Viva Mexico: south-of-the-border style inspires a California garden

For Karen Rudolph and Jimi Simmons, a garden is a place to celebrate one's heritage. So the couple--whose family is a blend of native Californian and Native American--filled the landscape around their house in Los Altos, California, with objects that remind them of their ties to Mexico and the Southwest. Flowers, furnishings, and cushions in vibrant colors mingle with playful art objects to complement the family's casual, sun-country lifestyle.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Rudolph describes her garden's style as rascuache, Chicano slang meaning a haphazard collection of things that express pride in your culture. It's the Mexican American version of shabby chic--a mix of Mexican pottery, Native American art, souvenirs from travels, and Rudolph's own fanciful creations, including a chandelier made from an old wagon wheel and a painting of the Virgen de Guadalupe on a screen door.

In the front yard, an extended porch serves as a gallery for Rudolph's many collectibles, such as wood carvings, tinwork, and clay masks. The east-facing front porch provides plenty of comfortable seating for basking in early-morning sunlight. Here, a joyful blend of flower-filled pots lines terra-cotta walls and turquoise posts adorned with Native American plaques, woven baskets, and more.

The backyard pool area, designed by Cynthia Hayes, is the hub for family activities and entertaining. Its look is a bit calmer, in honor of Simmons's Northwest Native American heritage, but Rudolph is slowly making her mark here as well. A chunky ramada decorated with colorful flags and glowing lights serves as an outdoor dining room. Not far away, an outdoor kitchen with a kiva (Southwest-style fireplace) wraps around a flagstone patio.

The garden is not only the family's personal space but also a reflection of the Mexican and Native American roots of the surrounding Santa Clara Valley. "It's important to respect the spirit of the cultures that were here before us," Rudolph says.

DESIGN: Cynthia Hayes, Mozaic Landscape Design Group, Sunol, CA (www.mozaiclandscapedesign.com or 510/494-8500)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NORM PLATE

RELATED ARTICLE: Get the look

Karen Rudolph and Jimi Simmons find many special pieces while on vacation, in places such as Milagros in Seattle's Pike Place Market (www.milagrosseattle.com or 206/464-0490) and the biannual Spanish Market in Santa Fe (next market Dec 3-4; www.spanishmarket.org or 505/982-2226). Here are the couple's decorating tips.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Be bold with color (A). Paint a tabletop and chairs a rich blue, then choose bright red cushions and a striped table runner for contrast. Hang cheerful flags overhead and display art in vivid hues.

* Install shimmering lights (B). For a festive ambience, hang little white string lights from arbors or suspend an outdoor chandelier over a patio table. Rudolph made a simple chandelier by hanging vintage canning jars, beads, and toys from a wagon wheel.

* Cluster luminarias on porches and patios (C). Tin luminarias look as good during the day as they do when lit at night. They're available by mail from Tin-Art New Mexico FolkArt by Celeste (505/345-7231).

* Adorn patios with Mexican pottery (D). Glazed or unglazed Mexican terracotta pots instantly add a south-of-the-border flavor.

* Plant vivid flowers everywhere (E). The front yard is a riot of blooms thanks to spicy-colored geraniums and roses such as 'Chihuly', shown here.

* Add a kiva (F). The traditional Southwest fireplace becomes a gathering spot on chilly nights. Handmade tile adorns the banco (seat wall).

COPYRIGHT 2005 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group