Sunset Sunset
Asian elegance
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Customer Service
  • Marketplace
  1. Sunset
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Landscaping

Asian elegance

Norm Plate

Oriental-influences transformed this small yard

Lauren Bonar Swezey,

Tom and Genni Houlihan like clean, simple lines. In their home, the furnishings are contemporary and the colors are soft. “We wanted a calm, contemplative space with multiple areas for outdoor living,” says Genni. An Asian-inspired garden met their needs perfectly.

Within the small yard, Trutza incorporated areas for lounging, dining, grilling, and gardening. Each of these areas has a different focal point. A view to the sitting area at the back of the garden offers a glance at giant timber bamboo through a moon window. Below the window, a firepit burns on cool nights. 

Off to the side, a serene koi pond offers diners a visual treat. Bordering it, a grid-patterned block wall accents the edge of a gravel and sculpture garden. “With each new view, the garden has an element of discovery,” says Genni. 

The Houlihans played an integral role in selecting the plants and materials. They chose trees with colored foliage and interesting form―purple plum and weeping willow, for instance―as focal points, and pale pink flagstone for its clean, spare feel. Lime washes in pastel hues on walls match the soft colors inside the home. “The sculptural quality of the materials and their simplicity of form were key to the design’s success,” says Genni.

You May Like

Read More

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up

Subscribe & Save

Subscribe today for as little as $1.34 per issue!
GET IT NOW

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up
Sunset
Sunset
  • Food and Drink
  • Home and Garden
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Newsletters
  • Video
About
  • About Us
  • Events & Offers
  • Subscriptions
  • Site Map
Contact
  • Advertising
  • Careers
  • Email the Editors
  • Magazine Customer Service
Copyright © 2018 Sunset Publishing Corporation. SUNSET is a registered trademark of Sunset Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. SUNSET may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.