Exterior Design Archives

Global-Inspired DEDON & A Rich Cultural Spirit for Outdoor Exuberance

Jenn Thornton September 3, 2020

The true beauty of DEDON—aside from its artisan, raw-materials aesthetic—is how the global producer’s handcrafted outdoor furnishings and accessories are so perfectly at home nearly

Woolworth Building, Woolworth Tower Residences, Alchemy Properties, New York, New York City, Tribeca,

Alchemy Properties Goes Next-Level with Woolworth Tower Residences

Jenn Thornton June 24, 2020

The Woolworth Tower Residences gives rise to one of the more enticing real estate opportunities that one might imagine. That is, to own a piece

Uncontrived, lush with exotica and featuring ponds and porticos, stonework and sculpture, “garden” actually seems too provincial a term for the hybrids of function and fantasy that Grace creates. Hers is a fine eye and a remarkable hand. “As a licensed landscape contractor, I build what I design,” she says. “That’s when my work took a big leap forward. There is no separation between design, installation, and maintenance, it’s all one and happens on a continuum. Unless it’s integrated, it doesn’t work—period.” This is how she thinks too, both pragmatically and painterly. Much like an artist, she uses “broad and fine brushstrokes” to transform a two-dimensional canvas into a three-dimensional work of art. And in a systematic fashion; first is attending to infrastructure beneath the ground, then to its surface with the layering of elements. Rocks, for instance, are not so much placed as they are selected and then worked such that their shadows will cause additional depth or bring color forward. From there the garden grows. One also sees this artistry in Grace’s exquisite new tome Private Gardens of Santa Barbara: The Art of Outdoor Living (Gibbs Smith), a rapturous showcase of her elegant outdoor Edens, from rustic to coastal to modern. Each of the book’s made-to-age milieus represents a temple of residential garden know-how and is illustrative of nonderivative design that reflects the character of the native landscape. “The Art of Outdoor Living” idea certainly accounts for the substantial exterior living rooms and heated floors of our era. “About 10 percent of outdoor living comes down to ‘my fort is cooler than your fort,’” Grace refreshingly confesses. But at the root, “it is a way to describe a lifestyle connected to nature.” For Grace, who went from toiling in the family garden to forsaking a career in medicine after a 13-week stint as a park ranger proved she’d long lost her heart to the natural world, this is the point. “Step outside and you hear birdsong, you smell water evaporating. It’s a rich and simple experience, but relaxed and comfortable. We take a deep breath and feel better. It’s so automatic we don’t even think of it, but it is a very profound thing. It’s experiential, there is intentionality to it.” Landscape as soul, nature as a relief—what a thing of beauty. gracedesignassociates.com Photos: Grace Design Associates And Holly Lepere Johnson (Home).

A Lush New Tome: Margie Grace Cultivates Exquisite Gardens

Jenn Thornton May 14, 2020

Landscape designer and author of a lush new tome, Margie Grace cultivates exquisite gardens with singular flora and flourish.

Venice Design Series 2020

Wendy Bowman March 5, 2020

From a tour of the iconic architecture in the bohemian beach community of Venice to a glimpse inside the studios of some of L.A.’s emerging

Designers To Watch—Egg Collective and O&G Studio

Jenn Thornton January 22, 2020

At the forefront of this movement, Egg Collective and O&G Studio are innovating all categories, honestly and sustainably, with a reverence for art and nature.

Heath Ceramics: A Cabin As A Physical Extension

Jenn Thornton January 8, 2020

For the last seven years, Cathy and Robin have transformed a modest 1973 Tahoe cabin into their personal retreat. Now, this humble space—prioritizing simple, beautiful

Jeff Stimpfig Discusses Starting JDS Outdoor Designs

Wendy Bowman December 17, 2019

After following in the footsteps of a family rife with talented designers, artists and architects, Jeff Stimpfig has naturally emerged as one of Southern California’s

Harbour Outdoor Brings New Martyn Lawrence Bullard Outdoor Furniture Collection

Karine Monié August 7, 2019

For the English-born Los Angeles-based designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, with the celebrity following, deep seating is one of the keys to achieving that level of

Jeff Stimpfig of JDS Outdoor Designs Discusses Artistry & Exterior Design

DIGS April 18, 2019

Jeff Stimpfig of JDS Outdoor Designs discusses inspiration around pool and spa builds, irrigation, potting and lighting installations, outdoor kitchens and dining areas, larges pergolas

Caroline Burke—Flexibility, Practicality & Classic Beauty

Constance Dunn April 18, 2019

“If you watch little children, and see what they’re doing at a very young age,” says designer Caroline Burke, “it’s probably what they should be

SAOTA On the Water: A Miami Family Home Functioning As One

Karine Monié April 18, 2019

Designed by SAOTA, the building was created as a self-contained, multi-layered landscape of experiences. The house offers views of the India Creek Canal towards the

Harmonious Living with Nature in Malibu with Alexander Design

Karine Monié November 21, 2018

Although Vanessa Alexander started her career in the entertainment industry—working in the field for several years—it is not by chance that she took the leap