(203) 918-4619 • Greenwich, CT
Our clients had the dream of developing a one-acre parcel they had recently added to their existing property, also an acre. The idea was to convert the new parcel into a beautiful destination for family entertainment. We committed to enhancing the original property with the main house, while integrating the new parcel into a cohesive landscape design plan. Building on Phase 1 of our design developed in 2017, we included the immediate surroundings of the house and added a new driveway and plantings. This time, the family was looking for a generous play area with trees and plants to define spatial transitions and add screening. They also wanted a pool destination area with a private feel, but one that still felt linked to the rest of the property.
The main goal was to incorporate the new landscape design work in harmonious flow with the renovation of a carriage house, planned as a future pool house, together with the existing house and landscape. We provided a new pool design with associated hardscaping, a pergola with a firepit and outdoor seating areas, fencing, ornamental and screening plantings, as well as ambient and decorative landscape lighting to complement the design.
We were asked to provide a landscape plan for the approximately half acre property, and specifically to re-configure the back yard to create compelling reasons to go outside via more patio space for dining, conversation and lounging. Our clients hoped for a fun entertaining area that could be used year round for their family gatherings. They also hoped to infuse their outdoors with a clean, crisp and contemporary feel.
The design incorporates grading, steps, walls and landings to create division and transition between spaces. It incorporates a generously proportioned outdoor kitchen area, with a built-in stone surround to house a grill, kegerator, storage, sink and fridge; with a separate outdoor TV and fire pit area with sectional seating. For shade and a sense of enclosure, we added a custom steel and wood pergola with integrated lighting for dining underneath. Adjustable screens for shade and infrared heaters also provide comfort during the seasons and weather changes.
It was important for the design to consider using different stone materials and textures where it made sense aesthetically, and also to minimize impermeable surface to comply with town rules for coverage in a way that kept it on target with the design intent. Plantings were updated in the rear to work with the new patio, and some of the existing plants were preserved and transplanted throughout the rear. For new plantings, selections were made to provide winter interest (evergeen shrubs and groundcover), spring color (flowering bulbs and pear trees), and a succession of flowers until frost (nepeta, salvia, alchemilla, echinacea, roses). Furniture arrangements were considered early on in the design and shaped the layout of the hardscaping, and selections were sourced and purchased for the client. The design of ambient and decorative landscape lighting were also an important component in the plan to extend usage into the evenings, when the area takes on an amplified glow.
Town code requirements were taken into account during the design phase to meet setbacks, coverage limits, wall heights and others. Additionally, consulting was provided to file a submission to secure village approvals.
Project Description
The 1925 property and home were purchased in a state of deterioration that did not support moving in, and safety was a concern. Piecemeal renovations over the years resulted in a disjointed experience. Yet there was a magic in the landscape, and a sense of history that we knew would shine with thoughtful planning and careful restoration.
Our idea was to create a master plan respecting the property’s original charm, and reinterpreting it in a way that would integrate our client’s appreciation of a clean and edited aesthetic with the coastal setting. We would highlight the views with water on three sides, and anchor our design to this unique feature. Topographically, we re-sculpted the land so the house could flow directly outdoors.
As an ecologically sensitive area where a millpond flows into the Sound, caution was advised. We consulted environmental studies compiled by a team of specialists and decided to incorporate primarily coastal native plantings (grasses, evergreens, flowers) that perform well, benefit local wildlife and offer connection to the larger landscape. The addition of ornamental, non-native selections which naturalize well, allowed us to address the client’s wishes for a green/purple/blue color palette and multiple seasons of interest. This is now a comfortable spot to experience being out at the water, which undergoes interesting color and texture changes throughout the year.
Features include an infinity edge pool, tidal beach, beach patio, dock, seawalls, lawns, rear patio, upper patios, new front entry court, gatehouse & entry gates, tennis court and waterside gazebo. Dramatic lighting extends usages into the late hours.
Buttonwood Farm dates back to 1770 and was the homestead of Lt. John Waterbury and his family. A new house was built on the 2.4 acre property and attached to the original colonial to extend the footprint. When the new owner moved in, they wanted to address the landscape. The goal was to create a design focused on a fresh, crisp look that respected the property’s traditional context while infusing modern farmhouse elements. Mature legacy trees have been carefully maintained and considered throughout the design process. The master plan is being implemented in phases.
Design elements included rear patios for dining and conversation, fire pit, play area, site re-grading for drainage improvements, outdoor lighting, future pool area, enclosed potager and cutting garden, garden rooms and ornamental plants throughout.
This property is being maintained organically.
In 2020, we received a request from our existing client to completely reimagine their six-acre property in New Milford, CT. Located on a hill with incredible panoramic views, the site spoke to us and we instantly knew we wanted to lead the design initiative.
The project involved demolishing existing structures including an old pool and pergola which were obstructing views. We also created a new pool concept with a free-standing spa and added a new firepit area with associated patios and walkways, new fencing, planting areas, trees, grasses, meadows, flowers and shrubs.
We were committed to thinking about the best way to integrate the large wooded areas into the rest of the project, carving out woodland paths and uncovering scenic overlook areas with the best views. The idea was to merge a massive meadow starting from the woodland and finishing all along the property line resulting in a landscape that unfolds naturally and feels integrated.
For this project, it was important to consider conservation and ecology. Using native plants, attracting pollinators and creating harmony within the landscape, we incorporated selections that offer the fauna something valuable throughout the year.
What a treat it is to walk onto a project and find a blank slate to mold into our own design language. The owners met their new design team at an empty lot to get ideas flowing, and the group continued to collaborate on creating an integrated design. The inspiration is French formal but interpreted for a family who likes to have fun. They enjoy different styles of entertaining and casual every day living.
Design elements by RSD included a formal lawn with hedges & salvaged sculpure, pool area with flowers, flowering cherry orchard, front entry with topiaries, and dramatic lighting throughout.
The family bought the home because they fell in love with its land and potential. The 2.5 acre property had a pool, tennis court and house all requiring a major renovation. Certain elements were allocated to remain and be reworked, while others were newly created, resulting in an entirely new home and landscape.
The design connects outside rooms to the home, and to each other for seamless circulation. The pool was reconfigured, removing old fencing, a patio and pergola and everything reorganized. A raised patio was added by the house with seating and outdoor kitchen. Extra wide steps provided much needed flow. Rooms were made distinct from one another using hedging and seasonal plantings.
In a remote corner near the tennis court, a fire pit was positioned in a gravel & bluestone patio. Fruiting apple trees and ornamental grasses surround it providing fall and spring interest.
In front, a new driveway and motor court offer a direct relationship to the front door. New plantings were arranged for a sense of arrival, and for separation from an expansive lawn where the kids could start to play. New tennis & pool fencing was carefully hidden in plantings to evoke an open, green feeling.
The family purchased the house with plans to renovate. An overhaul of the landscape came first, and our team worked to develop plans for newly created spaces throughout the property that would reflect the owners’ clean and modern tastes and sensibilities. Balanced with traditional elements for structure and definition, areas were designed to evoke a crisp and edited feel while offering plenty of opportunities for the young family to let loose and play.
The project was implemented in phases with a common focus to encourage an open feel for the property and its pond-side location. To this end, unused and precarious slopes were converted into purposeful, level destination spaces and borrowed views over the pond preserved, enhancing connections to the outdoor experience. The property contains wetlands, and appropriate permits were secured through the town for certain aspects of the project.
Design elements included front parking area with basketball hoop, new pool area and terracing of surrounding yard, play lawn, dramatic outdoor lighting, new fencing and all new evergreen plantings.
For this historic house on five acres, design elements included adding a stone pathway to the front door, new gravel driveway, redesigned motor court and an automated gate. Foundation plantings were designed and installed with planters and perennial beds. Sloped garden beds were included around the pool, and further modifications made to the patio. Pool and tennis-area plantings were added along with dog fencing, a golf-green, orchard and a woodland walk near the kids’ play structure.
This historic landmark home dates back to 1755 and sits on a quiet 3-acre lot with rolling lawns and mature trees. It is surrounded by woodlands on all sides. After they purchased the property, the family thoughtfully renovated the existing colonial-style house with sensitivity to its architectural heritage. Simultaneously, they also sought to enhance the landscape in a way that respected the historic context of the property while meeting the needs of a modern and active family.
Design Elements Included a new front entry configuration, rear patio, fire pit and seating area, sitting wall, new site grading, sculpted lawn, level areas, stone steps and paths, fencing with gates, restrained plantings and landscape lighting throughout.
After moving into their newly built home, the couple wanted to create a compelling reason to use their yard. Set in-town on an urban street, the back area was a tabula rasa with little natural context to draw from. Since they like trees and nature, the owners asked for a private oasis that would encourage birds, butterflies & pollinators. The clients also hoped for a better connection between the inside and outside, to draw people out every season.
The space would be flexibile…suitable for quiet every day living as well as scalable for various types of entertaining. It also needed to serve as a respite for a busy artist who gardens and draws inspiration from nature.
Design elements included lily pond pool and fountain, hedged gravel garden, flowers, fragrance and seasonal changes, mixed shrubs and evergreen textures, property screening for privacy and outdoor lighting throughout.
This property is being maintained organically.
This contemporary home was newly built for a family with a strong interest in nature and photography. Nestled on 3 acres along a river, the house is surrounded by dramatic ledge outcroppings and sugar maple woodland hills. The land was previously left abandoned and untouched for a number of years and succumbed to entropy. It was hard to access it much less recognize its potential, but these new owners fell in love with the spirit of the property and the dramatic setting and decided to go for it!
The team was engaged to develop plans, relying mainly on their imagination of what the site might be like under the overgrowth and weeds. They went through a series of complicated town approvals to ensure every aspect of the site would be handled in an ecological way, to keep the surrounding environment and water supply healthy.
Town standards for wetland plantings were met through the design of a well curated border of native trees and shrubs, and a native wildflower meadow along the edge of a slope that descends to the river, offering protection and a buffer from the home. A pool was installed and nestled against a large rock outcropping, screening it from a new driveway and arrival area enhanced with fencing and plantings to imbue a center-of-the-valley feel. Design elements included a meadow, pool, patio, driveway, landscaping, lawns, and lighting throughout.
Photography by Jay Cohen jcimagesphotography.com
The oldest and first house in Greenwich, built by European settlers, gets a new life. The Feake-Ferris House dated to 1645, sits on this site along the water’s edge. It began as the home of Elizabeth Fones Winthrop Feake Hallet, who was featured in the historical novel Winthrop Woman. The saltbox was recently saved from demolition and restored by the homeowners and Greenwich Point Conservancy.
The family built a new home on the .46 acre site, respecting original elements of the historic structure while expressing themselves in a fresh design language using modern-day elements. RSD reimagined the landscape at the same time to expand upon and connect the themes of old and new.
Improvements included a new motor court and heated driveway, stone walls and stone inlays, enclosed kitchen garden, apple trees and native blueberries, ornamental composition of colonial-era apothecary and household plants near the historic structure, a mix of early imports with natives, private shady garden walk, new trees, plantings and landscape lighting throughout.
Architecture & Pool by Dodaro Architects & Construction by Redwood Consulting
The 1929 home is a Norman Tudor Revival, which sits on a 1-acre corner lot in an open, friendly neighborhood. The home underwent a sensitive renovation which included all new interiors, a kitchen, front portico and garage.
The landscape was renovated at the same time with goals to meet the practical needs of a young family, suit the style of the house, and maintain an open and inviting feel. All mature trees on the property were saved per the clients' wishes. Design elements included front path with plantings for an improved sense of arrival, an updated driveway, new swimming pool with pavilion, rear patio and paths with seat walls and a fire pit, formal play lawn with existing cherry trees and new shrubbery, site re-grading and improved circulation, plantings throughout for screening and ornamentation, pool code fencing, outdoor lighting and outdoor furniture.
Architecture by Saniee Architects & Construction By Cum Laude Group
The 1.4 acre property has picturesque pond views in a private setting with rolling hills and stone retaining walls. The homeowners had three young children under age 5, and wanted to enhance their landscape to create a more useable outdoor space that would be simultaneously beautiful, fun, safe and practical.
Their goal was to design a landscape that would be comfortable for both living and entertaining, so they could share their love of nature, plants and trees with their children and friends. Design elements included stone walls and steps, an enclosed vegetable garden, improved front entry, level play lawn with privacy and open pond views, fencing and gates, new screening and ornamental plantings with specimen trees, and outdoor lighting throughout.