michelle kaufmann designs

One of the biggest goals with our home designs is that they collaborate with the land and blur the boundary between interior and exterior. We design homes to feel larger than they are by extending the spaces beyond a home’s walls and creating outdoor rooms. The goal is to “design big” rather than “build big” and we can achieve it by using beautiful and sustainable landscape designs to form these outdoor rooms.

Shades of Green is a landscape architecture design studio based in Marin that we had the pleasure of encountering at last year’s Dwell on Design event for which they created the outdoor landscape design experience. These landscape architects have an eye for creating contemporary landscapes that offer many shades of green. We recently talked to Tyler Manchuck, co-founder of Shades of Green, about her firm’s work:

Mk: Tyler, when we first saw your work, we were struck by the clean lines mixed with warm materials, as well as your sustainable approach. Can you tell me more about your sustainable focus and implementation?

Tyler: I will summarize into four words that I can explain in more detail: innovative, practical, responsible, and educational. Every project has its own unique considerations. So, we study what natural systems exist for every site and understand the opportunities that those present. We find that by combining the latest technologies with our unique and creative design solutions, we offer a very innovative final product. By listening to our Clients we deliver practical design solutions that meet both their needs and the environmental considerations of the site.

With regard to being responsible, nature presents us with so many design opportunities that we can turn into great design features! For example, utilizing rain water to irrigate and run water features, or using low water and native plants for added habitat and water savings. We also strive to eliminate waste by reusing and transforming existing materials into creative new site features. Our Clients get excited about that because it not only keeps waste out of landfills, but cuts down on transportation and saves money.

Lastly, education! We are constantly educating ourselves so that we can assist our Clients in making the most informed decisions as well as educating them about the design process and how innovation and practical and responsible design have played a role in the final product.

Mk: What are your favorite landscape elements you use in your work?

Tyler: I would say color, metal, recycled materials, rainwater, grasses and succulents. We love bright splashes of color to enliven a space. For example, we added red stucco to an existing wall and used blue stucco to make a climbing wall at this project in Montclair.

We love to use recycled metal in our work, it is always changing in color and texture. For the Dwell Outdoor project, we worked with Building Resources in San Francisco to create a mulch from recycled mirrors that reflected the surrounding garden elements. People would stop and bend down to try to figure out what it was! Capturing rainwater and snowmelt has led to some of our most creative water feature designs. It also educates our contractors who told us there would never be enough rainwater to run them. Succulents are such wonderful plants; they are so sculptural, require little to no water, and are interesting year round. Grasses add wonderful movement to a garden. We love to mix in huge yuccas, agaves, or aloes amongst a mass of grasses to give that wow factor in a garden.

Mk: I am always trying to find the easy, yet beautiful solutions (as my life is getting busier and busier with each passing day). What are the simplest solutions that people can do to make a difference in their landscape?

Tyler: Study the sun and wind patterns so you can plant trees for the most solar gain for your home. Capture your washing machine gray water or rainwater from gutters to water your garden. Work with existing materials by recycling old concrete patios and driveways into artistic walls, or make sure your old wood and gravel go somewhere where it can be recycled or reused (the Marin Resource Recovery is a great place for this). Use native, drought tolerant plants and mix in herbs, fruit trees, and vegetables so you can feed your family from your own landscape! Choose local and recycled materials and FSC certified wood products. Hire a professional if you feel like you’re overwhelmed and need expert advice and most of all, have fun with it. For us, creating successful outdoor spaces is one of the most rewarding aspects of our profession.

Mk: Thanks so much, Tyler!