We recently were awarded the people’s choice of Houzz Best of Design 2020. This is a tremendous award and we are so thankful to be the winners!
Houzz is such a fun platform to display our work on, and to help others gain inspiration for their dream outdoor spaces. If you’re looking to have an award winning space of your own, don’t hesitate to contact us to get your project started today!
Sustainable landscapes don’t have to be ugly. A common misnomer is that, in order to be sustainable, a landscape must be full of native plants, sticks and weed-like wildflowers. Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredible firms designing and installing beautiful sustainable landscapes, but I also see a lot of them in our area that look great for about a month in the spring and the fall; otherwise, they look to be a mess.
The term “native” gets thrown around a lot in the landscape world, and depending where you live, it can mean different things. In Texas, because our state is so large (and awesome), we have a lot of different native materials that work well in some areas and not in others. What works in the high-desert of West Texas will not work in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Not so long ago, the DFW metroplex was a black-land prairie, and as such, most of the native plants for our region are wildflowers, low grasses and some ornamental trees. While it is lovely to drive past and admire a field full of wildflowers, we all know they are short-lived, and after the blooms, they will blend-in with the pasture. A great look for a farm, but not a residential landscape.
The good news is, there are a lot of adapted plant materials that will thrive in our area. Native plants can look great when used in conjunction with other adapted plant material and will not require a lot of watering (this is key). Too many times, we see high water bills and over-watered material; if a plant looks bad, adding water should not be our first response (it’s not a cure-all for plants!). Check the soil a couple of inches below the surface, and if it is moist, we know watering is not the issue. With the right design, a residential landscape will contain plant material that requires little water (1-2x per week) once it is established and looks great throughout the seasons.
Here are some examples of plants that would fit into this category of adapted plants for our area that look great year-round.
Shade Trees:
-Burr oak
-Live oak
-Cedar elm
Ornamental Trees:
-Texas Mountain Laurel
-Desert Willow
Shrubs & Vines:
-Dwarf Palmetto
-Rosemary
-Crossvine
-Chinese Wisteria
Groundcover
-Purple Wintercreeper
-Grey Santolina
-Frog Fruit
Ornamental Grasses:
-Berkeley Sedge
-Inland Sea Oats
-Gulf Muhly
-Dwarf Hameln Grass
We are honored to announce that we recently won an award from the Southwest Pool & Spa show. Our very own Ross Burke won the Award of Merit for Hot Tub/Spa/Water Features. The project that he designed and AquaTerra built has a very unique feature that won the recognition.
Front yards and porches are historically simple. Landscaping and pavers usually round out the front displaying beautiful curb appeal. This project, however, surprises guests and onlookers. The homeowner wanted an outdoor space to serve as an extension of their formal dining room, as well as, a semi private front courtyard space to for the family to enjoy. They wanted a space to enjoy their front yard and interact with neighbors, while feeling comfortable and not exposed to the street. The layered, overlapping elements of the design are intended to blend with architectural design of the home. Additionally, we wanted to continue the use of stucco, steel, and ipe wood as seen on the home’s façade.
We didn’t stop there with the creativity and scope of the project. The backyard design was intended to be a modern pool with outdoor fire pit space where the family could gather. The landscaping is kept minimal to allow room for young kids to play. Trees along the back fence screen the view of neighboring properties, and lime green Sunshine Ligustrum offer a pop of color. Synthetic turf was selected to provide a clean play surface for kids, while allowing evergreen color.
If you’ve ever traveled and experienced that “I never want to leave” feeling, then you will understand why so many people are requesting backyards that reflect certain resorts. We were recently featured in a Luxury Pools’ article about what is trending now. Our principle designer and CEO, Tal Thevenot, discusses that when clients bring resort photos as the inspiration for their backyard, he realizes that they are craving the resort lifestyle and feeling. That is then what the designers are challenged with when creating new designs for each client. A few of the photos below are from past projects that have had a sure theme of a specific resort and how they were brought to reality for the client.
As always, it is an honor to have our work noticed and featured, and we are thankful to have been recognized in this publication!
Looking for a resort feel only feet away from your living room? Check out more of our work here, and call us today to get your dream backyard started!
It’s always a fun surprise when you’re flipping through a magazine and you see one of your projects in it. We recently discovered that our project in University Park was featured in Traditional Home’s Elegant Homes magazine. Being featured in a magazine is such an honor, and we are grateful for our excellent team and innovative designers for their ability to produce projects worthy of recognition!
Want your outdoor space to be feature-worthy? Contact us, and we’d love to help. Our designers are always ready to take on a new project.
Written by: Emma Bishop
The temperatures are finally cooling down enough for us to get outside and enjoy our patios and decks. The autumn weather is also perfect for sprucing up the landscape. Now’s the time to install that firepit or outdoor kitchen you’ve always wanted.
Fall is also the ideal time to plant trees in Texas. New trees do well when the soil temperature is above 40 degrees, which is year-round in much of the state. The root systems of balled and burlapped trees can recover from transplanting in the fall. They also have time to develop roots before beginning growth in the spring.
But there are some things you should consider before heading to the nursery. The most important consideration is where you intend to plant your tree. On a residential lot, trees should be planted at least 10 feet from any foundation to allow the trunks and root systems to grow. Be aware of any overhead obstructions, such as utility lines and the boughs of other trees.
Next, consider what kind of tree you want — shade, fruit-bearing, or ornamental.
For shade trees, the live oak is bough and branches above all others. It is the most commonly planted tree in Texas because it grows well virtually anywhere in the state. But live oaks need a lot of space. They can grow up to 40 feet tall and spread their branches 75 feet.
Know your needs before you buy. Is the area where you intend to plant shady or sunny? What kind of soil do you have? Any well-established, reputable nursery will have people who can help you make the right choice of tree. And nearly every Texas county has an Extension Service office.
You should also be aware of what trees to avoid. The black walnut tree secretes a toxin that will kill nearby plants and flowers. It’s also incredibly messy. Other messy trees that will drop leaves and junk all over your hardscapes? Cottonwoods and mimosas. Both of these are also brittle with weak root systems.
The right trees are a long-term investment that can enhance the beauty and value of your home. Care for them wisely, and they will return your investment many times over.
Need some help with your landscape design? Here at AquaTerra we strive to be a single source solution for our client’s outdoor needs. Contact us, we’re here to help you have the most beautiful landscape on the block.
Emma Bishop is a lifestyle and design writer, and mother of two beautiful girls. She is a social butterfly and loves to entertain guests at home with beautifully decorated spaces for any occasion.
In the August 2019 issue of Hearth and Home magazine, two of our very own received recognition for projects they designed and managed.
First up is Ross Burke, one of our principal designers and project managers, received the award for Excellence in Outdoor Room Design for a space less than 1,000 square feet. He masterfully designed and built this space to command attention and appear larger than reality. Adding privacy through custom pergola inventively defines the space. Creative partitions such as a steel planter allows for spaces to be defined but not overwhelmed, crowded, or too closed off from the rest of the area. The outdoor kitchen is arranged to fit in the necessary elements while not overcrowding or feeling too compartmentalized. It is evident that each aspect and corner of this yard was utilized and thought thoroughly about in order to maximize but not overwhelm.
The second recognized is our president and principle designer, Tal Thevenot. He was the builder on this project that transformed a long, narrow yard into an inviting and intriguing space. Sleek lines and visually exciting accents throughout, this backyard is no longer the monotonous and unused square footage of the past.
Do you want your backyard to be award winning too? Here at AquaTerra, we strive to be a single source solution for our clients outdoor needs. If you are ready to begin the journey for your project, please contact us and let us go to work for you!
Silver Medal
Modern Industrial Courtyard
Often times, many designers struggle working together, but for Randy Angell of Randy Angell Designs and Tal Thevenot, CEO and designer here at AquaTerra, it couldn’t be a better working relationship. The Dallas-based outdoor design executives have more than made a name for themselves working solo in the industry. Thriving on high expectations and innovative design, Randy and Tal challenge each other in a fun, healthy way. As you can see, together they continue to make waves and the final results are nothing short of breathtaking!
Designed by Randy Angell Designs, built by AquaTerra Outdoors, photograph by Wade Griffith.
Tal managed AquaTerra’s flawless buildout of Randy’s innovative design for this McKinney estate. Working side by side, the vision was to create a family paradise with minimal boundaries from the indoors out! The modern outdoor design includes a large pool with a lap lane, spa and water features, an outdoor living room with fireplace and tv, and an outdoor kitchen and bar with surrounding seating terraces. When designing the space, RAD was strategic in showcasing the home’s spanning greenbelt views. The stunning 6ft tall rain curtain further marries the two spaces by anchoring the surrounding structure and framing the landscape.
Photograph by Wade Griffith. design by Randy Angell, build by AquaTerra Outdoors, as featured in Pool and Spa Magazine.
Attention to design and quality is what earned this project the cover of Pool and Spa News, and is a promise delivered upon with every project we embark on. Congratulations on a well-deserved cover feature, Randy and Tal! We’re counting down the days to share the outdoor design duo’s latest project currently underway in the North Dallas suburb, Lakes on Legacy. Follow us on Instagram to catch a glimpse of this upcoming modern beauty’s progress and final reveal! Read the full PSN story, here.
Modern outdoor environment designed by Randy Angell Designs, built by AquaTerra Outdoors. Photograph by Wade Griffith.
Gold Medal
Euclid
Karen & Dan Doore had a great challenge for AquaTerra: they wanted to create a fun and functional backyard space for their children and grandchildren to use, despite some significant structural and configural limitations.
Structure and Permitting Challenges
The main hurdle we faced was the 20’ gabion embankment that abuts the Doore’s yard. The embankment was created to prevent erosion into adjacent Cottonwood Creek and presented a plethora of permitting issues with regard to installing a new pool and decking. After months of work and numerous meetings with the City of Richardson, we were finally able to achieve a great design that was acceptable to the permitting department and delightful to our clients. AquaTerra overcame the challenge by designing the pool to sit just outside the drainage easement and building the patio decking on a floating concrete base rather than drilled piers so as to not disturb the gabion structure below.
Lead designer Ross Burke illustrates some of the design challenges we faced.
Pool & Outdoor Features
The configuration of the space also presented some interesting design challenges, which inspired our team creatively. Creating continuity and maximizing functionality in this unusually shaped space was achieved by creating two separate play spaces, one in the north yard and one in the south yards, with the pool and decking situated in between.
Design Aesthetic
From the beginning, our client Karen had a vision for her backyard space. She used the term “modern prairie” to convey an overall aesthetic and guiding principle for our design team.
Challenges such as these present a wonderful opportunity for creative solutions that both satisfy and fosters the artistic and logistical growth that we strive for at AquaTerra. We are proud of our work at the Doore home and are happy to have fulfilled our client’s expectations.
With nearly 20 years of experience in Design + Build + Management, AquaTerra passionately believes that a team who covers all three bases is the best and most effective choice for any project. Here are our top 6 reasons why selecting a one-stop shop is a great way to go.
Given the benefits of working with a Design + Build + Management firm, why would anyone approach an important project in a piecemeal approach?
Last month, AquaTerra christened the location of our new office headquarters with a wonderful groundbreaking ceremony. The new location will house the entire team in one facility and that is certainly cause for celebration! As we have grown over the years, lack of space required our construction team to be located remotely. The new location will allow for the design, management team, construction teams and service teams to be housed in one building.
We believe it’s going to be a special space and are overcome with excitement over having both the opportunity to collaborate under one roof, as well as the space to grow our team.
We believe in collaboration and continuous improvement as guiding principles of excellence. We will have a large training room so we can continue our focus on creating some the of best installation teams in the business. To share our love for the outdoors, we will have a small boutique showroom and a beautiful exterior courtyard. We have always had great passion for protecting the environment. Our new building will utilize renewable energy in the form of solar panels, wind turbine and water harvesting.
We started the morning over coffee and refreshments as we welcomed our team, close friends, pastor and architect/engineers. After a few words by Tal and a prayer by Hope Fellowship pastor, John McKinzie, we officially commenced the occasion as the shovels got dirty. Huge thanks to our great building team – Hodges Architecture, Clay Moore Engineering, and Novel Builders for helping make this dream a reality.
Construction should take about 16 months. The building is scheduled to be complete around June and we plan to move in during August. Thank you to all who have supported us throughout the years. We love creating special outdoor spaces for families to live, laugh and play outdoors. As construction continues, we will share more sneak peeks of the space, so stay tuned!
MISSION STATEMENT
Create unique and timeless outdoor environments.
Lead the outdoor industry in design, construction, and management.
Provide extraordinary service and create lifelong relationships.
Cultivate people of passion with integrity.
Grow profitably and give generously.
AIA Dallas 2017 tour of homes back yard
Our team worked closely with Robert Bellamy to create a landscape design that complemented this M-Gray Architecture home design. The front yard of this Dallas home features a unique vertical steel pipe fence that sets the tone of the aesthetic. The home is accented beautifully with floor to ceiling windows throughout, but the focal point of the home is certainly the slightly elevated box-like feature that is accentuated with a contrasting color and hovers subtly over the landscape. As you approach, the windows allow you to see directly through to the backyard, framing a tree. The dry creek bed carries your eye to the far portion of the landscape, which is kept earthy in order to complement the natural materials in the architecture. You can’t help but feel one with nature in this serene setting.
Front yard fence
Dry creek bed
Back yard water feature
Make sure you Save the Date for October 28-29th. For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, visit AIA Dallas. We hope to see you there!
Back yard water feature
Silver Medal
Euclid
4252 MARSH RIDGE RD.
CARROLLTON, TX 75010
(214) 387-8333
© 2019 AQUATERRA