Super design, great ideas

This versatile garden fits comfort and style into a compact space.

When Jim Lommori tackled his backyard, his goal was to use every square inch of the narrow Austin lot. A spacious entertaining area was a top priority, as was maintaining a cozy garden atmosphere.

For assistance, he called on local architect Stan Hensley, and together they planned a totally useful, beautifully designed garden. "Our concept was to make outdoor living rooms and use the seasons in Austin to their maximum extent," Stan says.

Simple, Effective Plan

The long, slender space, measuring approximately 20 x 50 feet, is divided into decked sections. A dining pavilion anchors one area, while a potting shed repeats the architectural style at the garden's opposite end. An outdoor sun terrace and sunken garden, including a small water feature, create additional living areas between the two simple buildings. "The whole idea is to make pavilions and spaces that are slightly structured, creating a sense of place relative to the area around the garden," Stan says.

The design has an orderly feel. "As an architect, I am very interested in the post-and-beam structural system. It's very Asian feeling and modular, not unlike a tatami floor mat in a Japanese home," Stan says. "All the posts line up, and all the grids relate. It's just a matter of making subtle connections and layering materials to define the shape," he says.

The House Connection

New French doors in Jim's dining room mirror the already existing door in his living room. Now when Jim entertains, his guests can come and go easily between the indoor and outdoor areas; this practically doubles the square footage of his residence.

It takes time to make any new landscape your own. "Initially, the decks and garden had a much more contemporary feeling," Stan relates. "But over time, the look has softened tremendously and become more personal." Jim's carefully chosen plants thrive in Austin's hot summer climate and enhance the spacious feeling in the tiny garden. Containers holding single specimens delineate the area, with colors and textures carefully chosen to maintain the garden's clean lines and organized appearance.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2003
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