Sometimes a deck is not an end unto itself. This one connects a home and a sloping lot while creating a stylish spot to sit.
BY ANN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHER LAURIE BLACK FIELD EDITOR LINDA HUMPHREY
A
Seattle
couple's
problem-
solving skills shifted into overdrive when they purchased
a house
in 2002. Iann
Placentia and Bob Minnott loved the home's 1930s Normandy
Tudor architecture,
but
the backyard lacked purpose and panache. The yard sloped down to a small patio at the base of the home, and there was no door at the back of the house. The couple envisioned
a deck that would bridge the
gap between house and slope whileimproving views from inside the house. French doors would replace windows in their den
Left: Deep cushions add color and comfort to all-weather woven chairs on a deck designed as a transition space that doubles as a relaxing retreat. Inset: Bob Minnott and Jann Placentia have cultivated lush plantings that provide privacy and blend their newly constructed outdoor rooms into the landscape.
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Columns frame the door to the den. and wisteria vines in containers add a to'ucjl of foliage. ~he homeowners set up a .bin in the /
den and invite guests to pick up ~ . drink before heading, <>'
•••
-
out to the deck.
to allow easy access to the new deck. "One day, I looked out and Bob was standing on the muddy slope staking out a patio and walkway that would meet up with the deck," Iann says. "We needed an outdoor living room and space for entertaining, so we brought the deck out as far as we could to meet the slope of the yard." The 16x26-foot deck, built by contractor Al Corliss, connects the home to the made-over hillside. Landscape contractor Jim Boekhoff graded the slope to create pathways, a walled 12x18-foot courtyard, and planting beds aplenty. Because of the hilly terrain, Boekhoff and his crew worked without the aid of heavy machinery, hauling out excavated dirt in buckets and hand-carrying in concrete pavers and blocks for the courtyard floor and walls. "We chose the concrete because it looked like aged stone but was more practical," Iann, an interior designer, says. "The garden's design was intended to reflect and enhance the architectural integrity of our home, so we carried
French influences out to the courtyard. We like the formal symmetry of French gardens; while in France, we saw boxwood topiaries and pea gravel paths that we found appealing and then translated to our own gardens." Easy-on-the-eye symmetry and a consistent color scheme reign from the home's exterior walls through the gardens. Decking and railings stained a putty color mirror the house's gray stucco siding and the courtyard's Top: Accessories such as napkin rings and elegant tableware bring furnished-room appeal to the deck. Middle: Accent tables supply stylish perches for drinks and plants, and sheer draperies, stitched from outdoor fabric, dress the entrance. Bottom: A container-grown Japanese maple, selected for its bronzy leaves and dwarf stature, injects a complementary
color in a corner of the deck.
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Create a Stylish Courtyard Interior designer Jann Placentia shares these tips for furnishing outdoor spaces: A) Think of decks and patios as extensions of your home, as true living rooms. Carry the design aesthetic showcased inside your home outside. B) Enhance your home's exterior with style- or period-apt furnishings and landscape designs. Refined, symmetrical
plantings and ornate
garden ornaments complement formal architecture, while free-form flower borders, weathered finishes, and displays of vintage garden gear better suit less formal homes and cottages. C) Plant easy-care gardens so you'll have time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the lovely spaces you've created. D) Make outdoor areas as comfortable
and sumptuous as
possible. Top furniture with cushions and accent pillows stitched from outdoor fabrics, fill corners with potted plants, and anchor seating and dining areas with outdoor rugs. At dusk, set the room aglow with outdoor lamps. E) Incorporate pretty and practical accessories, such as side tables, plant stands, and benches for holding a morning cup of coffee or serving appetizers. Deck the walls with architectural
elements, framed
ironwork, eye-catching fountains, and trellis-climbing
vines.
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concrete hardscapes. All-weather furnishings and fabrics repeat the garden's planting palette of coppery red and green. Clipped boxwoods in ornate urns center 4-foot-square planting beds that define the courtyard's four comers. Beauty and purpose abound at every level. Easy-care plants soften rocky walls, linear railings, and an arbor framing the doors opening to the deck. Comfortable chairs and benches invite homeowners and guests to linger in seating areas enveloped in greenery. A small orchard produces bounteous fruits, fragrant blooms scent the air, and burbling fountains strike a soothing chord. "It all combines for a restful spa-like atmosphere, a private oasis that warmly welcomes a large number of guests," ]ann says. "The patio and deck really
function as our outdoor living room. In summer, we're out there all the time; we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the deck every day. We only use our indoor living room in winter; that's when we gaze wistfully outside, wishing we could be enjoying the outdoors."o
Above: Wicker-look chairs mix it up with cushioned Iron chairs around the umbrella-shaded dining table. Below: The patio is a favorite all-season retreat. Opposite: Tile tops a classically carved bench, one of a pair that face each other from epposlte
FOR RESOURCES,
SEE PAGE 116.
sides of the courtyard.
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