Steal This Look:
A Luxe Outdoor Living Room in Glendale, CA
When Arin Der tapped Kate and Ryan Gross, of Los Angeles landscape design firm Kate Anne Designs, to overhaul his Glendale, CA, property, number one on his wish list was to make the sprawling outdoor area more like an extension of his recently renovated interiors. “There was a lot of undefined, unused open space,” says Kate."Our goal was to prioritize the functionality of the large front yard."
"We created a natural and organic feel by bringing in that Spanish Courtyard aesthetic to the space. We brought in tall hedging for privacy, and retained part of the front yard hillside, so all of the areas were brought to the same level. This was a huge transformation in itself by bringing all of the areas on the same plane. Our challenge was then to create unique vignettes within the sprawling outdoor space to create what felt like multiple outdoor living rooms for our client."
Below, a glimpse of one of the conversational areas—and how to get the look.
Above: The client, who owns Pinky’s Iron Doors (a maker of iron doors and windows for luxury homes), enjoys entertaining. In addition to this outdoor living room, there’s a dining patio, an outdoor kitchen, and an additional lounge area.
Above: “We installed the vintage brick on its skinny side, which created a more contemporary and custom look,” says Kate of the herringbone pavered floor. Growing in the oversized planter is a multi-trunk fruitless olive tree.
Above: Tinted poured concrete steppers lead to the way to the outdoor living room. “This was an opportunity to contrast the warm tones of the brick by bringing in a cool gray concrete,” says Kate. “We also utilized an acid finish on the concrete to lend a more elegant look and to assist with slip resistance.”
Photography by Jeffrey Brian, courtesy of Kate Anne Designs.
Steal This Look
Above: Much of the outdoor furniture was sourced from RH, like the pair of extra large sofas surrounding the fire pit. The Marbella Teak Sofa (with cushions) starts at $4,825.
Above: Three lumbar pillows on each sofa keeps things simple and modern. RH’s Sumi Striated Outdoor Lumbar Pillow Cover starts at $155.
Above: The Ixtapa Rectangular Plinth Fire Table (in light grey) is $9,295 at RH. It also comes in smaller, square versions.
Above: Bamboo Pendant Lights hung overhead lend a vacation feel to the space. Kate and Ryan sourced them on Etsy, but they note that these are not made to hold up to the elements. “They’re great decorative items for temporary parties.” They start at $53.90 via Oriental Bazaar on Etsy.
Above: The stone and resin blend Belly Stone Outdoor Planter, in XXL, measures about 3 feet tall and wide; currently on sale for $509 at CB2.
Above: Salento Round Planters (pictured in chalk) from RH were also used. They start at $250.
Above: The water fountain Kate and Ryan chose is no longer available at Williams Sonoma. For a similar look, consider the Ripple Water Fountain; $279.95 at Williams Sonoma.