Kalorama Contemporary

By refreshing the front landscape and renovating a small rear patio and garden, this Kalorama home experienced a beautiful minimalist makeover that the owner’s frisky dog could not destroy (he has his own pebbled section for private use). The lot called for shade-tolerant plants, so we used Clematis and Sweet Potato vines in planters on top of the retaining wall. Water travels the length of the garden from the upper pool to the rill to the lower pool via a bluestone weir, recirculating back to the upper pool where lotuses and lilies thrive. A simple Ipe fence keeps the garden space visually and acoustically private. Hydrangeas and hardy perennials fill the raised planting bed that can also serve as additional seating and is dog-proof. Thermal bluestone paving creates a natural look with a sleek finish. A variegated red twig Dogwood adds color and graceful lines to this Asian-inspired garden. 

This project won the 2020 Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) Award.

A round patio table with four chairs sits on a paved terrace. In the background, a small stone water feature with a Buddha statue stands against a wall covered in lush green vines.
A water feature flows from a stone wall into a rectangular basin. Purple flowers are visible in the blurred foreground.
A brick-walled patio garden featuring a stone dining set in the foreground and a lounge chair beside a narrow water feature. The space is surrounded by lush greenery, flowering shrubs, and a path of stone pavers.
A cluster of small, purple Plectranthus flowers hangs over a shallow pond filled with smooth river stones. The water reflects light and surrounding greenery, creating a soft, blurred effect.
A tranquil patio featuring a stone water feature, a small pagoda statue, and a wooden chair. A vertical garden climbs a concrete wall beside a stone-tiled patio enclosed by a horizontal wood fence.
A dense climbing vine featuring clusters of small, star-shaped white flowers. The plant has a mix of vibrant green, light yellow, and deep purple-hued leaves, all lightly covered in water droplets.
An overhead view of a patio featuring a stone Buddha statue above a small water feature. Beside the water, a wooden chair with an ottoman sits on light-colored paving surrounded by lush green foliage and purple flowers.