ARCHITECTURE ON DISPLAY A GUIDE TO OUTSIDE-IN DESIGN
As we gear up to enjoy the wonderful weather that comes with spring, it’s time to think about sprucing up our outdoor spaces to spend time with our loved ones, furry friends, or spend a relaxing afternoon enjoying a refreshing cocktail.
Whether you’re taking on your first outdoor project in a new home or sprucing up an existing outdoor garden, here are some ways to ensure the architecture of your own home shines in the spring sun.
“Architecture has a uniqueness to it that you can feel, see, and taste. I want the landscape to carry that feeling, that look, and that taste throughout the gardens. I want the design to be connective and I don’t want to fight it; I want the design to be an ally of the architecture.” – Lanson B. Jones
Mirroring and Patterning Throughout
Remain true to your home’s architecture and don’t fight with it. To bring out the beauty of your home and accentuate every detail, find key features on the exterior and interior of your home and incorporate them into the gardens to create a seamless blend between the two spaces. This will help you create the feel of an expanded space for you to enjoy year after year.
Formal and Informal Balancing
The concept of formal and informal balancing is about incorporating the right amounts of rigidity and softness in a garden. Sometimes the landscape inherits the sharp feature of the home’s architecture; soften it up with looser plant material.
Elevation Changes
Set your home’s architecture on a stage! A change in elevation can really highlight your home’s architectural beauty; move the eye from a low elevation up by using stairs or terracing and really put your home on display.
“The things that are really important are strong visual relationships from indoor rooms to the outdoors. Developing a garden on an axis, on big beautiful French doors, dining room or living rooms. So, the outdoor space a has a view relationship from the inside out.” – Jim Jech
Lanson Jones and Jim Jech have been practicing Landscape Architecture in the Houston area for over 38 years. Both classically trained landscape architects began their careers training under Johnny Steele, formerly of McDugald-Steele. Their extensive knowledge and expertise allow them to create award-winning landscape designs that transform properties and delight the eye.
Stay tuned for the next issue in our series, ‘Architecture on Display’ a guide to respecting your home’s architecture.