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MJDDS wrote wrote this article for BEACH CITIES STYLES magazine
THE CONTINUITY OF YOUR CASTLE
Whether indoor or out there are many things to consider when making your property yours. One thing to remember is not to separate the home from your surrounding property “the garden”. They should work together like hand and glove.
Three main points to consider:
1. Your entry is where you greet people – it should give your best "first impression". It should say
"Welcome".
2. Tie-in your property – from the front entry through the house into the back and side yards.
3. Your property should say "YOU" all over it; from the materials used to the layout and style allowing
people to taste some of your passions.
Number one is your front entry. Yes, you want to wow your friends, family, and even the infrequent acquaintance or stranger. Not just the first time, but you want them to notice what you have set out for them to notice, each time they come. This means something unique or another good option is to create an element of “ever-changing” using the right flowering plants or decorative art. This is where you greet people and you want to set the tone that carries through the rest of your property. Wow your guest here and you’ll have nothing but complements and praise.
Number two is the essence of all design applications. Some of the most familiar concepts are balance, repetition, harmony, contrast, and unity. Really though, if we were to boil it down and simplify, the most important thing to remember is to carry your elements and materials through your property. The materials, colors, textures and concepts want to make its presence known and tie-in to other areas throughout.
The design aspect I like most is Rhythm. Rhythm can be summed up as variety and repetition. To quote a Principles of Design description of Rhythm as “variety within the design of all the elements and principles, along with, the regular repetition of particular elements or stresses (accents), also, the suggestion of motion by recurrent form". This is exactly what it is to "tie-in your property".
Number three is that this is your Castle. This is a very important part of what it is to live where you do. It doesn’t really have to be a massive statement of you, “all over it”; just proof that it’s the way it is because you are who you are. You certainly want areas of your property as living proof that you love where you live, and, that you love to show off where you live.
Designers love to know your passions. If it is important to you, it is important to us. We love to apply unique design principles and to seek out the passions in our clientele and how they will live and entertain. Just keep in mind that we want your design to evolve from good solid design principles. That said there is nothing wrong with trusting a designer that you are comfortable with to create something beautiful without much input at all. Really, it’s all about expectations. If you want something addressed in your design, and it is your design, it should be mentioned.
Tips for specifically working with landscape design professionals are simple:
a. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts, comments, and questions. A good designer will always be able to elaborate, combine design principles, and add continuity. Holding back will only disrupt a nice design flow.
b. As you get interested in working with someone, get noteworthy. Take pictures, get clippings from magazines, go to nurseries, and find material references.
c. Give thought to your budget. It’s a shame to complete a great design but find out you really wanted something a little less, or more. Talk openly with people about what things might cost or cost them, budget should be one of your best friends. Keep in mind you have two budgets, so to speak, a design budget and a construction budget. It’s ok to think of them all as one but they are separate. There are so many ways to describe how to come to budget numbers. A lot might have to do with what your castle needs.
The easiest most straight forward guides are:
• Spend approx. 10 percent of your homes estimated value. But keep in mind that 10 will get you 20 in return and 20 could get you 40 and a lot of enjoyment. And yes, of course, 5 will get you 10.
• A typical return on investment when spending $50,000 to $300,000 on a project, in today’s market can be $75,000 to $600,000 for a well thought out mature design.
Reference for the numbers above can be found everywhere. The numbers will jump around based on the reference found but remember this is Orange County and some return values can be inflated, as we all know.
Just one last thought to leave you with, “are more people spending time creating beautiful sanctuaries in their homes and gardens and spending time in and around their castle in order that they love where they live to a greater extreme"?
I think so.
Michael Jeffry Davis
Design Services 949.244.9202