A tall, two-story house fronted by a shallow yard space that drops sharply to the sidewalk offers a challenge.

This home needs an impressive entry landscape to coordinate with the formal entry vestibule and dual oversized doors.

With so little room between the house and sidewalk it is difficult to visualize a design that captures the scale and vertical mass of the home.

We begin with a layout that takes advantage of the home's wide frontage. Stairs will curve to a 40 degree angle so that it is lengthened and visually revealed on its way from house to sidewalk.

Wide, deep, rounded treads extend the home's stone skirting while presenting a flowing profile that softens the homes strong vertical mass.

Stone stairs feel solid and heavy underfoot. Recessed between low retaining blocks, the stairs provide visual flow without emphasizing the rise to the front door.

Tall trees that crown high above the walkway break visual masses and allow the house to connect more closely to the landscape. Trees add depth and variety to the shallow buffer between street and home.

Choosing varied ground covers with colorful foliage visually flattens the severe angle of the front yard and allows the house to recede from the street.

A grand approach to a grand entry.

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