We apologize
We had an incredibly busy year and we can’t complain about that! Unfortunately (but fortunately for us) most people were housebound these last 2 years. When you are home that much you want YOUR space to reflect YOU and how you live in it, right?! The home building, remodeling, interior design, landscaping… really anything home blew up! It was great… and then, it wasn’t, because how do you keep up with all the demand when products aren’t available? We all managed and are still managing to get caught up and feel like we are constantly apologizing, but that’s really all we can do. If we promised we’d get to you, WE WILL… Eventually. Thanks for your patience!
We did it
Every fall we scramble when award submissions open up! Of course we haven’t had time to capture the best photographs. We fly by the seat of our pants all summer long. Moving quickly between sites and designing late into the night. In between there we do try to stop, take a breath, and capture what we’ve created. With that said, we were able to submit a few award winning projects this year to MNLA (Minnesota Landscape Association) and NARI (National Remodelers Association). David Kopfmann, the owner of Yardscapes, took home one award and Clayton Johnson took home two awards!
NARI Awards – Clayton Johnson & David Kopfmann
NARI Coty award winners were selected and announced at their Gala this past November. David Kopfmann submitted and won for this Edina, MN home that underwent a major transformation. This Edina client wished to add a concrete pool and extend their entertaining space on the upper terrace. A lot of planning and designing went into this remodel. David had to figure out how to connect the two grades together for a seamless feel and stay with in the setbacks that the city required. Here are a list of items that were completed:
- Concrete Pool
- Limestone Patios
- Outdoor Kitchen and Bar for Seating
- Gas Fire Feature
- Cedar Fencing & Arbor to Hide Pool Equipment
- Natural Plantings for Screenage
- Aluminum Fencing Around Pool for Safety
- Limestone Retaining Walls
Below is a BEFORE photo of the site when we were starting to lay out the grade. These clients had very nice existing stone walls, but they didn’t think they went with the style of the house. We were able to reuse them on the lower side of the pool to raise the grade.
Clayton Johnson’s award winning project was a beautiful indoor and outdoor living addition to this Eden Prairie, MN home. He designed it to be used during the spring into the fall and is equipped with a gas fireplace, drop-down screens to keep the mosquitos out, and a T.V. to watch movies or a game on. The structure flows outdoors to a travertine patio for dining and then over to the fire pit for smores under the large existing Oak tree. Clayton used OutDeco Screens to add privacy from the neighbors. Items added and installed:
- New Structure Attached to the House
- Invisible Screens
- Gas Fireplace
- Limestone Walls and Patio Surfaces
- Outdeco Screens
- Updated Fire Pit Area with New Stone and a Chandelier
A before photo of the home prior to the addition.
The dining patio looking back at the addition.
Updated fire pit area under the existing majestic oak tree. He added an antique chandelier for added ambiance.
MNLA Awards – Clayton Johnson
MNLA Awards were announced this past December and the winners present their projects at the Northern Green Expo that just took place this month at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
This Minneapolis, MN (Lake – Bde Maka Ska) front entry needed an update and that’s exactly what Clayton Johnson did! He helped bring this front entry come alive again by adding dry stacked retaining walls and limestone pathways. Updated items were:
- Stone Walls with Limestone Cap
- Cut Limestone Paver Walkway and Stairs
- New Limestone Stoop at Front Door
- Variety of Plantings to Add Color, Dimension, and Height
Before photo of the front entry.
The front stoop had broken brick on the top. Clayton added new limestone pieces and mortared on top on the existing stoop for an updated and “safe” new look. Updated plantings were also installed to add color and height.
Another angle from the side to see the craftsmanship in the stone retaining walls with a limestone cap.
It’s always fun to see our ideas come alive at the end of each project! We need to be much better at revisiting these sites years after to see all the plant material filling in and flourishing! That’s what we’ll do, we’ll make that our new year’s resolution for 2022. Hopefully we’ll stick to it!
