Carriage House Front Yard Social Space

The front yard is right along a gravel road serving just 3 to 4 residences. Nevertheless, it is a road. But that’s where the views are, it’s flat, and there’s good light. There are also windows you can now reach out of from the kitchen to snip herbs from a planter box. Parking is always an issue, and we always have to design considering parking. A bummer sometimes. But we were able to define space with a curving rock wall, and a counterposed oval shaped Flagstone patio. Planting spaces between the two stone elements. Drainage! It’s always about drainage! We had to install two drains and capture the water coming down off of the roof, and down off the mountain, and send it further down the mountain without causing further harm. This Rock wall and the cable topper was the subject of much deliberation until we settled on the right proportions. Both my clients and I knew it was exactly right, and I do believe it so now that I see it built. This is a perfect example of what I love, which is taking a front yard and making it more about how you want to spend your time rather than a vanilla appeal to the neighbors or the passersby- or forgotten but for the maintenance. It’s prime real estate!