All between front door and street - remodeling the front yard

Sunset, May, 1990

Reclaiming the front yard--or even just part of it--is the theme of these two remodels. In each case, homeowners wanted an outdoor living area near a kitchen or living room. The logical solution was to develop this space out front, at the same time creating a visual and aural buffer between house and street.

A tract house in Roseville, California, had a low wall that wrapped around a 12-by 13-foot court with a lawn and small concrete patio. Since the wall afforded little privacy and no protection from the sun, Sacramento landscape designer Michael Glassman built a trellis on top to support wisteria, and turned the court into a shaded outdoor room opening off the living room. Raised planters, a fountain, and new paving enrich the space, which is brightened at night by low-voltage lights. For a bungalow on a busy bus route in Berkeley, California, Reif-Chow Architects of Menlo Park created a handsome entry patio that functions as an attractive sound, exhaust, and dust barrier. A substantial rose-covered wood-and-stucco wall helps block street noise. Inside the new courtyard, the splashing of a small recirculating fountain masks sounds still further. Roses climbing the overhead trellis create fragrant shade.