LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS
Renee Lindstrom & guest writer ‘Dyan Grant Francis’
- Observations Written by Renee Lindstrom,
- Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom & Dyan Grant Francis individually
*Make sure you read comments under postings as Dyan and Renee start a conversation
Observations
This house sits to the back of the property. It has a darker trim color on the peaked roof which accents the triangular shape symbolizing fire. Underneath the triangular roof, the house facade accents the tall rectangular wood shape. The garage accents the low square shape of earth. The window accents the water element more defined by the extensions and design cut outs. The green color of the house is the element of wood and the trim is on the grey spectrum of the metal element. The three pots on top of the garage also reflect metal in shape and colors. Read more on the five elements
The front is open to view by passers-by and is broken into two landscaping styles. One a straight line for the drive and the second creating a garden. The drive is the yang and the garden is yin. Read more on yin and yang
There is no visual house number and the sidewalk is missing. There are tiles to the main street sidewalk, yet where you would expect a sidewalk through the garden to the front door, it’s missing!
Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom
This house is a structurally bold design. The paint colors may be an attempt to have it blend in and soften its dominant features. The design of the house and property clearly demonstrate the five element and yin and yang symbology. The house is angular in its design that is accented with the trim. The carport and drive add to the straight line effect of this angular definition. The second half of the front yard is a garden with walkway purposely designed to break the straight line pattern. This creates two separate landscaping designs. Perhaps the front yard garden is designed to bring in balance with the drive and house design. The house and drive in Yang while the garden is Yin.
Unlike our first Front Yard posting that demonstrated a yard that was closed with no connection to those passing by, this front yard is open and demonstrative. It beckons your eye to travel to it and take in the view. Imagine yourself as a guest walking up to these two different experiences; the one in the first posting and now this one. This exercise demonstrates our silent communication and the starting point of beginning to interpret experiences and relationships. We are perceptive and influenced by this stimulus regardless of being consciously aware of this or not .
Looking closely the house number is missing and so is the sidewalk leading through the garden to the front door. Passerby’s would have to know the house number in order to find it and also walk along the driveway looking for a way to go to the front door. There appears to be a patio set under the front stairs which may indicate that the front door no longer is used as a front door and that it has been turned into the privacy of a back yard! Read more on the importance of house numbers, walkways and of front doors!
My recommendations for the residents of this property is to stand in front and face inward. With a view to observe the large tree to the back left and compare it with the remaining front garden. Is it light and airy enough to flow with it? Does the shape enhances the garden or detracts from it? Imagine the wistful tree along the drive in it’s location. It may create a distraction from the large mass of trees next door and create a definable boundary from them or not, depending upon the desired outcome.
I would also ask the residents to reflect on their intention in the community, with their careers and extended family. Is there anything in these areas that they would like to improve? For example when I view this house it represents a retreat and quiet reflective influence. It may be these residents are retired or are creating a nurturing space to retreat to. One future feature to consider changing may be the driveway surface to increase the earth element. This could be effective using an earth colored brick. Smaller suggestions such as increasing color with plant selections and/or adding earth elements using adobe pots would be encouraged. The element that is not supported equally in this landscape is the fire element. Suggestion for increasing this element would depend upon the intention, desires and experience of the occupants.
Renee Lindstrom
Personal Perspectives by Dyan Grant Francis
An interesting example of some of the choices that a practitioner needs to make when analyzing a home or building. Here, we can see the elemental shapes as Renee has outlined. However, the colour palate is metal. The trim appears to be a light shade of grey, the stucco appears to be a light green…light and pastel are both in the colour spectrum for the metal element. The pots on top of the lower 3 door entrance are clearly metal. When assessing a home or building, one often has to choose between shape and colour to decide which is the more significant influence.
The ‘front door’ is not easily seen however the three door entrance (which may be the main entrance) appears to be a water colour (black or dark-toned spectrum of colours like charcoal and midnight blue). In 5 element theory, water drains metal and thus the colour of these doors provides balance to the overall strength of the metal element. The side gate and patio set are both water as they are black in colour.
The driveway leading to the 3 door entrance is also considered to belong to the metal element including all rocks and stones such as marble, granite and flagstone. Here you can see the grey shades of the flagstone.
The large trees at the side of the home help to provide a sense of shelter breaking the strong winds from that direction. The vegetation in the front of the home provides a sense of privacy often allocated to the rear yard. As this home has a small or minimal backyard, the front yard has been enlisted to provide the private seating area.
There is some controversy about which we perceive first – shape or colour. Personally, I see colour first and then I take a moment to discern the various shapes involved in a structure like this one. Colour and shape are intricately connected yet an analysis like this requires that we separate them and examine them somewhat independently.
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If you are longing for a personal consultation please inquire privately:
renee@insideawareness.com. Renee Lindstrom offers:
Indoor & Outdoor Landscape Life & Wellness Consulting & Coaching which enhances relationships, emotions and flexible movement awareness!
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*Contact Dyan Grant Francis @ The Maturing Edge
More on:
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Center for Inside Awareness 