palms
When I first became involved with this project, the property was little more than a muddy slope - a dramatic piece of Panamanian topography that nobody had ever considered developing before my clients came along and decided to build a large, custom home. There was a reason it was available to them when they arrived: The building site was a logistical nightmare not only because of the topography but also because of the configuration of the lot. But they
Unlike most companies that become deeply involved in exterior environments, we at D'Asign Source of Marathon, Fla., are also happy to get involved in designing and building everything else associated with a given property. When asked by our clients to do so, we tackle it all, from designing and engineering a home and taking care of all the licensing and construction, to furnishing the interiors and providing luxurious details inside and out. And when we're done, we'll happily service
Unlike most companies that become deeply involved in exterior environments, we at D'Asign Source of Marathon, Fla., are also happy to get involved in designing and building everything else associated with a given property. When asked by our clients to do so, we tackle it all, from designing and engineering a home and taking care of all the licensing and construction, to furnishing the interiors and providing luxurious details inside and out. And when we're done, we'll happily service
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
What do you see when you look at postcards, ads and travel posters designed to lure you to exotic, sunny locations? Almost without exception, there are palms - the omnipresent invitation to experience all things tropical. The association is so close, in fact, that it's hard to imagine a tropical resort or lagoon-style backyard pool without at least one of them in sight. The allure of palms, of course, extends well beyond the tropics. In any location in which sunshine and outdoor living are touchstones for the good life, whether its in the desert of southern California or on a waterfront in Hawaii, palms are almost always the finishing touch used in crafting a distinctive artistic and cultural statement. They are the icons of
A well-conceived garden that has endured through many decades can teach us all a multitude of lessons. In the case of the Virginia Robinson Gardens, however, even getting to the point where those lessons might be recognized and appreciated has taken years of research, study and painstaking restoration. In the nine years I've been associated with the gardens, I've done all I can to determine the original design intent of those who owned and established it, stripping away generations of alterations, additions and miscalculations while interpreting the site and uncovering clues that point to the sense of mission and the creative spirit that influenced its creation and further development early in the 20th Century. I've done so with a recognition that the Virginia Robinson Gardens are important as an emblem of southern California history and an era gone by. I've also come to perceive the complexity, artistry and beauty of the space, seeing it as a blueprint that, examined closely, can serve to inspire and inform the work we all do today. The current gardens occupy most of the grounds of the former estate of Harry and Virginia Robinson, heirs to a department store fortune. My charge has been to restore and manage these six-and-a-half acres in the heart of Beverly Hills, Calif. - a graceful setting in the midst of
When we think of water, much of the time we think of a tropical scene - Hawaii, the Caribbean or some other exotic island somewhere - a place we'd all like to go. Why not create that "somewhere else" in your clients' backyards? They'll thank you for all the money you'll save them on that cruise that probably would have been less than perfect anyway. And this tropical scene will be one they can enjoy not only this week, but for as long as they want. Imagine palm trees swaying in the wind, the sweet smell of
