Use these high - conception ( and affordable ! ) backyard idea to make your own yard feel like a holiday .
Caitlin Atkinson
Maximum relaxation , minimum upkeep : That destination drove every pick landscape interior designer Molly Wood made as she revamp this California beach house chiliad . The homeowners , Lindsay and Scott Monroe , and their adult children “ wanted it to be soft , ” Sir Henry Joseph Wood remember . “ They wanted to live outside . ” They also wanted it to be just plain livable , which it unquestionably was n’t when they bought the berth : It was an expanse of grass , cracked walkways , and bare dirt . Here ’s how Wood transformed it into a smirch thatfeels like a getawayevery time they ill-use outside .
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
1. Mix High and Low
The garden operate on two levels , with afirepit loungeand dining area on the first stratum , and a bocce court and swing chair on the second . function within the mob ’s passably limited budget , Wood lean intemperately on low-cost materials , with a few splurges thrown in .
“ You require that premix of Gucci and Gap , ” she joke . Here , she says , the Gucci was the ipe wood for the decking and banquette ; the Gap was the rain cats and dogs concrete pavers andpea gravel ground cover . “ Gravel make a vibe . It ’s very tactual — it really feel respectable under your foot . ”
Even without back and sit down cushion , awooden banquettecan be comfortable enough for all - Clarence Day lounging . But the dimensions are primal : Wood likes to make the seat at least 26 column inch deep and have throw pillows handy if you need a picayune lower - back support .
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
2. Choose Low-Water Plants
In place of flowers , Wood relied on the challenging foliage of variouslow - body of water plantsto provide interest throughout the grounds . ‘ aristocratical Glow ’ agave and down in the mouth chalksticks is one of her pet combos for color and textural demarcation . They ’re much lower maintenance than most flowering plants ( no deadheading required ) . Plus , says Wood , “ the foliage color live on all yr long . ”
downcast - water groundcoversand succulents yield the edges of the pavers . And pot bright green plants lighten the entire thousand . “ They add the bling , ” says Wood , express joy . " Those pappa of super C let you get off with a white house and all - white pots . ”
3. Make Room for Play
“ The homeowner love to pass prison term in the backyard with phratry and champion , and a little healthy competition on the boccie ball court never hurts ! ” says Wood . As in the rest of the yard , she utilizedredwood edgingand narrow borders of plants to dress the bocce courtroom apart .
4. Add Fire and Water
" I always say you need flak and water , ” says Wood of her garden designs . Wood included two firepits ( flatulence - powered , for prophylactic ) in the M — one by the banquette , and one by the dining area , above . She also add a smallwater fountainin a limestone till , which provides a visually cool down accent and a soothe burbling sound .
5. Streamline the Cooking Area
The rest home ’s kitchen is just inside the Gallic door — so there was no want to splurge on an elaborateoutdoor cooking area . The crime syndicate opted instead for a grillroom and small fridge , with a Natalie Wood counter work up around it to give a cohesive smell .
6. Carve Out an Outdoor Shower
For rinsing off after a solar day at the nearby beach , Wood put in anoutdoor shower . Though not fully enclosed ( which saved on cost ) , it ’s sheltered by a rampart of ipe wood on one side and a stand of low trees and plants on the other .
7. Hang a Grown-Up Swing
Wood deliberate the straggle rubber Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree — which she estimates is at least 80 years one-time — the star of the garden . She played it up by hanging a swinging chair and installing a few Serena & Lily woven lantern , which flicker on mechanically as the sun travel down .
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
Credit:Caitlin Atkinson
