Backyard

Multiple seating areas extend the livable area of the home outside, providing space for dining, socializing, and play.

A view of the new kitchen wing. “We weren’t trying to mimic Russell’s architecture, but we were trying to be sympathetic to the structure and the materiality in our additions and renovations,” says Brillhart.

Another view from the same courtyard.

Garden

Garden with mature landscaping growing fruit, vegetables and flowers

Rear garden

The side walls have been treated as vertical extension of the horizontal surface of the garden, and are used for growing climbers such as jasmine, grapes, honeysuckle, raspberries, beans, peas, and even a climbing fig. Colorful bird’s houses and bug hotels are also mounted on the walls.

A vast terrace overlooks a nearby park, while the ground floor patio (connected to Vanbesien’s office) opens up to a garden.

A healthy budget for landscaping allowed Leah to achieve a natural, wild look with plants. “I wanted to look out and see just lush plants growing wild,” she says. The collage of native vegetation was also used to soften the transitions between surface materials and backyard zones.

Chickens foraging in an enclosed garden with vertical planters.

Courtyard featuring the Live Oak Tree. The neutral tones on the homes exterior act as a canvas to nature showing a play of light on the exterior of the home throughout the day

The yard is at the lowest elevation on the property, and was carved out to have a place for the family to play and relax. The turf is by Heavenly Greens. The space features clear heart cedar boards with a reactive stain by Weatherwood Stains. The 30 foot green wall in implemented in segments and features built in drip irrigation. The mirrored solar reflector, which appears to have just dropped out of planetary orbit, grabs southern light and reflects it into the home and exterior spaces.

Underneath the raised deck, a play structure was formed out of vertical grain cedar slats. Punched openings reveal the playfulness, and is topped by a glass guard with button clips and large starphire glass panels. The modeled, integral color stucco carries the industrial feel from the inside to the outside, and the Weatherwood Stain on the cedar finishes this look.

Backyard

In the back, ivy climbs across the garage’s raw cedar cladding next to a gate that allows access to the laneway—but the boys prefer to climb the fence.

McLean chose artificial turf for the front yard, where Hana Bea and her sister, Pilar, 9, play as Sharen looks on.