Court Yard, Newton, MA

CHALLENGE

The challenge was to transform a long exterior space into a comfortable outdoor courtyard for dining and relaxation for a family of four.

THE SITE

The condo property had a 9,000-square-foot lot with a 15-foot wide, 65-foot-long private exterior space with its own private access from the owner’s living unit. The space was enclosed on three sides by neighboring properties, so it was important to provide privacy while creating an inviting and neighborly atmosphere along the shared property lines.

The property is located in the highly desirable and densely packed Newton, Massachusetts neighborhood, close to Watertown, Cambridge, and Boston.

RESULTS

An inviting and unique outdoor courtyard for dining with lounge space that met the client’s functional and aesthetic objectives was created.

Working closely with the client, the entire composition was studied to create a lively and engaging outdoor space where all landscape items complemented one another. This was achieved through a thoughtful evaluation of the proposed materials for the space.

The color and finish of the fence were coordinated with the color and finish of the stairs and landing. The paving materials included a multi-color blend of concrete pavers with natural stone, where tan-tones complemented the fence and stairs and gray-tones complemented the color of the house’s trim and siding.

Dark charcoal raised planters with bamboo planting created a nice contrast to the paving’s lighter tones, making the raised planters a strong feature in the landscape.

Several material and finish options were presented and discussed to evaluate the selection of paving materials, raised planters, edging, fencing, furniture, plant material, and treatment to the composite stair and landing with metal handrail.