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Part 1 – Veals Residence, Kentucky – Landscape Design
July 8th, 2009  |  18 Comments

Part 1 – Veals Residence, Kentucky – Landscape Design (PDF)

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  • Volker

    inspired by Koenig I did a little sketch for the outside:
    - the trees in the south will will shadow the patio
    - the trees in the north will reflect the southern light and therefore light up the north facade
    - the outside dining will get morning light
    - the private patio will be nice and private in the afternoon and night
    - the step stones will make it possible to access the rear but will point out that this is a private space

    [img]shWeek20Kopie.jpg[/img]

  • James Scott

    Right on the northeast corner of our house we have maple tree that provides some great shade in the summer. Thinking Kentucky is pretty similar to Southern Ontario Ii could see this as a very popular spot during the hot summers.

  • John Brown

    Volker,
    Nice plan. The element I think most noteworthy is the use of the stepping stones on the side of the house. You are absolutely correct in noting that one of the key design issues is allowing access to the garage from the front while still maintaining the sense of privacy.

  • Terri

    Since the house is at grade, I chose to put flagstone or slate all around it from side to side–only the front is grass (indicated by the lurid green spraypaint!).

    There are taller hedge-height trees around most of the perimeter, except the very South side where there’s not much space. A couple of medium height and larger trees help define the lounging spaces, and also provide necessary shade and privacy.

    Between the front entrance and the carport is a 5 ft wall (or fence) above which will hang a couple of flowering or vine baskets. A gate separates the back from the front walk, and a pergola extends over the walkway between the carport and the fence (the carport will have to have the same material as the new fence to complete this enclosed space). The pergola extends all the way to the end of the house. This structure will help to shade the large glass doors of the master bedroom on the hot West side, yet the patio itself will rely on shade from trees. I’ve included a cooling tub on this side (used the table symbol so it could be confusing!), but if the Veals wanted to deal with pond upkeep, this is an ideal location. There’s room for lounging furniture too (just no room to draw it in).

    The East patio shows lounge furniture since it is adjacent to the main living space, I thought it would be most wanted here. A smaller table w. chairs may be put in front of the living room doors for dining outdoors.

    [img]Vealsgar.jpg[/img]

  • Paul C

    I had always thought that the space behind the carport was the logical spot for the outdoor room and so to that end I revamped the interior to focus on that area. Now while this home is somewhat inward focused, who knows maybe the street is a truck route :-)

    [img]vealsls.jpg[/img]

  • Paul C

    Yikes!!
    After posting that image ^ I noticed that the exterior hard surface is a lovely battleship grey. Clearly that was not the intent. Some serious thought would need to be had to soften that potential heat sink. My apologizes.

  • John Brown

    Terri,
    I like the idea of the running vines on the back wall of the carport. It would go a long way to softening the feel of that wall.

    Paul,
    I like your use of the wheel runs instead of the driveway. They are a great way to reduce the visual impact of a double car drive as well as reduce the amount of impervious surface to reduce the amount of rain water runoff that drains to the storm sewers.

  • Louis Pereira

    Hi Everyone – You didn’t think i would miss a Landscape Design discussion did ya?…(I’m really missing my daily slowhome fix but trying desperately to catch up on my own projects…so hopefully soon!)

    Anyway, just wanted to comment that i love all the ideas posted thus far – from Volker’s engaging stepping stone path over water to the west terrace (nice graphics), Terri’s pergola dividing the carport and house (brilliant) and Paul’s expansive indoor/outdoor room!

    Using Paul’s graphic (hope that’s ok!), i was going to suggest a large shade tree south of the ‘wine/coffee patio’ to provide some shade relief at approx. midday. Adding six mid-size deciduous flanking the ‘outdoor movie room’ with an overhead canopy could provide not only a more intimate surrounding but would also mitigate heat gain along the west wall into the Dining/Kitchen areas…

    Second Image: belzbergarchitects.com

    [img]090708a.bmp[/img][img]090708b.bmp[/img]

  • Louis Pereira

    Hmmm…try again.

    [img]090708a.jpg[/img]

  • John Brown

    Louis,
    It is really good to hear from you again.

    Great image from Belzberger Architects. I saw something similar last week in Los Angeles at the Beverley Hilton hotel. They were projecting black and white movies on this large blank white box that cantilevered over the bar and swimming pool. They weren’t to be viewed as much as set a mood. It was pretty cool. Thanks to you and Paul for the idea that it could be applied to a residential setting.

  • Grace

    Wonderful plans! I love the the stepping stones/’river’, the ivy and trellis, and –wow– the outdoor theater.
    I’ve been very busy the last couple of weeks (and still) with family visiting.
    John, I hope you get to briefly comment on last week’s posts when you continue your catching up.

  • Grace

    and the wheel tracks instead of a hardtop drive–what a great idea!

  • James Scott

    After watching the Slow Home Team in action I can never look at my own home the same way again…so many terrific ideas and incites. Kudos to everyone.

    I like the opposing ideas or opportunities available between having the bedrooms at the front or rear of the home. Though I would say from experience that the bedrooms at the rear of the house would be more quiet. Particularly during the seasons when it is comfortable to have the windows open at night. surely this would depend on the neighbourhood as well.

    I know I’m back stepping a bit but one comment that I would like feedback on is regarding the second bedroom in Paul’s plan. I have read somewhere that in rooms such as this that the foot of the bed should face the door. I’m sure it was in the Fung Shui mania phase of a few years back. Any thoughts?

  • James Scott

    To ask just a bit more, does anyone subscribe or include concepts such as feng shui or vastu in their plans?

    John – have you had any of your clients approach you with this in mind when designing a project? If so, how did that collaboration play out?

  • Paul C

    Louis, that’s funny, with this particular exercise I was thinking today of posting an “all points posting” where’s Louis?? Welcome back and glad to hear you are still following along. Missing your insight and wealth of precedence’s.

  • John Brown

    James,
    I hope that others will also throw in their thoughts on your provocative question.

    I have a great deal of respect for the design traditions of other times and places and I believe that they provide valuable insights and guidelines. In my professional experience there was a time, several years ago when they were more “top of mind” in our popular culture, that the occasional client would ask if we could incorporate these ideas into their house. I always declined, however, because as no one in our office is part of the deep cultural context in which they emerged I felt that we could only work at a very superficial level that would not do them justice.

  • Kevin W

    Hi all,

    Just to provide some insight into James’ feng shui question…there are many principles involved in bed placement in relation to the room and the door.

    The bed should sit as far from the door as possible, allowing any entrants to be seen immediately. This minimizes being startled, and enhances a feeling of control over one’s life.

    The position of the bed should allow the sleeper(s) the widest possible view of the room, concurrent with having a broad view of one’s life.

    The sleeper should have a direct line-of-sight to the door, which symbolically allows the sleeper to visualize/prepare for everything that’s coming in life.

    Finally, the bed should not be in a direct physical path with the entryway (i.e. the foot of the bed should not directly face the door; this is symbolically linked to the entrant looking down upon a grave). Chi entering the door would run too powerfully up the middle of the bed, which is undesirable.

    I am by no means a feng shui expert, but some of these insights have been passed down to me by my parents and grandparents.

    Thanks to everyone for their posts as well…very enjoyable exercises!

  • John Brown

    Kevin,
    Thanks for the summary regarding the feng shui of bed placement. It is interesting how rooted it is in common sense planning.

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