through the flagstone. This landscape will evolve and continue to provide enjoyment year after year.
"How to design a front yard with no lawn?"
There are many different directions to go when designing a front yard with no lawn, but in any case, scaling is very important. The ratio between the size of the home, water feature and garden need to be balanced. Normally we would not have designed such a deep garden because it requires so many levels of planting that it's tough for all of them to be enjoyed. But working with the natural grade of the lot allowed different types of planting to be elevated along the slope, and appreciated from the lowest levels. The sprawling pond was designed to reach out from the waterfalls in a way that mimics lawn, and to reflect the beautiful plantings.
"How to create curb appeal with a water feature?"
This front yard is unique, but basic design principles still apply. One of the best ways to create curb appeal is to keep a clear view of the front door and show people the way to get there. It seems simple, but a lot of front yards are designed in a way that unknowingly causes anxiety or confusion about where to park or walk to get to the house. Curb appeal isn't just a look, it's a feeling, and making it easy for people to envision themselves walking up to the door and going inside the house is important. In this design, we wanted to create a unique experience for people. A stepping stone pathway that leads to a small "island" in the middle of the pond causes visitors to slow down and take in the pond up close, appreciating the small details that went into the construction of it.
the result
check out our other feature projects
Family Focused
A Private Sanctuary
The Entertainers
The Entertainers
A Private Sanctuary
The Entertainers
A Private Sanctuary
A Private Sanctuary
A Private Sanctuary