The original ranch home, on this forested one acre site, had been built in 1952 and was situated 32 feet from a busy highway. It was apparent without ever stepping inside the house that time had taken away the best years of the home and the landscape. Magically, along came an energetic couple with two young children.

In the first design meeting, the homeowners explained their desire to integrate the natural beauty of the forested property with their new landscape while integrating Italian style plants and statues. They also wanted to provide a safe vehicle turn-around away from the busy street, to reduce their ability to hear the traffic noise, to adhere to the environmental development restrictions as their property connected to a wetland, and to honor a set of deceased parents. This conversation identified several unique challenges that had to be resolved; an acoustical engineer was hired to identify best options for noise reduction, approval of the landscape plan was obtained from an environmental watershed commission, the contemporary exterior of their home was integrated with Italian accents, and a loving tribute was incorporated into the landscape for her now deceased parents.