Design Update with Inviting Spaces by Kim 

Eye of the Day’s large rectangular Italian terra cotta planters, the Delos, were installed recently to add impact, structure and curb appeal to the entrance of a home with an overgrown, out of proportion boxwood border.

The planters provided a win- win situation when combined with the ability to peer out each of the four windows from the living room and dining room with views of the beautiful seasonal flowers at window level.

The choice of the Delos by Kim Beber Perlmutter of Inviting Spaces by Kim was made when she saw that the vertical pattern on the planters echoed the pattern on the entrance pillars of her client’s Georgian style home, giving the impression that they were specifically designed for the space.

INVITING SPACES BY KIM

(650) 776-6123
Creating Inviting Spaces For Any Time of Day

As we near the holidays, we find ourselves needing a break from the daily pummeling of post-election news, but with the constant overload, our interest in the Presidency has been heightened. So, let’s take a non-political walk with the U.S. Presidents through their White House gardens.

All the Presidents’ Gardens; Madison’s Cabbages to Kennedy’s Roses, How the White House Grounds Have Grown with America by Marta McDowell, offers us a linear story about the eighteen acres surrounding the White House as a witness to history.  It’s the story of the White House grounds, beginning with the seed-collecting, plant-obsessed George Washington and ending with Michelle Obama’s focus on edibles, making it also the story of America. 

We learn about Lincoln’s goats, Ike’s putting green, Jackie’s iconic roses, the last cow to graze on the White House lawn (Pauline Wayne in 1912) and Amy Carter’s tree house.  Illustrated with new and historical photographs, art, botanical drawings, garden plans and artwork, this is a book that will keep you interested but cheerfully distracted from partisan politics. This would also be a great gift for that friend of yours that knows everything about politics and needs to have his focus subtly shifted.

Photo Credits:
White House Garden Photo, Creative Commons, is licensed under CC0 License
White House Kitchen Garden by angela n., is licensed under CC by 2.0
Reagan Garden is under the public domain.

Book Review: Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Outdoor Spaces, by Michelle Slatalla

One of our favorite websites for home inspiration is Remodelista: Sourcebook for Considered Living.  Its companion website, Gardenista: Sourcebook for Cultivated Living, appeals to our outdoor aesthetic, with posts on garden style, plants, seeds, projects, indoor gardens, outdoor gardens and more.

Michelle Slatalla, editor-in- chief of the website has produced a new book, Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Outdoor Spaces which explores the premise that our homes’ outdoor spaces can, and should be as welcoming and carefully considered as our living rooms and that when treated as extensions of our homes, these spaces enrich our lives.

The book includes beautifully photographed tours of twelve different gardens; planting guides for a variety of climates; studies of more than a dozen outdoor structures including some remarkable chicken and lots of design ideas and do-it-yourself projects.

The book explores gardens as wells as accessories and furnishings, offering horticultural advice in terms of color and climate.  This is a superb book, with artful color photographs and innovative gardening ideas using real homes and it’s inspirational in the true sense: you feel that many of the ideas are within your reach.

Image via Gardenista

Today, Eye of the Day interviews Lisa Cox of Lisa Cox Landscape Design on a recent project in Los Olivos, California. Lisa is a designer we love to work with and it’s always a joy when she stops by the showroom sourcing decor for her designs. As the season slowly transitions into Fall here in California, this Before and After project is a sign of good change to come.

Eye of the Day: Tell us a little about yourself and this project.

Lisa Cox:  My company, Lisa Cox Landscape Design, tackles residential projects exclusively in the Santa Ynez Valley. After moving here 3 years ago, I could see there was most definitely a need for Landscape Designers in our area.  Since I was the new gal in town, I started slowly with residences in my area and a few Tasting Rooms in Los Olivos, and then that was a great boost for my business.

This particular project in Los Olivos was a European Farmhouse that needed a face lift. Considering the property was already a stunner, it was a delight to tackle the project.

EOTD: What was your client’s goal for this particular garden?
LC: The client wanted to completely rework the front garden to create a more traditional plant palette of roses and boxwood in tandem with drought tolerant plants that do well in the Santa Ynez Valley such as rosemary, lavender and olive trees. We think the outcome was very pleasant, and works well with her charming residence.

EOTD: What was your initial vision for this garden? 

LC: My initial vision was to recreate something you would see in Provence, France. Since the homeowner considers France their second home, it was even more of an inspiration to help with that “look.”

After removing most of the original planters, we created areas of interest such as a rose garden, shade garden, and sun drenched beauty garden!

EOTD: Were there any unique problems that came up during the design or installation?

LC: I think the biggest challenge was correctly reworking the existing irrigation system for the newly planted areas, and using good sized plants to create an “Instant yard.” The design phase was easy since the homeowner is a very gifted interior designer with a good eye. A great collaboration.

EOTD: What would you describe as your garden design aesthetic and how do you work with your client’s own vision for the landscape?

LC: Each project I tackle starts with the needs and wants of the client. Sometimes, their input is great, and other times, I am allowed complete freedom to create what I think will work for not only the style of their home, but function, flow and of course, aesthetics. As I start to design, it all seems to come together with time.

Before I start a design, I send out a list of questions for the client to answer that entails how they will use the space being created, substrate choices, and plant choices that appeal to them. This usually guarantees I can design freely knowing I am in line with their vision for their home.

EOTD: For the pottery, why these particular pieces? 

LC: The vintage Greek oil jar was a perfect fit to blend both a traditional and Mediterranean look with a touch of rustic created by the aging finishes Eye of the Day offers.

EOTD: What was your favorite part of this project and design?

LC: Most definitely working with the homeowner and creating a vision that not only gave her a little piece of France, but also how the end result screams Santa Ynez Valley and all our glory here in wine country.

To view more of Lisa’s work, visit Lisa Cox Landscape Design or her Facebook page.

Photo Credits: Rich Cox Photography

Book Review
GARDENS: AN ESSAY ON THE HUMAN CONDITION by Robert Pogue Harrison

This title caught my eye while browsing in my favorite bookstore in Austin, Texas and I really thought Brent would like it. I’m only about half way through it, but Harrison’s writing has me hooked. He shows us why gardens have become so important to us and we see how they have saturated our literature and our culture.

Each chapter is organized around a type of garden. For example: Eden, the temporary gardens of the homeless, or contemporary urban gardens which allows Harrison to explore, interrogate, meditate upon what these spaces tell us about the connection between earth, human, and spirit. Harrison argues that gardening is a path to patience and wisdom as an alternative to the restlessness of the human spirit.

As each of us spends time outdoors, either in our own garden or out in the world, there is an unusual type of communion that takes place between person and nature. Every weekend I see Brent in his element, almost as though in meditation, moving potted plants, watering with his ever-present watering can, propagating his palate of succulents, and at the end of the day he seems renewed.  This fine book strives to define and almost undefinable bond between human and garden.

“Whereas most people believe gardening to be a subset of life, gardeners understand that life is a subset of gardening.” – Robert Pogue Harrison

Photo via The University of Chicago Press Books

A Brief History of Fountains at Eye of the Day

About twenty years ago, Brent and I had a life-changing meeting with the rep of a company that manufactures concrete garden ornaments. Of course, we didn’t know at the time it was life-changing. If anything, it was more “mystifying” to me. For reasons only apparent in Brent’s mind, we were choosing fountains that we would sell at our fledgling store, which we had named for our nine-year-old daughter, Daisy.

Honestly, I had never thought about fountains, they were alien to me, but there we were choosing three-tier fountains topped with angels, little fountains to put against a wall that were reminiscent of rocky outcroppings.

I had a favorite: two frogs on a loveseat sitting under an umbrella; water sliding down the concrete umbrella, protecting the love-frogs. So began our long-term relationship with fountains for the garden.

We have seen tastes change dramatically, though not everyone’s—animal figurines and faux-stone fountains are not so popular any longer.  Majestic, Mediterranean style concrete fountains have slowed down. About fifteen years ago, on a trip to France, Daisy and Brent came across a stone carver and soon fantastic hand-carved limestone fountains graced our showroom, and continue to do so.

In recent years we find that many of our customers want something completely different and decide to choose a beautiful pot, maybe a richly hued Gladding McBean Oil Jar or a rustic Greek Pithari and we convert their choice into a fountain, water glistening over the sides of the vessel and recirculation via a hidden pond.

And now, a few individuals have come to us with a new idea for their water feature, something we are excited to produce for them. The Modern or Mid-Century Modern trend is directing a movement toward vastly more contemporary looking fountains. So not only in architecture and home furnishings, we’re seeing many customers who want something with clean lines and no “frou-frou”.

Both The Fess Parker Wine Country Inn and a well-known celebrity photographer asked us to fabricate a fountain that would complement a modern aesthetic.  We accomplished this by almost turning the concept upside down. Well, sideways, anyway. Using two rectangular concrete pots, we turned one on its side, cut a long, narrow piece from the center and inserted a copper “tongue” for the water to exit the piece and flow into a larger rectangle placed on the ground.

With the success of this custom fountain conversion design, we are not only producing fountains with an old world charm and a rustic look, but moving into the Mid-Century—so modern in our approach.  Working on more ideas, coming your way.