Timeless Curb Appeal
Quick Details
Timeless stone retaining walls
Custom iron handrail
Concrete paver porch and stairs
Shade-tolerant plantings
Paver patio
Landscape lighting
Flagstone paths
Timeless Curb Appeal
This beautiful Grant Park home landscape renovation was cleverly redesigned while thinking outside the box. Parking and privacy were an issue in the front yard. The front entry walkway of the home spilled out on a street adjacent to a school, where parking was competitive. Since the home was situated on a corner lot, we were able to redesign the front entry walkway to connect with the adjacent street with a perfectly selected paver, where parking was more abundant. Additionally, a hedge was installed to improve privacy along the school-side of the home where the front entry walkway was once located. Architectural details were considered in the custom handrail for the front entry porch. A timeless and beautiful stone wall built with locally quarried gray basalt replaced a boring grassy slope and improved security to the home. The lawn was replaced with a beautiful but simple array of shade-tolerant trees, shrubs and ground covers. In the back, a large, decaying porch was replaced with a smaller paver porch and stairs creating access to the back patio. By moving the gathering destination from up high on a porch to down into the landscape, privacy was greatly improved and the flow into the lawn area became seamless. A custom awning was installed above the new, western-facing sliding glass doors, providing shade in the interior of the home and on the patio. Simple but thoughtful landscape lighting was installed to provide security and safety and to accentuate the beautiful residence at night.
Before Photos
Prior to the renovation, the front entry stairs spilled onto the busy side of the corner-lot home. The new walkway was moved to the less-busy side. The old lawn provided little interest, curb appeal or depth to the front yard. It was removed, along with unwanted plantings while carefully protecting three very old Japanese Maples. A large Laurel hedge, although interesting, was a potential place and thus a safety and security hazard. It was removed and access to the side yard through a gate was moved further away from the public sidewalk.
This historic, old home’s back porch was also historic, and needed replacing. The stone tiles on it were beginning to pop and the porch columns were leaning. Because it was elevated, it also put those that were enjoying the space “on stage” above the height of the six-foot cedar fence surrounding the backyard. Also, the existing back doors were repetitive (they had one more than they actually needed). By reducing the entry point into the back of the home to just one area and replacing the other area with windows, a smaller porch landing creating access to the backyard could be built. The new patio was installed flush with the back lawn, improving privacy and the flow of the space.
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