APLD Members ~ Member of the Month |
Sharon P. Turner, APLD
Featured Member, APLD Website, January 2007
Renovations Render Rewards
Renovate (SYN.) according to the
Webster’s Thesaurus means: restore, rehabilitate, rebuild,
refresh,
renew, overhaul, redesign.
I enjoy renovation work. The property does not have to be a large estate nor the project complex to create a very satisfying and profitable design solution. The work shown here represents the bread and butter of my residential work. The properties are between one quarter to one half of an acre.
The initial phone call coming in to my office from a potential client of this type typically begins with the client wanting to spruce up the place or add some planting to the builder package. Perhaps the older home has some overgrown plantings that need to be replaced. On the phone I explain my design philosophy, the basic design process, as well as my fee structure. The serious client will schedule a site visit.
It is the responsibility of the designer to help the client to see beyond their basic understanding to the full potential of the property. You have to ask:
“Would you consider changing this walk and drive?”
“Have you thought about adding an arbor for filtering the afternoon sun on this porch?”
“Will you reflect on the removal of some of these trees or some of this siding?”
“Are you going to paint soon? Will you consider changing the color of the house?”
Older Custom Built Home
You can see from the before photos that plantings here are old and monotonous. This was obvious to the homeowner as well. However, a site visit revealed that the grade on the front walk was too low and the walk was situated too close to the house. Drainage issues had also to be addressed. The drive needed to be widened to allow for guest parking. During this design process the owner and I discussed the color of the house as well as the addition of shutters. We both love the finished product. (Budget restraints cut the stone from the front porch and reduced the planting sizes but that is how it is in this business!!!)
Beach House
This is an old beach house used as a summer rental for twenty years. Parking was anywhere on the front lawn. Look at the siding on the before photo. There have been no structural changes to the front of this house; I designed them and they are all cosmetic. What a difference!
The parking court had to be large but it is well screened with plantings and grade. To make the parking court seem smaller and more like a patio, we installed a double brick border and put scoring and expansion joints on a diagonal. Also, crushed oyster shells were pressed into the wet concrete.
The potable water in this area is expensive and wells pump salt water so the only lawn on this property is the small section in the back and side garden. Drip is used to water all other plantings. Pavers, scored with pure dwarf mondo grass and dichondra, create a well-used outdoor living space. Keep in mind that the Atlantic Ocean roars less than 300 feet away from this garden oasis.
Planned Community
Basic builder package renovation can be fun, profitable, and rewarding. Many planned communities in my area are for retired folks who want to relax and play golf. My clients from these communities want their small gardens to be easy, functional, and beautiful.
On both of these properties the screened back porches were facing west. The first has a builder-installed patio. We added the arbor and a place to keep the grill. Also see how the front garden evolved. Once cured, the arbor was painted white.
As a side note, the arbors I create are always freestanding. I am not comfortable attaching these structures to the home because of the high winds and heavy rains in our area.
This west-facing wall made the screened porch and dining room uncomfortably hot and bright. The addition of the patio and arbor increases their outdoor living space as well as cools the porch and dining room
Bio of Sharon P. Turner, APLD
Sharon owns Creative Landscapes, Inc, a landscape contracting and design business in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. She has been working in that business since graduation in 1978 from Clemson University with a degree in Horticulture and an emphasis on Landscape design. More information about Sharon and her business can be found at www.creativelandscapesinc.net.
Certified Members seeking to be profiled should send before and after photos with SHORT design intent statement to:
Bethany Dennis
APLD Communications Manager
Email: communications@apld.org
Phone: 717-238-9780
* PHOTOS SHOULD BE CLEAR COLOR PRINTS OR JPEG COMPRESSED FILES