Porters Hill Residence

Designing a space to entertain 5 children and mom and dad was no easy task.  Many design elements were requested by the client, including a swimming pool, spa, patio space to accommodate large parties, water features, stairs from the existing upper deck, lighting, irrigation, fire place, and of course a sea of colorful plantings.

The site was a blank canvas with three feet of fall from one side of the space to the other.  The pool and spa were carefully placed to allow the best views of the river while being a focal point itself from the house and side yard.  Two tractor trailer loads of boulders were used to construct the waterfalls and dive rock.  Dry-stacked stone walls were built to contain the slope and help define the space with bluestone stairs leading to the tumbled paver patio.  The stone fire place adds ambiance to the patio area while acting as a focal point.  Planting spaces were designed to soften and add color and texture to the extensive hardscape.

In the end, all the criteria were met and the functional problems were solved.  More to the point of the house and hardscape melts effortlessly into the sea of color and texture.