Your perfect garden begins with more than just plants—it starts with a purposeful design to create structure that enhances the space. Before planting, a well-thought-out design creates balance and flow, setting the stage for your plants to work their best.

Structure

For this waterfront home, the space can be a more inviting transition. The prominent white garage doors disrupt the symmetry, while the granite curve leads the eye away from the front door.

With the right design will allow the space to better highlight the water view and feel more cohesive, allowing the plants to complement it beautifully.

The Shift

To enhance the space and allow the garden to shine, several changes were made to the design before adding any plants.

  • The garage doors were painted to blend in with the house, replacing the bright white with the same color as the exterior. This lets the white pillars of the portico subtly take center stage.

  • The front door was painted a brighter, lighter blue, allowing it to stand out more while still feeling natural in the palette.

  • The granite curb was repositioned, now guiding the eye toward the front entry rather than the garage. The wider bluestone pathway feels more inviting and allows for better flow, accommodating people walking side by side.

  • White trellises were added, their scale and placement unifying the facade and making the space feel more expansive. Their height also gives the house a more elevated presence.

  • These changes create a more welcoming and balanced design that draws the eye smoothly across the house, making the water view more prominent. Additionally, a shrub blocking the water view was removed, further enhancing the connection to the outdoors.

Golden Mean: Proportional Perfection

There's something inherently pleasing about the proportions that follow the Golden Mean — they simply feel right.

The right side of the house aligns beautifully with these proportions, embodying a sense of balance and harmony. However, the left side presents a challenge: a long, narrow, one-story addition that gives off the impression of a "skinny ranch house."

This is where design can make all the difference. A thoughtfully designed, properly proportioned trellis will bring cohesion, tying the entire facade together.

Why does the Golden Mean work? Because its proportions are timeless. They don’t rely on rigid symmetry, but rather on a natural, balanced rhythm that feels harmonious and satisfying.

Purpose-Driven Design

Design isn’t just about filling space — it’s about creating balance. With a deep understanding of space and proportion, we can transform even the most challenging layouts. Perfect symmetry can be dull, and standard design solutions fall short of true creativity.

Many designers default to the familiar, but standard sizes and cookie-cutter solutions rarely achieve the best results. By working with me, you're investing in a design that is tailored to your space and your needs. When it’s built to my measurements, you’ll experience the satisfaction of a space that feels just right.