Faithful Flowers

The Glow-Up

When considering a name for this project, my client’s son proposed using the term 'Glow-Up”! Even though I'm fairly current with slang terms, this one had slipped my notice. In case you're unfamiliar as well, a 'Glow-Up' signifies a remarkable transformation—precisely what occurred on this site.

The landscape gave me chills during my first visit, and it wasn't just because of the ice on the ground. The weathered brick staircase and deteriorating landings offered glimpses into the grandeur of its original design. Our objective was to pay homage to its historical roots while modernizing the space to suit the needs of a vibrant young family.

We built a large entertaining area using brick and bluestone, extended the walls, and added a magnificent grand staircase leading to a second level.

We incorporated a second level behind the house, complete with a smaller bluestone terrace that leads to a deck and hot tub area.

Our next step was to transform the steep hillside into a versatile play area for both kids and adults. We repurposed some of the original brick to construct a dedicated fire pit area for the adults, while also leveling the steep hill to accommodate soccer and baseball games.

We used oversized natural stepping stones to create a pathway leading from the newly expanded driveway up to the grassy field.

Now came our favorite part: installing vibrant plantings to enhance the Glow-Up.

Gratitude to my cherished clients who entrusted me with their historic landscape and allowed me to bring their vision to life. Thank you as always to the FF team, led by Lorena M. for making it all happen. Thank you to Francis Andrade and the masonry team for artistic masonry and problem solving. Thank you to Steve at Northern Outdoor lighting, Gary Fialkosky Irrigation, Mike Souza at Insulart, Robert O’leary at RJO electric and Victoria Petrovsky design work who all came together to make this project a true Glow-Up. Thank you all!