Urban Yards
These neighbouring urban homes had been refreshed
on the inside and needed renewal on the outside.
The original concrete stairs were deteriorating; the narrow, shared drive was too narrow to unload passengers or groceries from even the smallest car.
Inspired by the garden design of the first neighbour, the second neighbour wanted a unique, but complementary design.
Coordination and cooperation resulted in a unified look; much more room for unloading a car; and construction savings.
The slope of the yards was a particular challenge with these properties, so terraces were formed by building retaining walls, whose appearance will be softened over time by cascading evergreens.
Before: Steeply sloped yards; a shared, narrow driveway; and deteriorating concrete steps.
After: Colourful, complementary gardens...The yard on the left is terraced; the yard on the right has a patio with seating. The lower part of the driveway — with its integrated walkways — now allows safe unloading of people and packages off the busy road.
Before: An overgrown garden and crumbling steps.
After: Orderliness and year-round colour.
Before: An overgrown garden and crumbling steps.
After: Easy-climb stairs and landings, and a new, wider driveway.
Before: A narrow driveway, tired garden, dying tree, and crumbling steps.
After: A built-in planter, stairs to a patio, and a garden below.
Before: Crumbling and awkward stairs adjacent to the porch.
After: Built-in planter and steps to the patio.
Before: The view from the porch to street.
After: A built-in planter provides new foreground.
Before: View to the south.
After: A patio with a garden to frame the view.
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