Design Solutions: A High-Value, Small-Space Landscape

Design Solutions: A High-Value,
Small-Space Landscape

Our challenge was to fit a huge pool, entertaining area, dining area, focal point, and privacy screening into a very small space. Here’s how we handled it.

One of the challenges of developing a ‘signature’ style of landscape design and build is to bring high value to every type and size of project (for more on a ‘signature’ style, click on “Gucci” landscape here.

This was a project we designed in Arizona two years ago. It was a very small space that needed to accommodate a huge pool, entertaining area, dining area that extends from the inside of the house, a focal point, and privacy screening. We wanted the focal point to be viewed from inside the house also. There was an unsightly view we needed to screen.

Our solution was to use somewhat monochromatic stone colors to keep the small space soothing, but use the materials in different patterns and geometric shapes to make them interesting and unique. This is what makes them Gucci!

We developed a simple arbor covered in the same stucco as the house as an inexpensive way of connecting to the house’s architecture, without adding new material that would confuse such as small space.

While one view from the house looks over a golf course, the other unfortunately looked over a public restroom just off the cart path outside the clients’ property.

Our solution was to create a focal point that can be viewed directly from the clients’ great room French doors. By putting the arbor and stucco fence through most of the back yard, and adding a fire/water focal point, the restrooms aren’t even noticed anymore.

The clients can view the focal point from inside the house or outside on their entertainment area. This fire/water pit features copper glass, green glass tiles, and glass rock to reflect both elements of fire and water, while also preserving the arching pattern found elsewhere in the landscape.

Notice the organic arches in the raised planters, the convex arch of muted green glass tiles in the back of the fire pit, and the geometric shapes throughout the pool areas — all of these offer visual stimulation.

For more information on how you can create high-value landscape solutions, plan to attend the Kinman Institute’s upcoming January seminar on “Creating Gucci Landscapes.” Contact us by email: cynthia@kinmaninstitute.com, phone: 614-764-8733, or website: www.kinmaninstitute.com.