Situated in the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County, California, Silverado Canyon puts forward an impressive setting for a new expansion of single-family homes. Envisioned by developer and homebuilder Rutter Development, who constructed 27 of the 65 lots, the 114-acre parcel was dubbed Viewpoint at Saddle Crest. Viewpoint's creative team also includes developer and homebuilder Tri Pointe Homes, who was contracted for the remaining 38 lots, architecture firm Bassenian Lagoni, and landscape architecture firm SMP Environmental Designs, who was engaged in 2022 to craft the exterior layouts for the project's model homes and entry monumentation.

First Impressions
One of the most impactful ways of celebrating the view of a community is through the expression of the entry. Viewpoint's monumentation harnesses the topography of the surrounding canyons to enrich the scenic driving experience leading up to the development. The elegant, sweeping stone walls reflect the scale of the canyons, and the landscaped slopes further enhance the natural surroundings with a balance of trees and shrubs that offer visibility and protection.

Homing in on New Homeowners
When designing model homes, buyer profiles are typically set up by the builder to describe the ideal buyer and offer a space a prospect can envision themselves living in. SMP used the buyer profiles as a tool in designing the outdoor spaces and their intended uses by future occupants.

SMP Director of Design and Practicing Landscape Architect Rick Hagemeyer, who conceived the Plan 3B Model Home, took full advantage of its setting when designing the home: "The landscape design objective for this modern farmhouse was to bring the architecture out into the exterior space while focusing the attention on its expansive natural setting. The challenges were to achieve an upscale elegance while also implementing drought-tolerant, fire-resistant, and low-maintenance planting solutions."

Indoor/Outdoor Coordination
The entry staircase in the front of the farmhouse-style model property brings materials from the house out to the yard to balance its footprint. Vistas from the interior of the home were directed outward and upward to provide a stage for beautiful surroundings. For instance, the pool reflects the water staircase that leads up to a raised spa deck to celebrate the vista through the glass panel security fence above. To mirror the ups and downs of the hills beyond, the design incorporates raised areas, level areas, and a sunken retreat with an outdoor entertainment wall that also brings inside materials outside.

 

The landscape architecture team stresses that good dialogue and collaboration with the interior designer is vital to create harmony between the interior and the exterior. The choice of furniture materials and color has a significant impact on this harmony, as evidenced in the loggia, where the color scheme of the furniture as well as the paving, fireplace, and pottery, are carried out from the living room. The designers worked in tandem with vendors in delivering the best materials to complement the interior space while bringing value to both builder and consumer by presenting immediate impact upon viewing the model home.

Following the notion that form follows function, the Landscape Architects delineated the outdoor areas by activity to create 'outdoor rooms' that would extend the living space. Owing to the modern aesthetic of the farmhouse style, the simple elegance of horizontal and vertical lines accentuated in black provided overall form that appears in many design elements.

Increased Spatial Impression
Beyond the covered loggia, a clear line of steppers leads to a generous lounge area with a view of the pool, spa, and fire pit. The outdoor rooms feel larger due to the seamless blend of the pool coping and pavers that add definition to each space. This can be seen in the sunken fire pit area, where the pool's raised bond beam becomes one with the seating wall.

Celebration of the outdoor view is also evident in the "room" containing a raised podium spa with an infinity edge, which is perfect for watching the sunset. Creating these rooms allowed the design team to maximize the potential of these activity areas, giving comfort and a sense of serenity that pervades the surroundings.

Another way to make a space feel larger is through the sound of moving water. In this design, the stepped waterfall feature from the spa gently spills into the pool area for a broad ambient effect. A smaller water feature with scuppers that produce a trickling sound can also be heard when sitting by the fire pit, providing a more intimate experience.

Plant materials that highlight and imply the separation of different rooms is an additional, subtle way to create a sense of expanded space. The designers employed simple but effective tactics, such as specifying Strawberry Trees (Arbutus 'Marina' (Standard)) or shrubs for light screening, to carry out the view from the overhead. The spacing of plant material is additionally important, as it gives the impression of fullness as the planting layers unfold and mature over time.

A Burning Issue
Accomplishing the celebration of the views was not without its challenges. The Silverado Canyon area has been afflicted by wildfires over recent years, which has tested developers' and stakeholders' abilities to obtain municipal approval for the installed landscaping. One solution was to specify natural plant material that conforms to the fuel modification zone standards. As Landscape Architects are entitled to uphold safety requirements, care for the land, and preserve natural resources in the most aesthetic way possible, the team installed different textures of native grasses and agaves whose form and beauty complemented the angular qualities of the home's farmhouse style.

Final View
It is always exciting to see a design come to life, and the road to a completed project is very rewarding in itself. One of the most fundamental aspects of SMP's practice is in building successful relationships. Having rapport with the builders, consultants, and contractors involved with Viewpoint at Saddle Crest enabled the Landscape Architects to bring forth the best homeowner experience possible. Put simply, SMP "designs for people."

TEAM LIST
Landscape Architect - SMP Environmental Designs, Pat Murphy, PLA; Rick Hagemeyer, PLA; Wil Pinaroc, PLA; Zohar Berber
Developer - Rutter Development
Architect - Bassenian/Lagoni, Ken Niemerski
Builder - Tri Pointe Homes, Stephanie M. Fabbri Carter
Interior Designer - CDC Designs | General Contractor - Buccola
Pool Contractor - Orange County Pools and Spas

As seen in LASN magazine, April 2025.