THE MODERN-TROPICS OF SOCAL || Mixing two styles together until it becomes a perfect blend.
PC: Brett Hilton
The perfect curb appeal: softening the houses facade with textured grasses and colorful plant material.
We are excited to reveal our newly completed project in Cardiff-By-The-Sea, California. In this project we worked consecutively with the development of the architecture in order to fully transform the site all at once. An advantage of this sequential order, is that from the beginning there was a dialogue between professionals, this teamwork ended up creating a more cohesive and intentional design. The con of working so close with a general contractor was that by adding multiple trades into the same pot the process can slow down more then accounted for. The timeline was pushed consequently; however, this gave us time to fully nail down the details and prepare to hit the ground running when it was our time at bat.
The house became a stand-alone force of nature, it was our job at FWL to reflect the style into the landscape by tying the entire site together. and to bring the structure down to scale so it has a comfortable curb appeal when walking or driving by.
The existing elements had a lot of influence on the resulting theme and vibe of this landscape project. We took the existing pool’s frame, and the architecture’s support structures as useful tools to drive the design. We were able to maximize space and float a table between two posts from the balcony above in the outdoor kitchen. This efficient use of the existing not only saved time and money but it instigated a more creative process.
We complimented the wood used throughout the site with fossilized porphyry, this rugged style of flagstone, kept the intimate areas warm and comfortable. We used large patterned flagstone to visually expand the space, tricking our eye to believe it is bigger than it is. We mimicked the beach and used a light tan color of plaster in the pool to create a lighter, turquoise watercolor, while accenting it with bright teal tiles that reflect the residual light of the water.
PC: Brett Hilton
Click for more imagery!
For the planting scheme, we started with the edge of the property taking into account the complexity of being on a small street with no sidewalks. To deter a passersby and their canine friends alike we left a gravel border in the front few feet of the property. This not only visually extends the horizontal plane in the front, but it transitions from the asphalt to the softscape very seamlessly. We then create a very soft scene to front the house using Carex praegracilis with contrasting succulents Agave celsii ‘nova’ and Aeonium urbicum, also grasses like Mulhenberga capillaris, with scattered Aloe arborescens. To create the tropical atmosphere in the rear we used three Howea forsterianas, Bambusa textilis gracilis, and multiple varieties of ferns that make the rear yard feel lush.
It was worth the wait, we fully enjoyed seeing this project come to life little by little. It truly became a gem within Cardiff-By-The-Sea that the owners are very proud to call their own.
PC: Brett Hilton
As you see above the warm colors of the wall, fountain/planter, and fire feature, were delicately balanced with green plantings and teal accents.
Click for more imagery!!