There are two landscape architects and two landscape designers on the Hursthouse design team, each with our own personal style and unique landscape training. And yet – there’s a certain approach that seems to define every Hursthouse project, no matter whose desk it’s on.
What are elements that set Hursthouse design apart?
When we’re starting a new landscape, there are three things we always look at first, in order of importance. Here’s our company design philosophy, in just three words:
Family | Architecture | Land
1. Family.
Whether it’s two people or a family of 12, every landscape is about one thing: the people who spend time there. This is the first thing we look at when we start a design, and it’s the thing we come back to the most often.Actually, our designers are a bit crazy about this point. When we visit your home, we’re not just looking at your yard – we want to see what kind of furniture you like, which doors you come and go through, where you park your car and where you hang out in the evenings. What trends and similarities do we see in your everyday life? We look at things you might not see and probably don’t think about!
Why? Because design is for people. There’s not much point in changing your landscape unless it actually changes the way you live your life. So how do you want to live?
2. Architecture.
What style and building materials are already used in your home – and how should your landscape reflect it? This is an easy element for some landscaping companies to overlook, but it’s the key to a client-centered approach. Your back yard and front yard are part of your home. They ought to look like they belong.
The more your landscape design can emphasize and complement the most beautiful things about your house, the more beautiful and intentional your entire home will feel.
3. Land.
Last, but not least, we always look at is the landform around your home. There are a lot of details to consider: the condition of your site, the soil type, the microclimate, grading and drainage – even the locations of sun and shade at different times of day and different times of the year.
All these factors will influence the types of design solutions we use in your landscape. Most of our clients live in Illinois, so there are some materials and plants we already know will work well at your home. But every landscape is unique, too. Even the location of trees on your neighbors’ property can change the equation.
Of course, there are some personal tastes and preferences that tie our team together too: We all love designing with natural materials. We get excited about long-term project landscapes meant to last a lifetime. And we tend to geek out about the littlest details of a landscape, because those are often the source of greatest emotion.
But even our strongest preferences play second fiddle to the three watchwords above. Your family, your architecture, and your land are where great landscapes always start. We can’t wait to get started on yours!
