Dream House

Some examples of “Dutch Wave” planting in Piet Oudolf’s garden in Hummelo (2018) and in the Vlinderhof (butterfly garden) in Máximapark in Utrecht.

The Roof Garden at Miens Ruys Garden, as seen here in a photograph from the 1980s, makes abundant use of soft plantings surrounded by hardscaping and incorporates raised beds.

The kitchen garden at the Mien Ruyns garden, shown here in 1981, was maintained by Piers van der Stadt, another Dutch landscape architect who worked alongside Ruyns for years.

The team cleverly created “little pockets for the family’s dogs to be secure and be safe in,” says Graham. By the fire pit, the team kept natural rocks with moss. A boundary fence was painted black and covered with mesh panels so that leaves could poke through. “We didn't want it to look completely engineered; we still wanted it to look natural and subtle.”

In the front lawn, a water feature was installed, “which we saw as an opportunity to emulate the cascading creek and downstream river,” says Graham. “It was carved on-site from a boulder that we craned in.” The plants are 90% native to Sydney, including the bed of pink flowers called kangaroo paws.

Not every client-designer relationship would have thrived under such extreme circumstances, but Dovey credits Sarah and Ben’s attitude for the project’s success. “They were observant and thoughtful, and really took the time to ask all the right questions,” says Dovey. “In the end, it went so well just because of the great relationships.”

In their query letter, Ben and Sarah were clear that they wanted a home that could accommodate all of life’s messes. “We don't want a white display kitchen that only looks good when it's clean and not in use. We want our kitchen to be able to work hard. We love to cook and when we do, there are usually lots of things on the go and a mess being made.”

After staying in a tree house listed on Airbnb, Remo Kommnick and Emi Moore wanted their own getaway in the woods. "It was amazing being up in the trees,

With input from her clients, Barensfeld used a computer to generate the circular patterns that were carved into a pair of Cor-Ten steel screens with a water-jet cutter. The perforations allow light and the green of the surrounding Koi bamboo to filter into the space while preserving privacy.

A small terrace outfitted with an H55 easy chair by Björn Hultén offers a view of the San Francisco Bay.