Cabin front landscaping - what should i do with this?
Rachelle Plantagenet
11 months ago
last modified: 11 months ago
Hi Houzz community, I have a design dilemma and need some help please.
I have built this small cabin and am at a loss on how to tie this in with the rest of the yard. The space seems to lend itself to loose pavers on pebbles somehow to bring it up to the entrance level... but since the existing pavers and decking are so old I am wondering if the whole area needs a revamp!
The pics below show the current state (I am painting the fence at the moment). There is a small concrete area on the right which leads on the deck. There are old square pavers on the left leading to the back doors and gate. The cabin itself sits on a concrete slab which is the same height as the pavers on the left. There is also a curved redish brick area with wood border which connects the paved area to the deck.
Any ideas for the front of the cabin would be very appreciated!
Thank you so much
Rachelle
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What could I do to improve this front landscaping?
Comments (10)i agree with brent - those junipers really aren't the right scale for that space. Besides, they are too stiff next to those soft Japanese maples. Please consider removing them altogether. The peninsula-like space with the birch should certainly be wider - consider carving out the grass between the birch and the junipers to create a smoother, more natural curve. You might consider some low growing evergreen and deciduous shrubs and perennials in place of the junipers. You don't want to block the view to your front door, rather, to enhance it. Perhaps even some containers which you can change out with the seasons to add another interest to the entrance. Which Japanese maple is that? I don't have a problem with it in that location if it is a dwarf form (it looks like there may be two of them there)or if it is a tree form you can limb it up in time as it grows. It could be a very nice focal point to the left of your entry - I wouldn't worry too much about blocking the bay window a bit - most people keep the shades down in the front of their house for privacy - it looks like you have shutters there anyway. Try walking around your neighborhood for ideas and inspiration. You don't have to be cookie cutter in style to fit in but often you'll get a sense of what does well in your area....See MoreWhat should I do about this front door?
Comments (21)Well as for dated, this place was built in 1980 in the Spanish Mission style popular in California. It's a historical look, done with typical 1980's lack of attention to detail. For example the light fixtures are hideous and not at all "spanish mission". But I think trying to stay consistent with the intended style would look best - and "real" Spanish Mission homes have usually natural very heavy wood doors with or without iron grates, often ornate. Even window bars are common as a decorative element not for security. So I'm not really trying to update or modernize the place! Obviously this would look too grandiose for our modest townhouse, but this is the style the builders were going for. This one is more similar in scale and feel Maybe all black would work I was afraid it would look too stark. Here is a mockup of all black - of course there would be features visible and shadows/reflections etc so this is not a great mockup. Here are some pictures I took just now from back near the gate- early evening sun was glaring in making the lighting difficult for pictures since I only know how to point and shoot, LOL! But it really illustrates how the door disappears as is. here is the same pic with the door black and green - it's hard to photoshop the correct green because it looks different in all lights. I just cloned the color from the trim. It's basically a forest green with blue undertones. You can see the other plants in the urns a bit better from this angle. Of course the plants are all brand new and will grow much bigger and fuller. I am looking for some wall mounted planters for the open spaces, too....See MoreLandscape - What Should I Do
Comments (23)Beth H., thank you. We bought a firestick plant this morning. Gee, when we had it in the car, it felt like we were breathing in cayenne pepper despite being wrapped up in a bag. We live in Nevada, and was told no Mesquite trees because they create deep roots in search of water and thus can cause foundation damage eventually. We also like the suggestion from Groveraxle as well and we are looking to get a few large Golden Barrel Cactus too. Irene Morresey provided us a design for a paving stone path too. Lastly, we appreciate the comments from everyone on here as we are just not creative enough on how to fix our yard. We really love Houzz, with the various discussions/forums, and their furniture, which we also purchased. We'll be checking in everyday, and once we get started, and will post some final photos. Thank you everyone!...See MoreFront decor/landscape for cabin
Comments (4)I agree with the prior poster regarding adding perenials. My concern about the advice of "eliminating the railing on the porch" is that I tripped off one of those seemingly innocent decks and ended up with a sprained ankle and two weeks in a shoe boot. Some of us are a clumsy ox and wouldn't do well without the simple protections in life! Think about clumsy people, children, elderly, and disabled when designing (universal design). A user friendly and well designed earth is a great one! A recommendation I would give is to ditch the grass altogether and look into clover lawn covering, xeriscaping, or Japanese gardening....See More- PRO
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Rachelle Wilkes
11 months agoRachelle Plantagenet
11 months agoRachelle Plantagenet
10 months agoI've taken a little inspiration from Celery's post and made a path (with railway sleepers) so far. I will work on the side part and place plants as suggested and am trying to get a professional to pave the rest . Thanks so much.
ffpalms
10 months agoRachelle Plantagenet
10 months ago
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