Dear Homework,
We have recently retired to this Des Peres ranch located on a golf course. We’ve finished the interior, but now, we need to do the exterior as well. We’d like something to go with our sculpture from the Laumeier Art Fair. We hope you can help us.Sincerely,
—Sculpting a New Image
Dear Sculpting a New Image,
Your bright red sculpture is a perfect complement to your black and white house, and your goal to properly highlight it gave me the starting point for this refresh. I would build a low, stone retaining wall that aligns with your front porch and bows out at the center, creating a plinth that centers the sculpture on the front door. New lower hedges along the wall allow the porch columns to appear taller and more graceful.
To improve the presentation even further, I’d use the same stone to build a mailbox/light pier, add a shade tree at the curb and surround them with a bed of ivy. I would then add a band of granite pavers at the base of the driveway to break up the sea of concrete and border the right side of the drive with a new low hedge and a Japanese maple tree to bring some landscape to this side of the property and soften the front entry garage. A larger, relocated carriage light and some potted plants complete the picture.
Now, the sculpture takes pride of place while reinforcing what was already good about the existing composition.
Hope that helps,
—Homework
Homework is penned by Paul Doerner, Founding Partner of the Lawrence Group. if you would like your home critiqued, contact us at homework@townandstyle.com.