“Don’t Try to Fight It:” Letting a Landscape’s True Nature Come Through in Marin

We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.

A large patch of no­-mow fescue grows long and windswept under a Giant Se­quoia in the yard of this 1953 modern house, recently remodeled by the mod­ernist masters at Marmol Radziner. It sig­nals to anyone who wanders past that de­spite its pristine lines and mid­century pedigree, this house wants to play it a little loose. 

“The owners’ wishes were to create a park­-like environ­ment that could accommodate a new guest house and am­ple space for recreation,” says Ron Radziner, one of the principles of the Los Angeles–based design­-build firm known for its show­stopping new construction and expert way of updating classic mid­century architecture. Their work has become so synonymous with sleek, chic Los Ange­les style that few people realize that they have an office in the Bay Area. The team is clearly just as adept at carving out playful living spaces hidden in the forests of Marin County as they are creating minimalist sanctuaries in the blazing sun further south. 

Stephen Kent Johnson/Otto

“From inside the home, the view outward of the canopy of trees creates the feeling of being inside of a treehouse,” says Radziner. “It was important that the landscape honor the site and its existing character, while creating moments of focal interest where the family can gather and enjoy the property, spaces to run around, play, and entertain without being fussy or too formal.” 

The trick to creating a streamlined, contemporary gar­den is to use fewer varieties of plants in larger mass. By sticking to a smaller range of finely edited textures and blocking out large areas devoted to just one type of plant, the vibe is minimal without feeling austere. Throughout the property, Japanese maples provide spots of seasonal color, like punctuation marks in a sea of green. A decades­-old ap­ple tree planted by the original owners remains untouched. Areas for larger gatherings and quiet conversation are tucked all around the garden, furnished with mushroom­-shaped side tables and Italian cork seats that lean in to the quirky, organic-­modern feel of the house and its surroundings. 

Stephen Kent Johnson/Otto

“This garden serves as a reminder that it’s best to work with what you have. Allow some of the quirkiness of an existing home and garden to help tell the story of the site,” Radziner adds. “Find ways to enhance the existing landscape. Don’t try to fight it.” 

Get the Look 

1 of 3Courtesy of Homethreads

Chair

Gervasoni cork chairs designed by Paola Navone are a splurge worth considering. But an armless wicker chair, like a curved Danish sidechair from Safavieh ($359 for 2, homethreads.com) has a similar S-curve appeal. 

2 of 3Courtesy of Sunnydaze

Fire Pit

The Paloform fire bowl in the back yard has a rustic patina (price on request, paloform.com), which makes a new garden feel like it’s been there forever. Sunnydaze makes a cast-iron fire bowl with the same old feel (starting at $169, sunnydazedecor.com).

3 of 3Courtesy of Overstock.com

Table

The Australian outdoor-furniture maker Jardan carved mushroom stools for the Marin home from reclaimed timber (approx. USD $867.09, jardan.com.au). A cedar-root mushroom side table by Greenage ($65, overstock.com) is a more affordable alternative.