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The home was built in 1971 unusually close to the rear property line in order to leave room for a proposed cul-de-sac at the end of the private lane. The cul-de-sac was never built, leaving the home with an expansive front yard, but a very small rear yard. Successful development of the property hinged on accentuating the site’s open front and maximizing the side yard areas for outdoor living.
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Our relationship with this 1-acre New England property began in 1998 when we were retained to design and install an organically-shaped swimming pool. Nearly 15 years later, our client (now a successful interior designer) engaged us again to conceive and implement a comprehensive property redesign in coordination with a major expansion to the home. The sweeping changes we performed in 2011 tackled many longstanding site challenges and brought the property to a new level of sophistication, beauty, and function.
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The original driveway approach was bland and offered no guest parking. Guests had to park near the garage doors, and traverse a very long and steep walkway to reach the front door, which was particularly difficult in the winter. The existing front foundation planting was tired, dull, and lacked spatial definition.
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An inviting square entry court with a reclaimed cobble border and an oil and stone finish was introduced to provide convenient guest parking and a comfortable walk to the front door (less than half the length of the previous walkway). Boxwoods in hedges and 6’ x 6’ squares combine with soft perennials and groundcover to provide drama and structure. The hedges and low stone walls frame the space and more clearly define the new entry and arrival experience for guests, while the mass plantings of Peonies, Nepeta, Salvia and Stachys provide seasonal color. The majestic multi-stem Sugar Maple anchoring the front of the property was carefully protected during the 18 month construction period.
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Designed to mimic the front foundation, low stone retaining walls, pillars and chunky bluestone slab steps provide a clear threshold for entry from the driveway to the front walkway with a comfortable 2% pitch. Front foundation soils were amended with perlite and compost and planted with large groupings of shrubs and perennials to provide interest but not obscure the beautiful stone foundation.
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Blousy swaths of Carex morrowi ‘Ice Dance’, Heuchera ‘Lemon Chiffon’, Astilbe chinensis ‘Purpurkenze’, Cornus sericea ‘Midwinter Fire’, and Clethra alnifolia ‘Sixteen Candles’ effortlessly grace the front beds, contrasting the geometric shapes of the entry court and front walkway. These selections perform reliably in both the shade and dampness of the north-facing front façade. They are very compatible neighbors, resistant to deer browse, and require little maintenance.
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Technically the “side yard”, this rear yard featured the original pool from 1998 in a very naturalistic setting with a boulder waterfall and a curvilinear pool terrace. Our 2011 design transformed the space into a modern, open-format poolside haven. Geometric and linear paving patterns are juxtaposed against the fluid lines of the original swimming pool. An awkward grade change between the finished floor elevation of the expanded residence and the pool area is embraced with the introduction of two low-profile bluestone slab lawn steps that gently frame the pool space, allowing for positive drainage away from both the pool and residence.
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The original organically-shaped pool and terrace were not aligned with our objectives of opening up and modernizing the space. However, instead of replacing the pool with a “modern” rectangular pool, we decided to embrace the visual drama of the pool and rediscover an entirely new space for outdoor living that would feel at home with the more expansive residence and modern sensibilities.
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To achieve our objective of more modern outdoor living spaces, the large fieldstone terrace was removed and replaced with a linear pattern of natural cleft bluestone. The poolside seating area was subdivided and relocated 25 feet further from the residence to lengthen the space. Near the residence, we addressed the grade change with a retaining wall and created an open dining terrace with a simple outdoor kitchen and a small herb garden tucked in a sunny corner against the house. The overall effect is a series of separate yet connected garden “rooms”, each serving a distinct purpose.
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The rear yard is intentionally planted in linear patterns with a very muted and simple palette of greens and grays with splashes of purple highlights. This section of the house has a finished floor that is 18” below grade. To provide drainage to this sunken garden, hidden below a 500 SF carpet of Lamb’s Ears are several drainage inlets connected to a below-ground storm water management system that returns runoff to the water table.
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The architect introduced a lanai that blurs the distinction between the indoor and outdoor spaces. The composition that is framed by the stepping stone walkway, sleek poolside patios, reimagined water feature, and new evergreen screening form an attractive yet modern backdrop to the original pool. Infrared ceiling heaters and an exterior TV make the lanai a space for all seasons!
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Echoing the slabs from the front entry, these lawn steps provide visual clarity to the rear yard and extend a gracious invitation to the pool area from the lanai. Simple geometric lighting fixtures provide for safe evening use.
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This eight-foot long water feature of bluestone dramatically suspended over the far corner of the existing pool serves multiple purposes as a waterfall, a diving plinth, and a sculpture. The design and construction of the waterfall was quite complex: with careful hand-digging, the deep end pool shell was exposed and a frost footing was poured and engaged with rebar to the shell. The bluestone slab is actually comprised of multiple 3” thick bluestone pieces held together with stainless steel pins around a reinforced concrete core that houses the waterfall components. The low stone walls supporting the slab echo the house foundation helping to marry the house to the outdoors.
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The soothing sounds of the 4’ sheet of water cascading into the pool corner help to mask the noise from nearby neighbors (including from the high school football field). At night, LED lighting converts the waterfall into a shimmering sheet of glass.
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As seen from the rooftop terrace, the geometric patterns of the lawn steps and walkways create a dynamic counterpoint to the existing pool shape. This visually exciting space is an artistic haven for our creative client and an enjoyable recreational space for her family. The sequence of outdoor rooms allows for gracious entertaining while also being intimate enough for solitary reflection.