Outdoor Space That’s Great for Everyone
You know what’s not ideal? Two young boys, two dogs and a large, but unusable backyard. In the winter, when the existing bricks met piles of wet leaves, it was as slick as an ice skating rink.
No good. Liz had already launched the project with a team of well-meaning landscapers when she got a little nervous and called us in to make it serviceable and peaceful. The red brick was driving her batty, and she wasn’t sure how to lay the pavers that had been ordered, in bulk, from Home Depot. There she was, with crumbling brick and concrete, three different styles of redwood fence, and some very oddly shaped spaces, including a spot for an outdoor table that was skinny and long.
We made it all come together, ordering outdoor furniture, including a super-narrow dining table and seating from DWR, and Adirondack chairs and a firepit. We sorted out the wonky paver problem and laid down DG.
We brought our favorite native plant gardener wizard and ordered a truckload of plants from the wholesale-only nursery, saving vast amounts of money, and upgraded the automatic watering system.
Like most of the two-career families we work with, Liz and her husband are VERY busy — so we met at 8 am on Saturday mornings, coffee mugs in hand. One of those mornings, Cathryn was carrying pint can samples of stain and a couple of paint brushes. The plan was to try some colors on the many-different-tone fences. Two adorable little boys greeted her and asked if they could also “paint.”
Cathryn also runs Garage Art Workshop — an after-school program for elementary-school age kids. And she loves stimulating every child’s desire to create. But the samples of stain in her hands were — um — going to stain anything they came in contact with, including the boys and the two elderly dogs. And it’s fair to say that what was in those cans was likely to be toxic if inhaled or swallowed, heaven forbid. But their mom (amazed that Cathryn would even countenance this addition to my original work order) said it was okay, and under her supervision, the boys took a crack at staining a fence. Good practice, since redwood fences need to be stained every five years, at least. By the time those fences are due for an overhaul, those guys will be ready.
We also specified the outdoor lighting and brought exterior lighting magician Juan in to install it. Now, the outdoor space is ready for evening parties.
Liz had a mile-long “dream” list of what she’d like to do inside the house. Most of it would have to wait until the bank account recovered from the outdoor work. That’s standard procedure for my clients. That’s why we work in phases. You get a clear sense of accomplishment, without unnecessary financial stress.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
“Cathryn came into my life just when I needed her most. I fortuitously came upon her website - like the universe knew that I desperately needed her to rescue me. And she did! Cathryn’s incredible problem solving and decision making skills to helped me navigate the many decisions and hiccups that come with every home project. She was quick to provide answers, solutions, resources, and design advice - in addition to some much needed hand holding - whenever I needed it. She had the ability to understand my style and help me visualize the end goals. After a month with Cathryn we had a beautiful landscaped yard, refreshed home interior, and a plan for future projects when our budget allows.”
