by Kathleen Shaeffer Design, Exterior Spaces
Santa Cruz, CA, US 95061 · 93 photos
Aptos Residence
http://kathleenshaefferdesign.com

View of the meadow from the courtyard

Photo: Kathleen Shaeffer

 
What Houzz contributors are saying:
If your home is more modern in its design, you can frame your views with streamlined, geometric designs in stucco, concrete and other materials. This doorway and window provide beautiful frames for horizontal lines of plantings. Note the color blocking of gray and brown concrete that reflect the green and gold color blocking of the planting beyond.
Beckon with passageways. Highlight your garden's best views by creating places to look and locations to pursue, allowing the delightful destination beyond to be perceived as an impactful extension of the garden's visual reach.Employ techniques that frame and define: An opening in a dense hedge ignites curiosity about what's beyond. Here, two such openings in a wall — a doorway and a "window" — are attention-grabbing devices. The distant garden is half hidden, but it is endowed with heightened drama. The designer has created a view in what was once an unnoticed area of the landscape.
What Houzzers are commenting on:
added by patgman to Landscape Ideas (2 weeks ago)
steel gate entry to pasture
added by nevalepew to nevalepew's ideas (3 weeks ago)
concrete raised beds
added by Barbara to Outdoor Idaho (4 weeks ago)
Walls
added by plumduff71 to Fencing (4 weeks ago)
rusty concrete walls
added by housebythewater to Housebythewater: Outside (5 weeks ago)
Love the rust look fencing for front and back, mixed up with some other colour.
added by Harvest House Craftsmen to outdoor spaces (5 weeks ago)
Fence detail
added by djoop to courtyard (5 weeks ago)
like the walls poured two different colors
added by analiem123 to analiem123's Ideas (6 weeks ago)
Walls
added by Jodie Cook Landscape Design to Meha's Pool (7 weeks ago)
colored concrete
added by freedo23 to freedo23's ideas (7 weeks ago)
could we sandblast and stain/paint the main wall to look like the rusted shelves?????? and use darker concrete than what is here
added by sarahoh to sarahoh's Ideas (2 months ago)
Rustic, framing the view.
added by juliepeeler to landscaping (2 months ago)
fence
added by susanlkruse to exterior ak (2 months ago)
concrete color?
added by sct2011 to GARTEN (2 months ago)
a wall to walk through in a garden
added by berryrowell to berryrowell's Ideas (3 months ago)
Cool
added by dawnpie to Modern Outdoor Space (3 months ago)
walls with built in planters
added by daanania to Gardens (3 months ago)
walls with windows
added by erinshintaku to erinshintaku's ideas (3 months ago)
Beckon with a passageway
added by sellison to MIFF 2 (3 months ago)
Another view of prev space
added by cii_2000 to cii_2000's ideas (3 months ago)
very nice
added by pgbarrow to Backyard (3 months ago)
With Agave
added by kircherfamily to Landscape (3 months ago)
gate
added by salmcl1 to Landscape (3 months ago)
Fence possibility with trees/plants growing between.
added by maudiej to Creative or DIY ideas (3 months ago)
out back
added by mamapanama to mamapanama's ideas (3 months ago)
gate
added by Mark Porter to Landscaping (3 months ago)
Wall and Terraces
added by nativegardentextures to nativegardentextures's ideas (3 months ago)
Here garden and natural surroundings connect. Creating a divider pulls the elements together. It also connects formal and informal spaces. Good Fence idea!
added by angelawang52 to angelawang52's Ideas (3 months ago)
Window cut out in outdoor screen
added by caitilindaum to Banks Saito (3 months ago)
framing view
added by lizohamm to clever organization (3 months ago)
Love this entry
added by dguldimann to dguldimann's ideas (3 months ago)
colors, clean lines
added by pkuny to pkuny's Favorites (3 months ago)
Broken back entry idea
added by reflections to gandhinagar's ideas (3 months ago)
w
added by fletchno1 to fletchno1's ideas (3 months ago)
walls
added by 3356 to 3356's Ideas (3 months ago)
Love the dividing wall
added by laloma to laloma's Favorites (3 months ago)
transformational land forms
added by lindamaylange to Telluride (3 months ago)
Wall
added by abbybelknap to abbybelknap's ideas (3 months ago)
Outside windows
added by andika111 to kert (3 months ago)
térelválasztás
added by nancyhappe to nancyhappe's ideas (3 months ago)
rammed earth garden entry
added by laurastewart44 to laurastewart44's ideas (3 months ago)
to pace on top of the steps by the back yard
added by the bohemian kitchen of Gozan Interiors to dottiegozan's ideas (3 months ago)
i love the finish on the walls
added by bcuyler to bcuyler's ideas (3 months ago)
make an un-noticed landscape appear inviting
added by Princeton Design Collaborative to jconroy64's ideas (3 months ago)
Landscape
added by rick1950 to rick1950's ideas (3 months ago)
idea is ok but not concrete
added by beaniehs to garden ideas (3 months ago)
Passage way just beckons...
added by stewartallison to patio (4 months ago)
Opening. Stained concrete
added by lahousehunt to Fences & Gates (4 months ago)
Exterior wall
added by valyermo to valyermo's ideas (4 months ago)
Intriguing dry green framed view
added by tracydonovan to tracydonovan's Ideas (4 months ago)
Idea
added by pepitakatz to pepitakatz's Ideas (4 months ago)
walls
added by heidyanillo to trabajo en concreto (6 months ago)
jardin y concreto
added by ttschmitt to ttschmitt's ideas (6 months ago)
Entry
added by tyson556 to tyson556's ideas (7 months ago)
Courtyard Planters
added by lorrainer to lorrainer's ideas (7 months ago)
Framing the view2
added by Tina Mico Landscape Design to mico56's ideas (7 months ago)
wall with windows
added by brainboy1111 to brainboy1111's ideas (7 months ago)
Finish and style
added by Erin Ponte Landscape Design to eponte13's ideas (7 months ago)
Color and texture
added by cbrentano to cbrentano's ideas (8 months ago)
Corten + concrete + grass
added by cindyjj to cindyjj's Ideas (8 months ago)
Love!
added by Dana Veach to Outdoor Spaces: Walls, Fences, and Gates (8 months ago)
Ditto...
added by Jean Marsh Design to Hardscape (8 months ago)
Concrete Planters
added by madeleinegrenier to madeleinegrenier's Ideas (8 months ago)
Ciment bac
added by bfranco to bfranco's Favorites (9 months ago)
Paredes
added by jacquiparker to jacquiparker's ideas (9 months ago)
view planter grey concrete
added by fitzhugh66 to fitzhugh66's ideas (9 months ago)
wall
added by blueleilani to blueleilani's garden ideas (9 months ago)
this is so cool - good idea
added by Shannon to shannonmulligan's ideas (10 months ago)
concrete retaining walls
added by alizahgreenberg to alizahgreenberg's Ideas (10 months ago)
Idea for back of yard
added by marymitchell to courtyard (10 months ago)
No gate??
added by sandakan to sandakan's Ideas (10 months ago)
Concrete beds
added by nickcinn to PATIO (10 months ago)
Tall planters
added by justinevelez to Bryan (11 months ago)
Hole in wall
added by arborowl to arborowl's Ideas (11 months ago)
Flagstaff
added by sweetypup to landscape (12 months ago)
fence openings
added by maureencoomler to maureencoomler's Favorites (12 months ago)
Possibility for back yard
added by sagedrummer to landscape (12 months ago)
concrete planters with contrasting back, window in wall
added by John Knox to 125 Western Garden Ideas (12 months ago)
Concrete, color and views
added by David Pedersen, Inc. to Prairie (12 months ago)
Incredible Color and texture.
added by annepark to outside - plants & landscaping (13 months ago)
Grasses
added by bettyboo01 to bettyboo01's ideas (13 months ago)
wall idea
added by baumgarten to baumgarten's Favorites (13 months ago)
Wall
added by among to among's ideas (13 months ago)
Steel fence?
added by alidoo to alidoo's ideas (13 months ago)
Color scheme
added by hugorobitaille to hugorobitaille's Favorites (14 months ago)
Ouverture sur la nature
added by thystle to backyard (14 months ago)
Unmowed fescue
added by tax1031 to tax1031 landscape (14 months ago)
Gate opening
added by wellgwally to wellgwally's Favorites (14 months ago)
Personalized- connects surrounding nature to living space
added by suzety73 to Backyard (14 months ago)
Concrete planter
added by ksdkls405 to ksdkls405's ideas (14 months ago)
frame
added by Spore to Modern Exteriors (14 months ago)
Permeable!
added by cea504 to cea504's Favorites (14 months ago)
Wall
added by erinraabe to erinraabe's Favorites (14 months ago)
Cement planters
added by aquayp to landscape (14 months ago)
Land garden
added by Judy's Gardens & Design to Garden Design: Using the Element of the Unexpected (14 months ago)
A very interesting way to divide space. No gate, but the opening and view beyond is used as part of the design and really draws the viewer in - especially with the contrasting color and texture of the wall. Even when the native grasses beyond are dry, this is an interesting view and a conversation piece.
added by lucky708 to front porch (15 months ago)
like this rust color
added by jdragonfly8 to jdragonfly8's Favorites (15 months ago)
Planters
added by craigcl to craigcl's Favorites (16 months ago)
View of the meadow from the courtyard
added by asbrandssonor to General stuff (16 months ago)
Beautiful contrasting wall, interior is combed and taken care of and the exterior is man entering the wild of nature
added by fernie to outdoor spaces (16 months ago)
garden side yard entrance
added by sbutterworth to sbutterworth's Favorites (16 months ago)
Walls
added by Artful Expression to aebusiness's ideas (16 months ago)
Color of wall
added by omkhush to omkhush's Favorites (16 months ago)
Side vegetable patch
added by Jeljer Visser to garden (16 months ago)
frame the view in the garden by creating 'windows, door ways'.
added by muffinbird to muffinbird's ideas (16 months ago)
wall and doorway out to natural world
added by Yvonne Gibbs to Back Garden Landscaping (17 months ago)
Framing your garden view
added by robooski to Exterior (17 months ago)
Fence
added by kimrosser to kimrosser's ideas (17 months ago)
view through opening
added by goodchick to hardscape & landscape (17 months ago)
transition to prairie
added by eshimomisse to eshimomisse's ideas (17 months ago)
A hint for the "entry gate"
added by craiglife to craiglife's Favorites (17 months ago)
Focus
added by nizlee to The House that Nizlee Built (17 months ago)
neat
added by dhosaka to dhosaka's ideas (18 months ago)
concrete planter bed
added by Nels Peterson to Interesting Ideas (19 months ago)
Nice
added by tllora to tllora's ideas (19 months ago)
Retaining wall
added by kmdw to kmdw's ideas (20 months ago)
Frames view
added by Adam Vassau to burton21's ideas (20 months ago)
opening
added by heatherchew to heatherchew's Favorites (20 months ago)
Concrete planters
added by ccliotta to landscape (20 months ago)
Cement colors
added by elchico to elchico's Favorites (20 months ago)
Chilo
added by peakview to peakview's ideas (20 months ago)
landscape concrete walls with windows to outside yard
added by qpls10 to qpls10's Favorites (20 months ago)
moderne sauvage
added by selinana to selinana's Favorites (21 months ago)
Mauer
added by kimmy_c to kimmy_c's Favorites (21 months ago)
gateway
added by Nate Wiger to courtyard (21 months ago)
modern wall/finish ideas and concrete planters
added by pinkieb to pinkieb's Favorites (22 months ago)
Bold
added by cdysf1000 to cdysf1000's ideas (23 months ago)
Concrete stucco texture and style
added by radigya to radigya's Favorites (23 months ago)
Looks like beautiful art