45. Rhyne Designs' 3rd Anniversary

It's time to look back on 2015, Rhyne Designs’ third official year in business. The year ended with some good rainfall here, a hopeful step towards getting over the drought, but still a ways to go. The dry weather earlier in the year meant that construction work went quickly on several Rhyne Designs projects with great results. Also, quite a few projects moved through the design process in 2015, making it a very exciting and busy year!

Built Work

Most exciting was the completion of landscape construction for three different properties in the Napa Valley, the culmination of years of design work, permitting, and construction coordination. In July I was thrilled to see the landscape for a 4 acre Wine Country Estate near Yountville finish up. Personal on-site placement of hundreds of plants for installation was a rewarding experience that allowed for some key fine-tuning of the design as it all came together. In October the landscape for a St. Helena residence was installed just in time for the rainy weather. The landscape for a one-acre North Napa residence was about 95% complete by mid-November, but the rains slowed things down after that. Likewise a landscape remodeling project in Moraga got underway in the fall and came close to finishing up before things got too soggy. I look forward to seeing all of these gardens in a few months after the winter rains and spring warmth have allowed the plants to grow and flower!

Designs In Progress

On the drawing boards in 2015 are several exciting projects that will start construction this summer. In the East Bay I have been working with a nice family to design a new landscape for their steep hillside house in Kensington. This older house has a front door that sits about 20 feet higher than street level, and the original connecting stairways have crumbled to the point of being a hazard. Working through many design options and keeping a close eye on the budget, we have come up with a pleasant sequence of stairways and terraces that lead up to the front door, tied into the existing architectural style with paving materials, railing designs, and lighting. 

In Marin County, I have had the pleasure of working with another nice family on their hillside property in Belvedere, which has amazing views of the Bay. This has involved working to create a well-defined entry route up to the front door, a challenge because it is on the back side of the house at the second floor level. We looked at various design alternatives for different pieces of the project, working within a minimalist modern style to complement the house. Also in this design is a habitat garden, an outdoor terrace, an expansion of the existing lawn, and a sport court.  All are carefully arranged on this steep site to allow for all kinds of outdoor living. This project goes before the local Planning Commission soon and then on to construction.

Under construction right now is a major Rhyne Designs project consisting of three residences set in a 9 acre vineyard in the Napa Valley. The house construction has moved along quickly, and landscape installation should begin in a couple of months. As the form of the first house has taken shape Rhyne Designs has continued to work with the clients to fine tune the landscape design to fit with their vision of a garden full of spaces for outdoor living in an elegant modern style. I am very excited to see this one become a reality.

Updated Web Site

Rhyne Designs' business has increased and I have learned much in the last three years and the web site has been updated to reflect that. More projects have been added, with more photos of built work. The core information on Rhyne Designs has also been updated, with clearer and simpler writing.

Off and Running in 2016

With all the work that came up in 2015, I wrapped up my last outside consulting jobs by mid-year. This has allowed me to take on more work of my own, and stay focused on delivering quality designs to my clients. 2016 has started out at a good pace and I’m looking forward to more fun design work and seeing more drought tolerant garden designs come to life!