As soon as they saw this beautiful location, our clients knew this was the perfect spot for building their forever home. Encircled by golden hillsides populated with native oaks, this expansive site sits nestled in a valley, with a seasonal creek flowing through, providing plentiful opportunities for outdoor living for the family and future grandchildren.
Project Name: East Bay Pastoral
Studio Name: David Thorne Landscape Architect
Design Team: David Thorne, Kristina Kessel, Alexis Davis Millar & Nadja Kuhner
Area: Contra Costa County, CA
Year: 2019
Location: Lafayette, CA
Consultants:
Photography Credits: Paul Dyer Photography
The valley floor was large enough to fit the home, as well as spaces for multiple activities including swimming, putting & chipping greens, bocce ball, basketball, fire pits for evening hangouts, quiet reflection, entertaining and gardening.
With a passion for other Mediterranean climes around the world, as well as inspiration from landscapes in the California wine country, the clients envisioned a vineyard and retired-orchard olive trees with wizened and gnarled trunks to add a sense of history. Dozens of new native oaks of varying species and sizes and shrubs native to surrounding chaparral area were planted as a part of the design in addition to an extensive edible garden filled with fruit trees and raised vegetable beds. We focused on low-water-use plant selections wherever possible, and the project benefits from the use of a well, a significant percentage of permeable paving at the driveway, and a large biofiltration planter, which slows down and filters stormwater from roof and paving before joining the drainage system.
One of the most rewarding aspects of working on this complex, multi-year project was collaborating with the greater team. The architect, interior designer, home builder and all the skilled artisans; landscape contractor, pool contractor, vineyard expert, stone mason, water feature creator, putting green specialist… the results of this wonderful synergy speak for themselves.
David Thorne Landscape Architect (DTLA) is a full-service landscape architecture firm with more than 40 years of experience, specializing in custom residential design. We approach each project as a collaboration, resulting in unique landscapes that reflect the personality of our clients while enhancing the architecture of their homes. Our award-winning staff has a wide breadth of experience in the design field, including landscape architecture, fine art, and interiors. Pairing these disciplines with seasoned project management and a deep knowledge of gardening and plants completes the skill set we bring to each and every project. We have established a strong network of design professionals, contractors, arborists, horticultural gardeners, engineers, and other artisans and professionals who share similar values of exemplary service and quality and can assemble the right team of collaborators needed for each project. The exceptional standards of landscape architecture we bring to our craft combined with our commitment to sustainability result in timeless exteriors that can be enjoyed for years to come.
