Just as the landscape plan responds to the house, the
architecture looks to the garden, literally and figuratively.
"It's hard to imagine now, but, typical of the time, the
original house had almost no way to get outside at the back," says
Owens. "So we gently expanded the house toward the garden to improve
circulation, access, and views."
Another big move was needed to make way for all the
changes. A garage/guesthouse built 20 years ago was picked up and set at
the back end of the service court and given a porch to take advantage of
views into a wooded ravine. "The cost was minimal, considering how
dramatically it opened up the site for better use," says Owens.
Page placed the pool just on the other side of the
tall brick wall enclosing the service court, turning it perpendicular to
the house. At this location, it is close to the kitchen, facilitating
poolside entertaining, with the relocated guesthouse doubling as a pool
house.
A retaining wall opposite makes room for a pool terrace. From there,
steps lead up to the main garden level and its tapis vert, a perfectly flat
expanse of lawn.
"This is where the old pool was, so you can see
what a change there has been," says Page of the broad expanse of
green. "The covered porch added to the house at the end of the long
lawn works as a pivot point between the house and the new garden."
The clients asked that the lawn accommodate a tent to hold up to six tables,
each seating eight. "All the lawn areas have golf course-type
drainage underneath, so even if it has rained for days, you can entertain
immediately," says Page.
