Kid-friendly patio-scaping

We helped our client re-imagine their outdoor living space for entertaining, and for their growing family. Besides a new coat of paint, we added new furniture and potted plants.

This corner became an elegant dining area, finished with a wall planter.

Off the patio, we created a small play yard, with temporary toddler fence, sandbox and playhouse. We don’t use artificial turf often, but this was a good place for it, and there’s real grass in the upper yard, too.
Concrete Slab to Garden

Concrete Slab to Garden

The LA Times has run a wonderful feature story about our transformation of concrete slabs into gardens.  More photos can be found in our portfolio (see the “Roseview” garden), showing the garden with its spring and summer flowers.

Here are links to the article and associated items…

Green transformation of gray patios — latimes.com

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Firepits and Outdoor Living

grunbaumblog3Just got these pictures from a happy client. He celebrated the New Year with friends at his fab new pad, designed by Barbara Bestor. This Venice home is designed to evoke “floating clouds” and we played along with cantilevered details in the entry path and patio. In springtime the house will be fronted by a cloud of white flowering trees, too.

In the meantime, these photos reminded me that I haven’t blogged about firepits. I think they are the best “bonus” feature you can add to a garden. Especially in LA, where we often end up outside at parties, even when it’s 50 degrees in December. Plus, nothing makes an evening more magical and relaxing than watching flickering flames dance around.

Add low-voltage lighting, outdoor speakers, and maybe an outdoor TV/Projector, and your garden is ready for nighttime fun.

This home+garden was also featured in the LA Times, here – Barbara Bestor’s ‘floating bungalow’