At this new multi-million dollar residence in the Crystal Cove area of Newport Beach, Calif., Richard Cohen Landscape & Construction was tasked with turning a backyard of dirt into an outdoors that complemented its surroundings. The mission accomplished, it includes a forty-foot-long pool with Jandy deck jets, a spa with its own fountain featuring three custom-designed, laser-cut panels of one-half-inch-thick solid copper (left), an entertainment area and a dining area under the covered patio. The outdoor deck on the second floor was extended out (to the left in this picture) about 10 feet and a covered pavilion was added. The project was awarded Best of Show for 2013 in the state of California from the California Landscape Contractors Association.

A beautiful blank canvas awaited Richard Cohen when the owners of a new residence in an exclusive Southern California coastal area contacted him to transform their undeveloped backyard.

His company, Richard Cohen Landscape & Construction, had landscaped for the owners in the past and Cohen didn't have to go far to bring them up to date with his work.

"The year before I had landscaped the house literally next door to their house," he says. "So I walked them around that job and showed them the features and then we talked about what they wanted and how they would tend to use it as a family."

Cohen brought landscape architect Mark Scott into the conversation. The owners, who had extended family living with them, expressed their interest in a place outdoors to cook, to entertain, and different areas to unwind. And since the wife enjoys swimming, they wanted a 40-foot-long lap pool.

As Cohen explains, "They have a beautiful view of the ocean so we wanted to set up the yard to enhance the view and enhance the visual experience when you are sitting and looking out at the view." After more meetings, Scott made his design, some of which caught Cohen by surprise and he wondered if the owners would go for them. They did, and the construction began.

One of the surprises, and one of the biggest undertakings, was an upstairs deck extension and the addition of an outdoor pavilion on this new real estate. To access the pavilion, a set of outside stairs was built. In the new area below the deck extension, the outdoor kitchen was situated.

The pavilion, which is closed on three sides, had radiant heaters installed inside. Outside, a fire table was installed so the postcard-quality sunsets can be comfortably viewed on almost any evening.

 

To take in the spectacular views of the ocean, a number of sitting areas were constructed including a deck next to the fire pit and a deck next to the pool. All of the pavers, steps, risers and coping throughout the project are from Arto, a local manufacturer. The fire pit was built from masonry block and veneered with precast cladding and caps. It has a Grand Effects ignitor, burner system and control system, and is filled with lava rock. The four columns on the pool deck feature metal panels in the same design as the copper panels behind the spa's fountain. The metal panels are backlit with LED's from Top Lighting, which provided all the landscape lighting for the project. The tied-back curtains and the furniture were acquired by Renee Meyer Interiors of Irvine, Calif.

The kitchen and bar are situated in the new area underneath the extended deck. Cohen's crew did all of the masonry concrete work. The countertops are custom-cut granite, which was given a leather finish. All of the appliances are from Lynx. The overhead fan and light is from Kichler. The custom-built cabinets have a mahogany finish and brass hardware.

Getting the permits for all of this building presented a big challenge. The house's original structural engineer was hired to engineer the deck extension but the process did not go as smoothly as Cohen expected, resulting in a two-month delay, so the workers started with the pool and other landscaping while waiting.

The pool deck's design, including its four columns with attached custom-crafted metal panels and tied-back drapes, was another surprise for Cohen but he ended up loving it, as did the owners. "It created the feeling of having a stage," he says. "It really sets it off."

The design of the metal panels was created by Scott. To complement these panels, three solid copper panels were laser-cut with the same design and installed behind the spa. The middle panel was plumbed with a faucet whose water spills into a basin that then spills into the spa.

To emphasize the pool and spa area even more, the lawn area was lowered two feet by the pool excavator. Other instances of rough excavation were handled by the landscapers with their 843 Bobcat and a smaller Bobcat.

The front of the house was another challenge. It is not parallel to the street so the front door is not readily discernable. To help remedy this, a circular patio with a fountain was designed and installed so that as you walk in from the street, you come to the patio and its roundabout character leads you to the front door – what Cohen describes as "a masterful solution to a problem."

The pavilion was built on the deck extension. Open on only this side, the opposite side features a sizable picture window that offers views up the Southern California coast. Inside are radiant heaters from Infratec. The fire table is from O.W. Lee.

This patio is at the front of the house. Its circular construction leads guests to the front door, which is not parallel to the street. The irregular shaped pavers are large pavers that were split up into pieces. Goodwin International provided the urn on pedestal fountain, which was installed and plumbed by the landscape company. Luke Plumbing and Electric ran the water lines to it. The fountain's inner basin and the retaining wall are veneered with the same stone used in the house's facade. The outer basin is planted with horsetail.

To lead guests from the front of the residence to the rear, a series of five arbors were built on the side of the house by United Builders. There are various vining plants on the arbors, including Solanum jasminoities and Distictus riversii. A formal rose garden, avocado and citrus trees line the way. The lanterns are from Del Mar Lighting. The irrigation equipment is from Rainbird.

During the nine-plus months of the build and installation, the landscape crew handled the masonry, concrete, cement, drains, irrigation, tiling, lighting and planting. Other equipment pressed into service besides the Bobcats included the company's Ditch Witch, which was used for trenching, lifting, grading and rototilling, and a rented crane, which was used to plant large trees such as the olive trees.

In addition to what was already mentioned, subs took care of the countertops, the involved woodwork, the plumbing, the electric, the steel and the Gunite.

The efforts of all were of course greatly appreciated by the homeowners, and did not escape notice by others as Richard Cohen Landscape was awarded the Stuart J. Sperber Memorial Sweepstakes Trophy for Best of Show in the state of California from the California Landscape Contractors Association.

"To know that our project was considered the best out of all the beautiful entries in California is quite an honor," expressed Cohen. He sums up its success with, "Mark Scott's design captured elements that the owners wanted, He suggested elements that they never thought about but that they really bought into. And once we executed the job, the finished product speaks for itself."