Landscaping

On the home's east side, the overhang created by the second story volume shades the front door while still allowing morning light into the bedrooms.

“Our drive to have a landscaped garden was for the kids to be able to have a space where they could adventure around the place,” says Natalie. “And part of what we enjoy is being able to sit and admire something that’s so beautiful.” They chose hardy Australian native plants to make the garden easy to maintain with minimal water.

Filled with predominately Australian plants, the garden is easy to look after.

The Cotage

The retouched meadow between the house and its detached garage/guest room was given a stone walking path.

The family spends much more time together in the rear yard since the renovation.

Massive glass folding doors connect the living area to the rear yard.

The 1950 Eichler home in Palo Alto, California, that Ogawa Fisher Architects renovated for a family of five features a cool gray facade punctuated by a bright orange front door.

New concrete pathways, all built by Jake and Antony, are arranged around an artful tool shed, which has a weathered steel wall punched with a pattern from the Faroe Islands in Denmark, where Sigrid is from. “That was a nod to Sigrid’s heritage,” says Bassett. The shed also acts as a privacy screen for the patio below it.

The group continued the weathered steel elements throughout the landscape, designed by friend Catherine Howell, such as in the planter beds at the “afternoon” patio, which faces West.

Villa Visuri fully embraces its site on the shore of the Baltic Sea.

This pergola-covered seating area, complete with hanging chairs, is off the living room.