Ipe flooring from the interior of the pavilion, connects to the oiled ipe decks that frame the swimming pool. Mirroring the pavilion’s geometry, the new rectangular pool is lined with Algonquin limestone that extends horizontally on one side to serve as a deck wide enough for lounge chairs; nearest the house, the same limestone serves as a bridge to the dining terrace. The remaining sides of the pool are surrounded by decks of oiled ipe that sit flush with the level of the lawn. The use of continuous walking surfaces throughout the backyard merge the pavilion with its setting—an effect enhanced by a planted roof that visually extends the lawn to the perimeter vegetation when viewed from above.

Opposite the pavilion, the new dining terrace replaces an existing balcony-like platform framed by a masonry wall and accessed by a narrow set of eight stone steps; now, an extended sequence of wide platforms elaborates the transition from ipe dining terrace to limestone patio below, dispensing with the need for a guardrail and intensifying the feeling of openness. Raised to match the level of the main floor interior, the new enlarged terrace also consists of a generous custom barbecue station set against horizontal black-stained cedar lath with a powder-coated aluminum heat guard.


From dining terrace to pool, the elevation difference is managed by a berm—sandwiched between two low limestone retainers, further subdivided by black aluminum planters and thickly foliated to negotiate its steep descent—inserting a middle-ground to create a sense of distance between pool and terrace. Here and elsewhere, plantings (selected in collaboration with Tina McMullen) are structured for a modern look that nonetheless maintains the loose, shaggy feel of the original garden.

In the front yard, Amantea updated an existing horseshoe driveway and intersecting front walk with new heated surfaces of concrete and limestone. The entrance, too, is revamped, with a new square stoop, orthogonal limestone bench and corresponding planting box framed in blackened metal; here, as in the areas abutting the front walk, a carefully proportioned composition of shrubs and low plantings replaces turf.