Purchased by previous clients, this 9,000 square-foot contemporary custom residential North Irvine, California home's landscape and hardscape were designed by Legends Design Studio, Inc. to accommodate the client's active lifestyle.
Completed in October 2021, the home's landscape was unique since it was a new build without previous landscaping. The clients were looking for several things out of their landscape, including total privacy, an interesting entrance starting from the sidewalk, a unique driveway, a half basketball court and seating area on the side yard, a bar area, a pool and spa, a fire pit, and an expansive entertaining backyard area.

Entrance from The Sidewalk
Once the design plan was set, Legends Design Studio began work on the property. Guests enter from the sidewalk at the longest point of the front yard, and are greeted by two large pilasters, with potted plants on top of pilaster caps that were designed with irrigation and drainage in mind. The homeowner's association required space from the existing sidewalk, so the low walls were designed three feet from the walkway. On the left side of the house, a step was required by the association. To access the side and rear of the property, a sidewall was partially removed, and a bronze gate was added.

Beyond the pilasters, the path continues past large planting areas and path lights that open up to four lit fountains. The fountains shoot water and are controlled by one central controller.

On the right side of the path, two large field-grown Olive trees and an Agave "Medio-picta Alba" were added to frame the landscaping. A zigzag pattern of Echeveria 'Afterglow' and Agave 'Blue Flame' adorn either side of the walkway with Aloe striata and variegated Lavandula 'Meerlo' added to the planters. On either side of the driveway, Howard McMinn Arctostaphylos were planted to provide height. The property line block wall is covered with framed trellis panels, to add interest and to minimize the uninteresting look of the block walls. Pandorea 'Alba' was added to the edges of the panels to grow over the sides and top of the structure. Below the panels, Rumohra ferns were planted.

 
Lighting is continued with up and hanging lights on the Olive trees. Downlighting was added on the front of the eaves of the home. Behind the panels, lighting was added for interest.

Expansive Side Yard
The clients requested a basketball court be added to the yard since their child enjoys the sport. Adding the basketball court to the less visible side yard fit well into the space near the wall between the front and side of the property. The planting area next to the property line wall provides vertical separation. A Podocarpus 'Maki' hedge was added along the sidewall to minimize the view of the wall and provide screening from outside of the property. On the interior side of the court, an 18" seat wall was added for spectators to view the game when the client's friends come over.

Since the client entertains large groups, the side yard also serves as a great space for guest tables and heaters. There is also a seating area nearby that features a natural gas fire pit. Underneath the seating, strip lighting was used to illuminate the space. Behind the fire pit at the end of the side yard, another panel trellis sits in front of the back wall to add depth and an artistic touch. An "Arbutus Marina" or Strawberry Tree was added here and is highlighted with uplighting.

Breathtaking Rear Yard
The most challenging segment of the design of this property was how the home's sightline leads directly to the backyard. The rear yard is visible from the entrance of the residence, meaning the pool had to be centered on the 24 feet of sliding doors at the rear of the house. Adequate space for the kitchen and serving White Porcelain Calacatta counters were needed and called for at least 40 inches between the outdoor counters.

The raised spa was a vital feature, but the design minimized the long rear property line wall. The design could not lose the view of the spa from the indoor eating area. There also had to be at least three feet around the California Room corner to access the side yard with the pool and lighting controls.

By design, the wall of the California Room is closed off from the side yard. A California room is an indoor-outdoor space that features a ceiling fan and two or more walls that connect the space to the rest of the home. Typically, it is furnished like any other outdoor living space. The wall hides the equipment while providing a back wall for the cooktop vent, electrical outlets, switches, and lighting. The serving counter has a sink, refrigerator, and cabinets. Both have waterfall countertops that extend on the sides to the paving.

Pool, Spa, and Fire Pit
The focal point of the property is the pool, spa, and sunken fire pit. Found just beyond the outdoor kitchen, the eight-foot square, vanishing edge spa has a narrow three-inch slit for water circulation. The 95-square-foot spa is constructed of glass tile and raised 18-inches to overflow narrowly on all four sides. The pump was then specially engineered so that the water would not splash onto the surfacing. Behind the spa is another panel trellis to create a cohesive design.

The 750-square-foot pool proved to be a difficult task. The pool was constructed using the Lautner Knife Edge design idea, which was developed by the architect, John Lautner, who was an apprentice for Frank Lloyd Wright. The pool was installed to be level on the perimeter while still draining into a surge tank, filtered, and pumped back into the pool.

Originally the seating area around the sunken fire pit surrounded by the pool was longer. However, the surge tank installed for the pool was located further from the home, so the design and shape of the seating area changed slightly. The back of the seating area was also reduced during construction. This was added afterwards as the sitting area was installed lower than the original design concept.

The sunken, gas-powered fire pit is framed with a concrete block and finished with porcelain tile. A lighting strip was added under the seats to create uniform light. A foot-high glass wall surrounds the seating area to prevent splashing from the pool was installed later since this area was installed lower than the original
design plan. The planting area adjacent to the fire pit was also shrunk due to these changes. Meanwhile, the backyard landscaping is framed by palm trees and Weavers Bamboo provides depth and greenery along the fence.