8 Splendid Side Yard Designs

Welcome to the unsung hero of the national landscape: the side lawn. Some of us close our eyes while hurrying through that narrow space, only to get from point A ( front lawn) to point B (the backyard). It is often a dark, weedy place squeezed between the garage and the fence. What is there to love?

However, for many garden owners, space will always be at a premium. And rather than working with the side yard to stash your recycling bin and garbage can from sight, why not turn that slender location into a lush, quiet backyard?

After all, many of us have not just one, but two side lawns.

The secret to having a great side yard would be to design and accessorize it much like you’d decorate the upstairs hall in your house. Those walls need art! That flooring wants a carpet! Perhaps there’s even just a little market or a transition space that could accommodate a little item of furniture. There’s plenty of possible down that long, narrow space. So stop cringing, and reimagine the side lawn as a special place you can’t wait to navigate.

Below are some suggestions to inspire your lanky side garden layout.

Shirley Bovshow

Masterfully executed by designer Shirley Bovshow, this once-ordinary side lawn is now a lush place where the homeowner could roam with a morning mug of green tea.

What makes this space unique: The vine-clad arbor creates a welcoming door. The stepping stones are nicely spaced, so individuals can even walk in bare toes. The blossom plantings have a unified, green palette to soothe the eyes and there’s even fragrant lavender, to discharge its odor when ankles brush.

RDM Architecture

According to the architect, this sun-dappled side garden was created to complement a new master bedroom addition. Yes, it’s a side lawn, but this space is also a private garden to be seen from inside. The leafy tree blossom adds a sense of intimacy. The curved rock route is edged by soft color plants and annuals — demonstrating that you need just a few feet of room to create a garden. And the copper birdbath placed at the foot of a mature shade tree is an inspired addition. Even winged creatures will want to see this aspect garden.

Frank & Grossman Landscape Contractors, Inc..

Straight, narrow and wedged between a retaining wall along with the house, this side lawn might easily feel claustrophobic. On the contrary, it offers the feeling of walking through a calm, wooded bosk. If you plant trees in negative yards, select dwarf, columnar or slow-growing varieties that’ll be happy with the restricted growing conditions.

In this walkway, a fluffy floor cover knits together the flagstones, and the overall effect suggests a beautifully patterned carpeting.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Less is more in this utilitarian walk across the outside of a house clad in corrugated metal siding. The route is paved in easy-care decomposed granite, which makes it effortless to navigate. The plantings are raised to eye level, thanks to its minimal timber retaining wall. Bamboo is a good alternative because its roots are contained. Plus, it’s a simple plant to maintain hedge clippers.

Stewart Land Designs

Attractive and permeable, this stunning walkway is easily wide enough for 2 to traverse side by side. I like the care with this route has been designed and installed. It feels particular, with all the cut-stone edging doubling as a way to include the planting beds on both sides. The rock palette complements the brick home and creates an interesting circuit for anyone walking through this backyard. Pay attention to this copper lighting, strategically placed to make this a safe place for anyone walking after dark.

Haddonstone Ltd

Over the top, yes. But that’s the interesting thing about designing a garden. You’ve got the element of surprise in your favor. I doubt many of us would think about placing two enormous pedestal urns along a walkway, then planting them with tropicals and palms that spill over the rim. The therapy works here, allowing the programmer to feature plants that would otherwise block the path if used at ground level. Instead, seasonal begonias and compact floor covers decorate the base of each urn.

Colors Of Green Landscape Architecture

Some people today hang tapestries in their hallway walls. And some people today line their side backyard using a textural privacy screen that resembles a fabric tapestry. This narrow facet garden has a lot going for this: 1. The gravel walk is comprised with a slim metal edging on both sides, 2. The bamboo is densely planted, but preserved like a 3 and Dollar. Uplighting, subtle but effective, adds drama after dark.

Amelia B. Lima & Associates, INC..

If your narrow side garden is blah, here’s a planted wall that will motivate you to rethink that ugly fence or concrete block wall. There are lots of products, such as Woolly Pockets, available for creating a pocket-style planting system. And once you discover the right solution for your vertical space, you can immediately turn ordinary into extraordinary. Lush, tropical plants provide this facet garden a definite perspective. It is a showstopper!

More:
Turn a Wider Negative Yard Into a Gorgeous Garden Room

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Cape Cod Style at California

When Julie and Rick Borgens purchased this bluffside home in California’s Orange County, the magnificent ocean view and expansive outside area overshadowed the dull 1970s stucco exterior. But with the help of Todd Custom Homes, Tuvalu Home and R.J. Imports, they were able to redesign the area into a home worthy of its dreamy site. Native landscaping and a luxurious backyard pool helped finish its transformation into a Southern California paradise.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Julie and Rick Borgens and two brothers, ages 19 and 21
Location: Capistrano Beach, Orange County, California
Size: 4,000 square feet; four bedrooms; four baths
That is interesting: The outside dining table was custom-built with additional height so guests can see the ocean while they eat — whales and dolphins often swim by.

Dana Nichols

A teak furniture collection and outside fireplace create a warm setting beside your home’s backyard pool. Julie put glass within an empty drum to generate a dining table which may be full of sand and seashells in summer and pine cones during the vacations. “As the seasons change and it gets chilly outside, we travel from the ocean side of the home to the fireplace around the pool side,” she states.

Driftwood heart and wreath: Tuvalu Home; drum table: R.J. Imports; teak chairs: Patio Outlet

Dana Nichols

The grottolike swimming pool and spa are tucked to the house’s backyard. Orange cape honeysuckle and blue salvia colour the landscape around the pool.

Landscape layout: Jan Houghton, Houghton Design Group

Dana Nichols

Instead of a classic front door, guests enter the property through the backyard gate which leads beyond the pool place.

Dana Nichols

Julie loves to include her favourite accent shade, bright blue, in careful doses so that it doesn’t detract from the home’s decor. She filled buckets with plants and seashells and piled them onto a blue chair to create a charming vignette in this outdoor place.

Wooden chair and bucket: R.J. Imports

Dana Nichols

Creative plant arrangements take the place of conventional art in this home. This six-wreath succulent arrangement in the entryway bridges the exterior with the interior. Lanterns turned terrariums serve the identical purpose in different areas of the home. “Art appeared too expected,” Alter says. “So a lot of people would only waste this space”

Succulent arrangement: The Ivy Guild, Inc

Dana Nichols

The home includes three indoor and outdoor living spaces in total. Doors from this open onto a deck perched high above an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean. The custom made fireplace surround is made of Canyon Creek stone from the northern Rockies.

Palecek chairs and sofa: Tuvalu Home; stone fireplace surround: Sepulveda Building Materials; TV framework: LCR Furniture and Design, Inc

Dana Nichols

Julie wanted several intimate seating areas within her home rather than one big one. Each is varied enough for entertaining, yet intimate enough for casual living — like this downstairs area. “It’s kind of interesting,” says Julie, “but we do use every area”

Seagrass chairs and menu: R.J. Imports

Dana Nichols

External, a custom-built grill using a huge backsplash offers privacy from the neighbors. Julie’s favorite beachy blue appears in the porcelain vase.

Rick enjoys winemaking, so the couple’s next job is a wine cellar on the lower level, available through a secret door.

Grill: LCR Furniture and Design, Inc..

Dana Nichols

In the kitchen, custom cabinetry hides the refrigerator and microwave. Julie originally envisioned a glistening white kitchen but cabinetmaker Michelle Anderson of LCR Furniture and Design, Inc. advocated this antique-style variation as a suitable match with the mix of walnut and other imported woods through your home. An oversize navy island offers plenty of entertaining and prep area.

Turquoise vases: Tuvalu Home

Dana Nichols

Upstairs in the stairwell landing, an open press room serves as the house’s third living room. The window seat, having a sea view, is one of Julie’s favorite places in the home. The brown leather couch came from Costco, the firm at which Rick has worked for 30 decades.

Glass lamps and drum: Tuvalu Home; master bedroom bed (through the doorway): R.J. Imports; framed artwork: Tuvalu Home; couch: Costco

Dana Nichols

The bedrooms are simple and modest in size compared to the home’s entertainment locations. “Apart from sleeping, we do not hang out in our bedroom a complete lot. No sitting chairs or anything,” says Julie. A mirror, rather than a dresser, makes the space look and feel bigger. This massive piece reflects the ocean view all around the master bedroom.

Paint: Silver Sage, Restoration Hardware; bedding: Pottery Barn; mirror: R.J. Imports

Dana Nichols

The guest room overlooks the pool side of the home, and another massive mirror reflects light.

Mirror: R.J. Imports; lamps, pillows and seashell blanket: Pottery Barn; striped coverlet and blue throw: T.J. Maxx; bed: Urbanism Furniture, Costa Mesa, CA; paint: Silver Sage, Restoration Hardware

Dana Nichols

Glass railings onto the deck framework the ocean view, but the couple found that a regular 36-inch-high dining table wasn’t tall enough to allow diners to see over it. “You’re constantly looking through the railing in the ocean. We had this dining table made at pub height so that we could see over the railing,” says Julie.

Custom bar-height dining table: LCR Furniture and Deisgn, Inc.. ; chairs: Patio Outlet

Dana Nichols

Backyard plants were selected for low water usage, ground-hugging colour and textural interest. Either side of the pathway are landscaped with native plants and succulents such as sedums and aeoniums, dwarf agaves, salvia, California fuchsia, ceanothus and sea lavender. The stone pathway leads to some other firepit down the hill.

Log planter: Plant Depot; landscape layout: Jan Houghton, Houghton Design Group

Do you Reside in a beachfront home? Discuss it with us!

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Open Walls Widen Home Possibilities

My dream home has a spacious wall with a door. It opens to a deck and a pool and some kind of sunny, spectacular view, preferably with all the Pacific Ocean in the background.

However, truth be told, I would settle for a garage door which opens on my own work-in-progress backyard.

Open walls would be the greatest embodiment of indoor-outdoor living, blurring the lines (well, eliminating them actually) between the two. They are a fresh-air enthusiast’s fantasy come true, and there is something about them which is merely friendly and positive. They are the greatest invitation.

But beware, the homes pictured below will likely make your own home feel closed and may induce acute home jealousy. Consider yourself warned.

Urrutia Design

I am pretty certain my dream-house fantasy is just a replica of this home. You may ocassionally find a deer or squirrel in your living space, however, the spaciousness and the willingness make it worth the trouble.

Dick Clark + Associates

Where an actual open wall doesn’t make sense, wall-size windows may do the trick. It seems as though you could dive right from these chairs and into the bay, but the fog has been kept outside.

A garage door doesn’t have to be hiding your automobile and boxes of crap. It may just as easily hide your living space. And it is a relatively simple and inexpensive way to produce an open wall.

Jeannette Architects

Gourmet kitchen, outdoor dining area. This glass garage door is clean and modern; it makes sliding glass doors seem positively old fashioned.

Living2Design

These multipane modern cottage windows open on the garden and make this little dining room feel ever so much larger.

Hanson Fine Building

Another wall of glass. The view doesn’t have to be spectacular to get a wall such as this to make sense. The space and light and feeling of openness are sufficient to make the wall keep. And do not you love the way the clear acrylic chairs play off the glass?

Ojanen_Chiou architects LLP

This sliding accordion door which opens floor to ceiling, turning a little kitchen into a bright, expansive area with an outdoor dining area.

Spinnaker Development

A home doesn’t have to be more ubermodern to operate with an open wall. This traditionally decorated home also receives a boost.

AT6 Architecture : Design Build

This bath takes some courage. I mean, someone in one of those homes down there might have a pair of binoculars. Still, why if living rooms and kitchens have all the fun?

Griffin Enright Architects

What’s there to say about a space with two open walls overlooking rolling green hills anyhow, “Sigh.”

Jennifer Weiss Architecture

Virtually all the exterior walls open on the backyard, turning a segmented home into a open, convivial area where the outdoors are as crucial as the indoors.

Ownby Design

Not having an open wall would be bizarre.

Knudson Interiors

A wall doesn’t have to open on a large, expansive space. Only a little tropical extension for this toilet is motive enough.

John Maniscalco Architecture

The urban version of the expansive perspective. No need for art.

Architect, Lorin Hill

Developing a tiny breezeway between the house and the open atmosphere are able to keep a room from getting too hot in the summer. It also offers a nice visual transition between indoors and out.

I don’t think that it opens, but I don’t care. Magnificent.

More:
Opening Acts: Folding, Sliding and Pivoting Doors

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Baseboard

Baseboard protects the base of a wall from scuffs dirt and collisions at the joint where it meets the floor. Usually made from timber, it may be simple or elaborate, with moldings and trim.

Paul Hofmann Construction

Clear timber makes for a easy baseboard with a tiny trim at its base.

Robert J Erdmann Design, LLC

Miter cuts are rather difficult, making the corners of this curved baseboard molding a masterpiece of angle cuts.

Studio William Hefner

You can observe the pristine wall will be protected by the baseboard of this hallway .

Amoroso Design

A baseboard can be repainted whereas walls appear to reveal touch-ups.

Levy Art + Architecture

Fairly often, contemporary houses dare to exclude baseboards from their finishwork, and it’s pricey to complete walls off this way.

Bruce Johnson & Associates Interior Design

A clever way to get the traditional appearance of baseboard would be to utilize smaller trim and paint the rest, as in this kitchen.

Dwelling Building Group

Various cuts of molding or trim may add personality to the baseboard.

Browse more baseboard photos

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Small-Business Savvy: Establish a Shipping Station

When you’re setting up a creative studio, the initial focus will be in adapting a space so you can practice your art. If you make quilts, you will establish a table with a sewing machine. If you make ceramic bowls, then you’ll require a potter’s wheel. It’s important to market your studio with the ideal materials and supplies, but when your art can also be a business, an equal amount of consideration should go into making sure those quilts and bowls may get packed up and sent out to customers quickly and economically.

Packing and transport are a huge part of running a creative business, but they can be overwhelming for a small operation. So much energy may go into the making of this product which the shipping period can be overlooked. The important thing is setting up a space devoted to transport and nothing else. Spend some time getting organized and stocking up on gear before large orders start rolling in. Here are a few pointers to help any imaginative business achieve success.

Dream House Studios

Have a large, open surface devoted to transport. Designate a separate place as your transport channel. This space should incorporate an open surface for wrap everything up. The dimensions of this surface needed will vary depending on your craft. But generally speaking, the larger the surface the greater. Devote as much space to transport as you can. It may be frustrating to work in a cramped area.

JDS DESIGNS

Consider adding shelves or cubbies underneath the surface for storing boxes. Maintaining boxes arranged can be the biggest problem when it comes to shipping; heaps of boxes may escape control and immediately start to infringe on your creative space. So select a work surface for the transport channel with shelves or cubbies built in underneath. Flatten all of your boxes and keep them organized by dimension. Maintain bubble mailers and envelopes as well.

Hint: Shop most of your boxes apartment however keep a few made up and accessible so you will be all ready to go in case an order must have sent out immediately.

Utilize a pin board or pegboard to hang tools on so they are ready once you need them. Ensure that your shipping channel is stocked with all of the tools and materials you’ll need. You do not need to be scrambling at the last minute for tape or scissors. You need these products to be highly accessible but also out of the way of your workout surface. The best solution is to hang them by a pin board or pegboard that is adjacent to your shipping channel. Quickly pull down the gear that you require, and cleanup afterward is going to be a breeze.

Install paper roll dispensers for wrap paper and bubble wrap. Should you use rolls of paper or bubble wrap, then consider installing a few paper dispensers. You may either attach them to your work surface or put them next to your channel on the wall. Dispensers make it so much easier to manage paper and cut pieces off.

Jeanette Lunde

Hint: in case you don’t have space for dispensers, store your paper rolls upright in a bin next to your transport channel.

Maintain twine and ribbon together in a caddy. Add prosper to your bundles with twine or ribbon and maintain those loose spools arranged by storing them at a hanging organizer or caddy like this one. This caddy has sufficient space for multiple spools so you can add variety to your packaging.

Hint: Hang a pair of scissors from the caddy. This implies you can always find them when you need to produce a cut.

Keep business cards and other promotional materials at your channel. with your goods, you’re probably shipping out business cards and promotional materials (flyers, coupons ) with your packages. These materials need to be performed beforehand and organized at your transport channel. Organize them in a desktop caddy such as this repurposed metal one. Aesthetically this vintage piece adds rustic charm to the surface, however any drawer or cubbie system will speed up the shipping procedure.

Have a whiteboard or calendar handy for creating a shipping program. It’s important for small businesses to establish a shipping program — it is inefficient to run into the post office every second day. Establish a regular and be honest with your customers about when you send out packages. Maintain a whiteboard or calendar near your shipping channel so you can keep track of orders, check off jobs when you finish them and denote transportation times.

Cost Plus World Market

Wood Potting Bench – $119.99

Repurpose a potting bench to a shipping channel. A reclining seat may be the best answer to get a shipping channel. Many have shelves built in that are best for organizing boxes, mailers and paper. Also they’re normally made out of wood, so it’s easy to screw in hooks to hang tools and materials.

Martha O’Hara Interiors

The key to a successful and effective shipping channel is organization. Put time and effort into this stage of your business and make sure that your studio is stocked with the ideal supplies. Plan beforehand, before you start receiving large orders, to guarantee you will be ready when when items do get active.

Want more advice in setting up your creative space? Learn how to craft the perfect studio.

More Small-Business Savvy:
Personalize Your Packaging

Photograph Products Like a Guru

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Cabin Collection: 5 Modern Cabins Round the U.S.

Today’s clean-lined and spare modern cabins aren’t much different than the original cabins crafted in the States, that have been created of rough-hewn logs and had spartan furnishings. Present-day designers take inspiration from everything from Americans’ original homesteads to conventional lake homes in Finland. Here’s a look at five cabins from New England to Washington state, with a stopover in Iowa. Some are second homes, while others are full-time homes.

Joan Heaton Architects

1. Vermont

This contemporary cabin is nestled in the woods of the Green Mountains.

Joan Heaton Architects

The bedroom is part of this wide-open floor plan, but the curtains can be dragged for solitude.

Joan Heaton Architects

A combination of walnut, hemlock and ash woods add warmth into the open home.

See the rest of this home

Larson Shores Architects

2. Maine

This magnificent home on an island in Maine is a few full-time residence.

Larson Shores Architects

The architect made sure to comprehend how the couple lived and carefully planned for all their storage needs. Thus, the residence is uncluttered and organized.

Larson Shores Architects

This complete bathroom is covered in a watery blue tile mosaic.

See the rest of this home

Susan Teare

3. Vermont

Challenges in designing and building this cozy Vermont cabin included a small budget and how all the construction equipment and materials had to be transported in over a tiny pedestrian bridge.

Susan Teare

The flooring and staircase are reclaimed timber, and there is not a single inch of drywall from the home.

Susan Teare

A classic claw-foot tub, a whirlpool bath stand, barn light and exposed aluminum pipes add patina into the new structure.

See the rest of this home

DeForest Architects

4. Iowa

Outside of Iowa City, an architect assisted a couple stake out the site of their dream home to take whole advantage of perspectives and energy efficiency.

DeForest Architects

The home has been heavily influenced by the local agricultural vernacular on the exterior, but it has a much more contemporary feel indoors.

DeForest Architects

The home enjoys sweeping views of the landscape and is bathed in natural light as a result of the big, well-placed windows and the open floor plan.

See the rest of this home

Louise Lakier

5. Washington State

A couple and their two kids enjoy this family escape out Seattle. It sits atop piers from Puget Sound.

Louise Lakier

The home looks much bigger than its 672 square foot, because of mild walls, a tiled ceiling and large windows.

Louise Lakier

The owner describes her decorating philosophy as”eclectic, easy and inexpensive.” The family has done a fantastic job of making the space inviting and comfortable, dotted with entertaining coastal and atomic accents.

See the rest of this home

More:
Guest Groups: Modern Cabin Decor
Contemporary Cabins in the Woods

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Serene Cabin Retreat Near Austin

This cozy cedar cabin was originally built as a refuge for Melissa and Mike Wilson. When the opportunity arose to allow them to create this 20-acre property outside Austin, Texas, they understood that it was the perfect feast for their hungry cousins. The creative couple first designed a simple and colorful space to escape and operate in. Now they share their oasis by renting out the space to others, and hope to build yet another vacation rental in their property soon.

at a Glance
Who resides: A vacation home for Melissa and Mike Wilson
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 1,000 square feet; two bedrooms, 1.5 baths

Kara Mosher

Minimal furniture invites visitors to use the comfy, alternate chairs in the living room. A Costco memory foam beanbag is paired with a cushion for a makeshift cushioned chair.

Kara Mosher

After Melissa first moved to Austin, she stayed at the Hotel San Jose and fell in love with the relaxed, contemporary design. “I’ve followed Liz Lambert’s work and have stayed at all her properties over time,” Melissa says. “Her work really motivated me. I wished to keep the design clean and simple, uncluttered and with a few unique pieces to invite you bring down your heart rate a little. I hope it does.”

Kara Mosher

Mike loves music, so the cottage’s album player (tucked beneath the ladder) is an essential accompaniment to his impressive vinyl library. “I think that it can help to set the tone for the distance. We do not have a TV or phone so it’s great to unplug, lie back, listen to great music and enjoy the warmth and solitude the cabin attracts,” Melissa says.

Sconces: Manuel’s on 5th Street (currently closed)

Kara Mosher

The exterior and interior of the home are produced from a regional species of cedar timber.

Kara Mosher

The couple has hosted everyone from honeymoon and wedding guests to writers needing somewhere to finish projects. The cabin has even been used by musicians working on albums and gearing up for excursion — including bands during Austin City Limits and SXSW.

Kara Mosher

Melissa put her own creative touch on decoration pieces across the area, such as this written reminder:”Discussing does not always improve upon silence.”

Kara Mosher

The simple kitchen is outfitted with stainless steel appliances and custom cedar attributes. Both the countertops and seat are custom made.

Kara Mosher

The couple loves spending time in the floor-to-ceiling cedar space and fun with friends. One of Melissa’s favorite pieces is the dining table Mike designed; it sits against the wall with bench seating. “All you need to do is pull it away from the wall and you’ve got space to have six people for supper,” she says.

Kara Mosher

The cabin’s most important bathroom has a classic claw-foot tub. “A long soak in the bathtub is one of my favorite things I do to relax,” Melissa says. “I make sure we keep relaxing bath salts on hand for all guests to use.”

Kara Mosher

The limited color palette echoes the rest of the cottage’s soothing layout. Melissa used mainly green, giving the distance power and life.

Curtain: Cost Plus World Market

Kara Mosher

Melissa is a therapist also uses a spare bedroom for her very own private counseling practice. She and Mike intend to keep the cabin for a vacation rental and aspire to build yet another unique structure on the house within the next couple of years.

Kara Mosher

Upstairs, the second bedroom is in a spacious yet cozy loft space. A barrel nightstand contributes to the rural sense.

Throw cushions, blankets, nightstand: Pier 1 Imports

Kara Mosher

The downstairs bedroom windows fill the room with soft light, highlighting the colors of the room. Melissa made the light rainbow mosaic-tiled art bit.

Rug, bedding: Cost Plus World Market

Kara Mosher

Melissa and Mike enjoy their saltwater escape is close to downtown but still feels a world away. They recognize that it’s rare to find 20 acres in Austin and feel blessed to have this escape. “We are only 20 minutes away from amazing Hamilton Pool, and down the street from The Salt Lick BBQ and Lady Bird Wildflower Center.”

Kara Mosher

The creative couple’s thoughts aren’t limited to their own rural retreat — they also attend Burning Man each year. They brought the cedar swing set shown in this photo there in 2011. Two musicians at Curious Customs made the lamp hanging out of the swing set.

Kara Mosher

Melissa snagged this birdhouse out of a neighbor who had helped a girl with an amazing birdhouse set clean out her home. “They were just going to be thrown away, so I was able to choose a couple that I loved,” she says.

The weathered wooden picnic seat was salvaged from a local skating rink that needed to get rid of some tables. “I love that it has so much character and several layers of paint,” says Melissa.

Do you have a nation cabin? Show us your property.

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A Primer on the Language of Design

I was introducing a job to my client a couple of days back. I stood at the head of the conference table, flanked with my renderings, and began to ruminate on the design idea. The job was to be an urban intervention, and as this could be formal understanding of the tenuous balance between the requirements of the community and the needs of the individual. The project would represent, in built form of course, the space between these contradictory forces — the interstitial kingdom, if you will.

As I finished my presentation and opened my eyes I was greeted with a collective blank stare.

Again.

I had the sobering realization that my clients had no clue what I was talking about. Why does this keep happening to me? I mean, we’re talking the same language, aren’t we? I’m being perfectly clear, aren’t I?

Well, obviously, since I did not do anything wrong, I can only assume that everybody else needs to brush up on common architectural terms. I thought we’d done this before (here), but obviously more study is justified. Feel free to review these flash cards one or two times a day, as required.

And please refrain from staring blankly at me meetings. I’ll lose my train of thought.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Frankly, I could specify “architecture” all day long. And occasionally I do. Then my clients go to the “structure,” and also the “structure” starts to specify them. It’s like the circle of life, just with more angst.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

We know, we know: All great architecture leaks. Please stop reminding us.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Actually, “interstitial” is just one of my favourite words. This means “the space between.” Tell me that’s not awesome.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

It must be in the unbearable lightness of shining.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Here’s a fun fact: Whenever an architect designs a building that struggles with its surroundings, we call it “juxtaposition. ” That is a large word, and it will take you a couple of minutes to emotionally process it. We do this mainly to distract you from the fact that our design does not fit with its surroundings. It buys us some time. Then we will point out the “interstitial” space between our building and its surroundings. Eventually, you’ll get bored and proceed. So it’s a truly win-win.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

I believe they should remove that cushion.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

“It’s all part of the process.” This is what I tell my clients when they are unhappy with the very first attempt at the design. “It’s all part of the process.” But this isn’t really correct. I just allow the interns slap a design together. I’m really seeing it for the first-time today too. We’ll continue working on it.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Have you been considering me? Great.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

This is the style admired by hipsters. I discovered Bon Iver has a fishing shack at Minnesota clad entirely in flannel.

Jody Brown Architecture, pllc

Architects do not wear pleated trousers. Ever.

Keep reading. You will get it eventually.

More by Coffee With an Architect:
Find Your Inner Minimalist
Flash Cards for Architectural Terms
Find Your Architectural Style
Great Architecture Speaks to Us

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11 Seductive Landscapes That Lure With Less

At the tender age of 16 I had been introduced by my mom to the fan dancing — a dated, although a lot of unkind, variant of this striptease. She gave a running narrative as she broke her moves, known as, I suppose, by some maternal instinct to give me critical life skills I’d need as a grownup. The timing of her dancing tutorial was a little suspicious, but the lesson I learned has served me well.

Here is the takeaway piece from Mother’s fan dance instruction: It isn’t necessarily what you show that produces something sexy/alluring/compelling; it’s exactly what you do not show. When you get right down to it, the mere suggestion of something more to come really grabs your attention, doesn’t it? Surprisingly, this principle applies to a broad range of topics far beyond fan dancing.

Try this easy trick the next time that you would like to enthrall and engage your viewers: Don’t reveal the whole image in one glance — stimulate their imagination and draw them with a tantalizing glimpse of a part of this picture. Trust me, they’ll clamor for more.

Read on for examples of how to apply the theory to the business of landscape design.

Cary Bernstein Architect

I don’t know about you, but that framed partial view of the pool and slice of the distant mountains topped with a huge, clear skies makes me want to run out and see what lies beyond the limits of this window frame. I wonder what’s past the far side of the pool. I am compelled to go out and look over the edge.

Andrew Renn

The sumptuous curves of this garden draw you to the composition immediately. The enchanting arbor brings you into deeper and guarantees access to the garden which can be found in the distance. But without passing under that arch, crossing that threshold and rounding that last curve in the yard, you’ll never understand what’s back there.

ROOMS & BLOOMS

What lies beyond this garden gate? The glimpse of red foliage draws the attention to the garden, and the yard appears to lead beyond it to the left, inviting the viewer to research.

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

This”humble” door is utilized to present the viewer with a photo of the water component within the walled garden. The come-hither path brings the attention to the garden wall, throughout the door and to the garden, leading to we know not where.

Intriguing, right? (Not to belabor my point, but see the way you might think about this trick as the landscape design equivalent of a peep show?)

Shirley Bovshow

This is a joyous and beckoning path. I would like to pass through the arch, then skip down the stepstones, nip under that jacaranda tree and determine what’s back there!

Exteriorscapes llc

Here is another path you simply need to follow.The secret is to create a strong visual pull down the path without showing its own destination.

Don’t have a huge garden? Simply curve the trail beyond view to draw the eye down the path and create the illusion that there’s more garden to be discovered around the bend.

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

This proposal of a path invites a leisurely stroll in the woods.

Whether you heed the siren’s cry, only looking out the window and the trail gives a momentary respite from the workaday world.

Donna Lynn – Landscape Designer

Play to all the sensations to enchant your garden guests. Add a couple of aromatic plants, such as the stephanotis wrapped around this particular column. Perfume the atmosphere with a touch of orange blossom or lavender — only enough to make 1 wonder where that heavenly scent is coming out of and seek its origin.

Tip: Subtlety adds to the allure. Avoid overwhelming the senses with overpowering odor.

Aquascape

Add soothing sounds to your own garden — the murmur of trickling water, the cooing of doves, the distant notes of a wind chime — but visually downplay the origin of the sound, incorporating it in to plantings or tucking it just past the field of vision. You’ll find folks are drawn to audio.

Troy Rhone Garden Design

Look closely at this picture. It’s possible the whole composition is an illusion. Is that a glimpse of a secret garden throughout the”gate,” or is that a broken light door glazed with mirror reflecting the greenery along the edge of this path? Wonderful trick, eh?

(I adore the”protector” goats flanking the door/gate. They add a whimsical touch, making what could otherwise be an intimidating facade very approachable.)

Tongue in Cheek Antiques

Ahhh… The breezy curtains supply a peekaboo view of this intimate sitting area. I can envision myself in this setting savoring a summery vintage and good company on a sultry candlelit evening. Count me in!

More:
Garden Design Principles: Emphasis and Focal Points

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'James Bond' Tree House at Greece

Simon Payne, cofounder of Blue Forest at the Uk, grew up in the great outdoors of east Africa. Payne is nostalgically connected to tree houses, which he says remind us youthful experiences with “dens, playhouses and hideaways.” After a day visit to Athens, Greece, to visit a client’s estate to determine whether a tree house build was possible within the client’s gardens, Payne had a sense that this tree home build would be one of the most extravagant constructions that his team had done. After walking round the client’s house to identify the most appropriate place, Payne picked a website one of a collection of older pine trees close to the client’s most important house and not far from an current children’s play area.

in a Glance
Who performs here: Two and their 11-year-old son
Location: Athens, Greece
Size: 376 square feet (inside floor area)
That is interesting: The tree house is filled with a wide range of high-tech gadgets and can be fittingly known as “James Bond’s HQ.”

Blue Forest UK Ltd

The customer wanted to build a large tree home with enough room to include a kitchen, a washroom and a living area. From the initial conversations, TVs, security cameras, biometric security systems and other high-tech gadgets weren’t even in the picture.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

The tree home, using a deck perched about 10 ft from floor level, was developed to become part of the landscape so that trees may be retained; no trees were removed to make way for the construction. The construction is supported on Blue Forest’s bracer system, which allows for tree movement and expansion where the trees pass through the decks.

Read through numerous tree home photos

Blue Forest UK Ltd

“Our client’s brief for this project was really brief, but following our initial meeting, it had been clear to us that what they desired was a tree house on a bigger, more functional scale. Having designed and built over 200 tree houses, we’ve become quite good at being creative and allowing our imaginations to run rampant after the first meeting,” says Payne.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

The building of the tree home was carried out almost completely onsite in Greece by three of Blue Forest’s craftspeople. The team used a unique technique that enabled for the tree house’s subframe erection with no fixings into the host tree.

Unique to this project was the high website security required by the customer. “Someone from the client’s security detail remained with our craftsmen at every minute — even to the bathroom or while waiting beyond the doorway to enter. My staff was required to hand in their passports, cellular phones and cameras to armed security staff in the main entry,” says Payne. Despite being slightly amused by the exceptionally private nature of the customer and the high security, Payne’s team jumped just as though they were constructing at home in the uk.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

This biometric fingerprint lock has been one of those high-tech gadgets conceived by Blue Forest. “After much searching, we were able to supply a professional of biometric security systems in China,” says Payne.

The client’s wish to make an exclusive tree home with a number of luxurious accessories made it hard for Payne and his team to take sustainability into account. However, despite the extravagant nature of the plot, he used a few methods to help improve endurance.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

The tree home substructure, deck, frame and roof are built almost completely from FSC-certified soft wood timber, being one of the most sustainable building materials available and perfect for tree home contruction.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

Timber was the perfect material for this particular tree home because it is ideal for Athens’ hot climate; wood, a natural insulator, has air pockets that make it a natural barrier to cold and heat.

Blue Forest UK Ltd

A few of the tree house’s high-tech features: a bespoke CCTV console, a plasma TV, plasma plates along with the sacred trinity of game consoles: Xbox, PlayStation and Wii — a tween boy’s fantasy come true.

Read through tens of thousands of media room photos

Blue Forest UK Ltd

The tree house was designed to blend in with its natural surroundings. Cedar tongue-and-groove planks, cedar shingles and hand-split oak shakes make up its exterior cladding. The combination of these neutral colours is not only very attractive but is also helpful in breaking up the outline of this construction, which makes the tree house less oppressive in its own surroundings.

More:
9 Incredible Tree Houses

5 Fantastic Homes With a Tree House Feel

Pennsylvania Hobbit House

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