This article explores the transformation of a Glenview backyard into a functional outdoor dining, living and kid-friendly play space. The client’s wish list included creating a space to entertain and enjoy everyday with their young children. When beginning to curate our landscape design, we drew inspiration from the traditional character of the existing home and focused on the transitional spaces between the outdoor dining/living and play. The existing trees became a major directive in determining the most effective way to lay out the garden. We used the most central Camellia tree as a focal point, designing the outdoor living and dining as extensions of the tree’s canopy.
Stepping out from the backdoor of the main house, you enter the garden at the highest elevation from the modern concrete patio. A minimalist concrete paver path lined with smooth pebble and bordered by fruit trees is thoughtfully poured, leading to the synthetic turf lawn at the edge of the property. Alternatively, opposite the path, two steps lead down to the outdoor dining area, bordered by the newly designed ADU and built in grilling station. Extending the dining area North-East created an intentional separate space for cozy outdoor living that overlooked the sizable synthetic turf lawn. We chose plants that complemented the simplicity and playfulness of the new landscape. Lining the modern concrete paver path and existing fruit trees with native lush California grasses, Phormiums, and Fescues. Between the concrete pavers and the base of the steps, we chose smooth grey pebble and Dymondia ground cover. Succulents and boulders to climb were placed throughout the garden at various focal points. At the base of the central fruit tree, we chose Yellow Kangaroo Paw as a pop of color. A minimalist concrete was chosen as the hardscape material, proving most effective for both design and budget.
Paying careful attention to the entire site’s grading and drainage conditions, our team also produced the necessary drainage plans to ensure the longevity of the garden against seasonal weather.
The integration of an ADU into a residential backyard is significant in its massing and relative proportion in the space. If the space ‘in- between’ is not carefully designed the resulting interstitial space will be inefficient in terms of use and circulation. studio M works carefully and diligently to ensure the space ‘in-between’ is not delegated to ‘left over space’ but meticulously designed as intentional outdoor living and garden spaces.
Circulation is important as well. How people move through the garden is critical in the design of useable and comfortable outdoor living and dining spaces. This project had the challenge of several points of entry to the space from the main house, side yard as well as the ADU. Multiple points of entry can create a criss cross of circulation across the space making it difficult for outdoor rooms to be defined.
Plant combination
The location of the new paving strips, patios and steps ensured easy access through the space. The definition of the paved areas also allowed for multiple arrangements of outdoor furniture making the space flexible over time.
studio M provided full service for their clients on this project which included a Feasibility Study, Schematic Design, Preliminary Pricing (with a con tractor), Design Development, Construction Documents, Permit acquisition and Construction Administration.
