Kenwood

After completing the renovation and addition of their elegant Federalist home with Thomson and Cooke Architects, our clients turned their attention to the landscape, ready to transform their expansive corner lot. The challenge was transforming the narrow rear yard, which suffered from drainage issues, while also creating outdoor spaces that matched the timeless elegance of the home.

Preserving the stately red maple in the front yard was a priority. Instead of replacing the entire asphalt horseshoe drive, we hand-excavated a portion to create a formal entry pad of tumbled herringbone brick framed by a bluestone band.

A side terrace off the living room leads to the lower gardens, where a fireplace lounge sits at the end of a dining terrace. The space is shaded by a natural cedar pergola adorned with climbing roses. Pendant lights and a fan add casual elegance. The terrace aligns with a gracious pool, surrounded by a lush garden of Amsonia, Hydrangea, Fothergilla, ferns, and arborvitae, creating a serene, secluded retreat.

The architectural and landscape elements not only harmonize visually but also serve a practical purpose, capturing and directing water toward the lower lawn, solving the drainage issues while enhancing the beauty of the space.

A large two-story white brick house with dark shutters and a multi-level roof. A curved asphalt driveway leads to the front entrance, surrounded by green lawns and mature landscaping.
An ornamental black lamp post stands beside a lush garden bed featuring flowering shrubs and greenery. In the foreground, a brick walkway transitions to a paved driveway that curves toward a lawn and mature trees in the background.
A flagstone garden path leads between two lush flower beds. The garden features small white blossoms and scattered purple flowers, bathed in soft, dappled sunlight.
A backyard patio featuring a rectangular swimming pool next to a wooden pergola. Under the pergola sits an outdoor dining set and a grill station, with a lounge area and stone fireplace nearby.
Bright green, needle-like foliage of a plant grows over a white stone pool coping. Below, a portion of the deep blue water of a swimming pool is visible.
A bright green fern grows against a dark soil background. Its delicate, feathery fronds fan outward, with a single large, broad leaf partially visible in the upper left.
Tall, feathery pink astilbe flowers rise above a garden bed. In the foreground, a cluster of small purple blooms sits beside white daisies and rounded clusters of white hydrangea.
A herringbone-patterned brick walkway meets a smooth, curved stone border. Above the stone edge, a leafy green plant with pale yellow flowers grows in the soil.
A wooden pergola structure featuring decorative cut ends on the horizontal beams. The posts and beams are joined with visible metal bolts against a sky and tree background.
An outdoor kitchen with a stainless steel grill is set under a wooden pergola on a stone patio. Nearby, a dining table with chairs is arranged on the patio, surrounded by trees and shrubbery.
Two bright blue Adirondack chairs sit on a lawn in the background. In the foreground, numerous white hydrangea blooms grow on lush green bushes.
A backyard patio features a swimming pool, a wooden pergola covering a dining table, and an outdoor fireplace. The landscape is surrounded by lush greenery, trees, and tall purple flowers.
A wooden pergola covers a patio featuring a dining table, an outdoor fireplace, and a built-in grill station. The area is set beside a swimming pool, with landscape lighting illuminating the surrounding trees and shrubs at twilight.
A rectangular swimming pool reflects a lit wooden pergola at dusk. Under the pergola, a dining table and chairs are set on a stone patio surrounded by landscaped gardens and trees.