Before & After: A Modern Landscape Fit for a Finca in Los Angeles

When Stephanie Wong and her associate, Daniel Watson, discovered their future residence in Atwater Village again in 2021, they noticed potential behind the concrete lot and dated particulars. “Throughout the search, we noticed so many fast flips with low cost finishes and cookie cutter design decisions. Though the property wanted work, we had been glad to design it in a manner that matched our private imaginative and prescient,” Stephanie describes. It was their first renovation and first panorama mission. The result’s a thoughtfully up to date Nineteen Twenties Spanish-style property the couple dubbed Finca Glenfeliz. Be part of us for a tour of the backyard.

Above: The constructing seen right here is former two-car storage transformed right into a small studio the couple now rents for manufacturing via Peerspace. The etched terracotta pots on the entrance are from Plant Provisions. {Photograph} by Marc Gabor for Finca Glenfeliz.

Stephanie works as Model Director for ORCA, an LA-based panorama design and outside product studio based by Molly Sedlacek. “The backyard renovation was truly what introduced me to work with ORCA within the first place,” she says. “I fell in love with the panorama design course of. It really is an artwork type.”

Shown here is a Catalina Ironwood tree, a California native found at Devil Mountain Nursery. As for the grass, “we went with a native California no-mow mix which requires less water, feels more wild, and looks less manicured,” Stephanie explains. “We wanted this zone to feel like a meadow so we brought in a chunk wood stool from Angel City Lumber and natural stone.” Photograph by Marc Gabor for Finca Glenfeliz. — Above: Proven here’s a Catalina Ironwood tree, a California native discovered at Satan Mountain Nursery. As for the grass, “we went with a local California no-mow combine which requires much less water, feels extra wild, and appears much less manicured,” Stephanie explains. “We wished this zone to really feel like a meadow so we introduced in a bit wooden stool from Angel Metropolis Lumber and pure stone.” {Photograph} by Marc Gabor for Finca Glenfeliz.

For added privacy from the street, they replaced the open wrought iron gate with a cedar gate. The gravel is Del Rio Pea Gravel and the path is made up of Utah Sunrise Flagstones from Bourget Bros. It’s lined with two vegetable gardens that Daniel built of redwood and a mix of California natives and Australian species. Photograph by Marc Gabor for Finca Glenfeliz. — Above: For added privateness from the road, they changed the open wrought iron gate with a cedar gate. The gravel is Del Rio Pea Gravel and the trail is made up of Utah Dawn Flagstones from Bourget Bros. It’s lined with two vegetable gardens that Daniel constructed of redwood and a mixture of California natives and Australian species. {Photograph} by Marc Gabor for Finca Glenfeliz.

For the primary section, Stephanie and Daniel labored with panorama designer Nola Talmadge at Area Sound who created the general structure and plant palette whereas procuring hard-to-find supplies just like the flagstones, vegetation, and boulders. Impressed by the gardens of Mexico and the Mediterranean, the couple introduced it in a hotter palette of pebbles, grasses, and stone. They demolished the concrete driveway that runs the size of the property from the road to the storage. From there they introduced in larger timber, boulders, laid flagstones, and pea gravel.

For the second section, Stephanie and Daniel centered on the finishes themselves. Since becoming a member of ORCA, they’ve put in ORCA pavers to create a touchdown off the again studio and cladded the entrance porch in ORCA tiles to cover the cracked concrete. “Probably the most rewarding half was seeing a lot life in our backyard after we eliminated the concrete and dying grass. I began seeing butterflies, bees, and birds making a mini ecosystem in our yard,” says Stephanie.