Fences

Winka Dubbeldam chose recycled ipe wood for a fence she designed in New York State, because of its oily and dense composition, which can withstand the elements.

The front fence is made from sandblasted stainless-steel rods coated in a protective penetrating sealer. The fence is cantilevered out from a concrete beam below the garden, and the gate retracts into an underground pit. “It’s the first of its type in Australia,” says architect Tony Vella. “It was a work of precision to have these thin rods slide down into the ground through 30mm holes.”

With its vertical wood slats, the garden fence helps unify the main house and the smaller shed.

The fence references the vernacular architecture of the region.

Cox says he and Persin “went on an ipe run” after committing to the material for the deck, using it to build the slatted fence around the backyard. Rainbow Warrior New Zealand flax, a perennial, complements the material, while off-the-shelf pavers helped keep costs down.

The cypresses beyond the ipe fence afford the family privacy.

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.

The cedar fence that surrounds the yard was custom-designed to ensure privacy from all vantage points.

The fence is made from bamboo brooms. Why? “They’re cheap and ready-made,” Sugimoto said.

Carpenter spends a lot of time outside on his rear deck.

This circa-1958 Eichler in Silicon Valley makes a mesmerizing first impression with its combination of ipe wood and neon-yellow resin. A garden, courtesy of landscape designer Bernard Trainor, fosters the illusion of more space.

The living room leads to a private outdoor patio. Before the renovation, the slightly below grade area was in plain sight to passersby, as it lays adjacent to the public walkway into the building. This less-than-ideal setup was addressed in the redesign by adding a slatted cedar perimeter fence, along with tall trees and shrubs. Clever hidden doors conceal patio storage under the entry walkway.

The once-sloping space now has climbing vines, a slatted fence, and foxtail agaves.

During construction, Mariscal’s team adjusted the design to accommodate the boughs of an old pine tree in the backyard. The unique detail imbues the home with a spirit of wabi-sabi—or beauty through imperfection.