The problem this Memorial-Houston homeowner faced was that her sumptuous contemporary home, an austere series of interconnected cubes of various sizes constructed from white stucco, black steel and glass, did not have the proper landscaping frame. It was out of scale. Imagine Robert Motherwell's "Black on White" painting without the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston's generous expanse of white walls surrounding it. It would still be magnificent but somehow...off. Intuitively, the homeowner realized this issue and started interviewing landscape designers. After talking to about 15 different designers, she finally went with one, only to be disappointed with the results. From the across-the-street neighbor, she was then introduced to Exterior Worlds and she hired us to correct the newly-created problems and more fully realize her hopes for the grounds. "It's not unusual for us to come in and deal with a mess. Sometimes a homeowner gets overwhelmed with managing everything. Other times it is like this project where the design misses the mark. Regardless, it is really important to listen for what a prospect or client means and not just what they say," says Jeff Halper, owner of Exterior Worlds. Since the sheer size of the house is so dominating, Exterior Worlds' overall job was to bring the garden up to scale to match the house. Likewise, it was important to stretch the house into the landscape, thereby softening some of its severity. The concept we devised entailed creating an interplay between the landscape and the house by astute placement of the black-and-white colors of the house into the yard using different materials and textures. Strategic plantings of greenery increased the interest, density, height and function of the design. First we installed a pathway of crushed white marble around the perimeter of the house, the white of the path in homage to the house’s white facade. At various intervals, 3/8-inch steel-plated metal strips, painted black to echo the bones of the house, were embedded and crisscrossed in the pathway to turn it into a loose maze. Along this metal bunting, we planted succulents whose other-worldly shapes and mild coloration juxtaposed nicely against the hard-edged steel. These plantings included Gulf Coast muhly, a native grass that produces a pink-purple plume when it blooms in the fall. A side benefit to the use of these plants is that they are low maintenance and hardy in Houston’s summertime heat. Next we brought in trees for scale. Without them, the impressive architecture becomes imposing. We placed them along the front at either corner of the house. For the left side, we found a multi-trunk live oak in a field, transported it to the property and placed it in a custom-made square of the crushed marble at a slight distance from the house. On the right side where the house makes a 90-degree alcove, we planted a mature mesquite tree. To finish off the front entry, we fashioned the black steel into large squares and planted grass to create islands of green, or giant lawn stepping pads. We echoed this look in the back off the master suite by turning concrete pads of black-stained concrete into stepping pads. We kept the foundational plantings of Japanese yews which add green, earthy mass, something the stark architecture needs for further balance. We contoured Japanese boxwoods into small spheres to enhance the play between shapes and textures. In the large, white planters at the front entrance, we repeated the plantings of succulents and Gulf Coast muhly to reinforce symmetry. Then we built an additional planter in the back out of the black metal, filled it with the crushed white marble and planted a Texas vitex, another hardy choice that adds a touch of color with its purple blooms. To finish off the landscaping, we needed to address the ravine behind the house. We built a retaining wall to contain erosion. Aesthetically, we crafted it so that the wall has a sharp upper edge, a modern motif right where the landscape meets the land.

©Judy Watson Tracy Photography
オーランドにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Hinter dem modernen Holzgebäude in Meerbusch befindet sich ein großer Gartenbereich
デュッセルドルフにある巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

他の地域にあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

With the careful use of a few simple but massive walls, the house, its adjacent grounds, and the site are organized into four simple quadrants for approach, arrival, entertaining and privacy. Each quadrant affords its own special views across the varied landscape. An aperture in the wall separating the entry from the private bedroom quarter frames a view of the garden in the foreground and a typical western New York meadow in the background. Photo: Ben Rahn

Project Completion The property is an amazing transformation. We've taken a dark and formerly disjointed house and broken down the rooms barriers to create a light and spacious home for all the family. Our client’s love spending time together and they now they have a home where all generations can comfortably come together under one roof. The open plan kitchen / living space is large enough for everyone to gather whilst there are areas like the snug to get moments of peace and quiet away from the hub of the home. We’ve substantially increased the size of the property using no more than the original footprint of the existing house. The volume gained has allowed them to create five large bedrooms, two with en-suites and a family bathroom on the first floor providing space for all the family to stay. The home now combines bright open spaces with secluded, hidden areas, designed to make the most of the views out to their private rear garden and the landscape beyond.

Mark Singer
ロサンゼルスにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

ダラスにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

サンディエゴにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Back Elevation
ヒューストンにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Daniel Grill Images, LLC
マイアミにある巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Front Elevation UNEEK PHotography
オーランドにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング、緑化屋根) の写真

ラスベガスにある巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング、マルチカラーの外壁) の写真

Render esterno facciata principale della villa
ローマにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング、マルチカラーの外壁) の写真

Back Elevation
ヒューストンにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

More Core Construction: Just Roof it! Just Completed this Camara Slate Roof with 6 inch 1/2 round zinc gutters, seiger snow guards, and a lead coated copper dormer Photo by Lou Handwerker

サンタバーバラにあるラグジュアリーな巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Entry gate with striated marble wall, painted brick and walnut louvers
オレンジカウンティにある高級な巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真

Front Yard, Modern Yard
サクラメントにある巨大なモダンスタイルのおしゃれな家の外観 (漆喰サイディング) の写真