CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Another Way to Work With a Landscape

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:30:20 -0700

Instead of melting into the landscape, the Bridge House, as it's been dubbed, holds its own, literally bridging the ravine it sits above.
This long, sleek home is built on 15 acres of Marin grassland in Northern California. Only 22 feet wide, the two-story, 5,500-square-foot two-level home's innovative design won it an Excellence in Architecture award from the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects last year.

Constructed of steel and glass, the Bridge House was designed by architect Stanley Saitowitz, whose initial design for the home, say the owners of the Bridge House, was different from that of other architects. The owners noted, in an article in Marin magazine, “Previous plans for the property had placed the house high on the hillside to capture the Mount Tam views, but by building on a low point of the property we preserved the rest of the valley for us to look up into.”

For more photos of this home, read more.

View 9 Photos ›

Source

Garden Therapy: A Craftsman Garden

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:00:50 -0700

Lou Dixon, designer and owner of Bio-Friendly Gardens, has a distinctive style, whether he's working on a modern minimalist garden or a tropical California design. I love his use of eco-friendly materials, natural hardscape, and drought-tolerant and native plants in his gardens. Recently, Lou showed me a garden that complements a Craftsman home. Take the tour with me.

View Slideshow ›

Su Casa: Hanako66's Backyard Makeover

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:30:25 -0700

Su Casa member Hanako66 recently put in a lot of work to make her yard and garden shine.

She writes,

These pictures were unfortunately not taken in the spring when everything was in bloom, but will give you an idea of what our yard looks like. I still really need patio chairs too! When my husband and I moved in, the yard was completely dirt. We installed all irrigation, plant material, grass, and our pavers all on our own. My husband even built me a planter for my garden! The only item that we contracted out was our concrete.

I'm impressed by the amount of work Hanako66 and her hubby did. All of that landscaping and building adds up to a lot of weekends! For more pictures of her beautiful outdoor space, read more.

Do you have a home update to share? Then join Su Casa!

View 7 Photos ›

Before and After: Landscape Makeovers From SB Garden Design

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:04 -0800

For over 10 years, Stephanie Bartron and her team at SB Garden Design have been transforming West Coast outdoor spots into livable, lush spaces. With a focus on sustainable residential design, the firm also offers design consulting and garden coaching. See some of the dramatic before and after photos from the firm's portfolio.

View Slideshow ›

Casa Verde: A Coveted California Garden

CasaSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:45:43 -0700

Lou Dixon, owner of Bio-Friendly Gardens, a landscape architecture firm in Berkeley, CA, creates gardens that are both beautiful and eco-friendly. A trained horticulturist, forester, and entomologist, as well as a landscape architect, Lou works in garden styles ranging from modern to Craftsman to traditional Japanese. No matter what garden style Lou works in, however, each of his projects is marked by beauty and consideration for location. Lou recently showed me around his latest project. Check out the slideshow for more photos.

View Slideshow ›

Coveted Crib: Roberto Burle Marx's Tropical Home Turf

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:00:45 -0800

Born in 1909, Brazilian landscape architect and painter Roberto Burle Marx created fascinatingly gorgeous works of art out of plants, many of which were native to Brazil. This landscape architect, whose work is currently being honored through an exhibition at the Paço Imperial Museum in Rio de Janeiro, brought a sense of modernism and high art to landscaping. Many of Marx's artistic ideals are reflected in his home, Santo Antonio da Bica sítio.

While the house dates back to the 16th century, when Marx bought it in 1948, his main use for the home and grounds was to store his collection of plants. When he took it as his main residence, he also added a modern art studio, where he could work on his paintings. The artist and landscape architect lived there from the early '70s until his death. The property was donated to the Brazilian government, and is now a national monument open to visitors.

To find out more about Marx's home as well as to see lots of photos of the property, read more.

In a recent New York Times article, Lauro Cavalcanti, the curator of an exhibition devoted to the work of Roberto Burle Marx, notes that, "Burle Marx created tropical landscaping as we know it today, but in doing so he also did something even greater . . . By organizing native plants in accordance with the aesthetic principles of the artistic vanguard, especially Cubism and abstractionism, he created a new and modern grammar for international landscape design.”

If you're visiting Rio de Janeiro, stop by this 100-acre property, which includes Marx's home and a private chapel (that's open to the public for weddings). Any plant lover will have plenty to be amazed by, since the property boasts over 3,500 plant species, as well as pottery and paintings. Check out the gallery for more images of this gorgeous property.

View 18 Photos ›

Source

Do You Landscape With Tropical Foliage?

CasaSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:15:00 -0700

This moody koi pond, from Josh Schwartz's former home in Los Feliz, benefits from lush, tropical foliage. Do you have any around your home?

On the Market: Sleep in Edward Cullen's Bedroom

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:37:06 -0800

All right, Twilight fans, here's your chance to get a little closer to Edward Cullen. The Vancouver residence that the Cullens inhabit in the New Moon film is for sale for $3.3 million through Soprovich Realty.

The five-bedroom, four-bath home is a modernist's dream, with extensive use of glass and post and beam style throughout the soaring, open spaces. The fantastic views of the surrounding Pacific Northwest landscape only add to this home's considerable charm. According to the realtor's listing,

"The Cullen House" as seen in the recent world-wide hit saga - "Twilight: New moon"!! Arthur Erickson's finest and totally renovated in 2001, this award-winning residence is situated on a private 1/2 acre creekside property nestled amongst a gorgeous greenbelt and towering trees. Tastefully remodeled by Brian Hemingway, this home has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, with the finest detail and quality available.

The home features a private studio with koi pond, concrete, slate, wool carpet, and cherry floors, a chef's kitchen, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, 20-foot-high ceilings, an outdoor pool, and a huge media room overlooking a nearby creek. Absolutely gorgeous, for vampires and humans alike.

Take the complete tour when you read more.

This is not the same house used in Twilight. That house was designed by architect Jeff Kovel of Skylab Architecture. For New Moon, the filming was moved to Vancouver, BC, and the Erickson-designed house, which was also featured in the John Cusack film Martian Child, became the Cullen home for the second film in the Twilight saga.

View 18 Photos ›

In the News: Celebrating the Outdoors in a Manhattan Penthouse

CasaSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:00:49 -0700

What's the first thing you do when you buy a $4 million penthouse in lower Manhattan? If you're Matthew Blesso, you don't move in; instead, you allow two Yale professors to use the space as a giant experimental classroom.
Fred A. Bernstein's recent New York Times article In the Penthouse, a True Garden Apartment, celebrates this collaboration between architect Joel Sanders, landscape architect Diana Balmori, and real estate developer Matthew Blesso. The professors teach a course called Interface that integrates architecture and landscape architecture, the latter of which is often overlooked in projects. And so, with Mr. Blesso’s blessing, the two professors turned his $4 million apartment into an extended classroom. Luckily for all parties involved, the results were more than satisfactory for everyone, with Sanders and Balmori getting their living lab, and Blesso a truly unique living space.

To find out more about this penthouse, read more.

After renovating the penthouse for around $1 million, Blesso moved back in. Now, he performs his morning ablutions at a sink that's overshadowed by a large vertical garden on one wall. Striped dracaena add life to the staircase; outside, an outdoor shower and lush vegetation mingle, and mint plants climb up the bulkhead. The effect is soothing, design-forward, and wild at the same time.

Of course, I can't forget about this home's other design elements. The interior design is also a mix of chic and wilder elements, with products such as Tom Dixon lamps framing a graffiti mural, Livingstones scattered on the sofa and floor, Hans Wegner shell chairs lending a mid-century vibe, and other lovely pieces, which are wonderfully integrated in the home. Blesso, who's currently working on affordable housing developments in Central America, among other projects, definitely has a coveted crib. If you know what's good for you (and your need for real estate eye candy), head over to The New York Times to check out the full slideshow of his home.

Laurie Lambrecht for The New York Times

In Memoriam: Robert Royston

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:58 -0700

Robert Royston, a beloved San Francisco Bay Area landscape architect, died in his Mill Valley home on Friday. He was 90 years old. Mr. Royston brought a modern sensibility to landscape architecture and public park design. He also loved to create public spaces that served the community, and envisioned his parks as beautiful, multifunctional spaces that could be accessible and useful for people of all ages and interests. In this slideshow, take a look at some of his work over the years, from designing backyard gardens to public parks. Source
View Slideshow ›