English Garden
Outdoor Space & Landscape English Garden The design team embraced tradition and craftsmanship to reimagine this formerly overgrown backyard into a structured yet inviting English garden. The vision: a balanced,
Outdoor Space & Landscape
Leawood Laid Back
Blending comfort with craftsmanship, the project team transformed this backyard into a natural extension of the home. Navigating HOA restrictions and a beloved pin oak, the design prioritizes fluidity and function while maintaining a refined aesthetic.
To comply with code, a covered porch with a built-in grill and bar counter anchors the space, offering an inviting, all-season gathering spot warmed by overhead heaters. A sunken fire feature, deck lounge and dining patio create distinct zones, while festoon lighting strung above the outdoor dining structure brings height and ambiance.
Preserving the towering pin oak required innovation—traditional footings were replaced with an elevated deck that hovers over the roots, allowing water and light to nourish the tree. A restrained material palette of limestone in varied finishes enhances cohesion, ensuring the design feels intentional and harmonious. The backyard is now sophisticated and effortlessly livable.
Landscape Architect
Lorax Design Group
Contractor
Erickson Build Co.
Photographer
Matthew Anderson
Resources
Countertops: A&A Granite Fabrication Electrical: Power KC Plumbing: iPlumb KC Roofing: RoyCo Roofing
Painting: First Impression Painting Framing: Charlie Rea Framing Company
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Leawood Laid Back
Outdoor Space & Landscape Leawood Laid Back Blending comfort with craftsmanship, the project team transformed this backyard into a natural extension of the home. Navigating HOA restrictions and a beloved
Outdoor Space or Landscape |
Leawood Laid Back
Project Vision:
The clients wanted their backyard to be an extension of their home. HOA restrictions added a layer of difficulty since code requirements only allowed additional structures to be less than 300 SF under roof. We kept the additional roof next to the home as a covered porch with a built-in grill and bar counter. This area was an open-air lanai with heaters that can be used year-round. The project included a variety of different rooms, including a sunken fire feature, deck lounging area and a dining patio with an outdoor structure with festoon lighting. Among the towering trees, the outdoor structure with festoon lighting brought some needed verticality to the dining area of the project. The clients intentionally selected a small palette of materials, including a limestone in a variety of finishes. The small palette of materials provided continuity throughout the design.
Project Challenges:
See below.
Project Solutions:
The client wanted to save a towering pin oak and so we designed around it. However, to truly preserve a tree without damaging its roots, we had to modify traditional construction with concrete footings. We designed the project so there was no digging under the tree's canopy. Rather, we opted for an elevated deck which allowed the trees light and rain water and floated above existing root flares to avoid damaging the tree.
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Floor plans, Drawings, Elevations:
Floor plans, Drawings, Elevations:
