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just what ordered
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just what the doctor ordered
The physician client’s plans for a small Franklin Lakes backyard required surgical precision.
Text by Darius Amos Design by CLC Landscaping Photography by Brennan Gray
Rich Cording Sr., who co-owns his family’s CLC Landscape Design in Ringwood, was preparing a backyard project for a Franklin Lakes property when he learned that the homeowner was one of the area’s top physicians. “After we met and he saw me struggle to walk up his driveway,” says Cording, “he told me I might need knee surgery.”
The doctor was ultimately correct, but Cording focused first on the landscape work—and there was plenty to do. The homeowner and his wife, also a physician, gave Cording an ambitious wish list. Somehow the team, which
CLC Landscape Design of Ringwood installed a bluestone patio to connect separate zones of this Franklin Lakes backyard. A mix of bright annuals and permanent plants softens the look around the hardscape features, but also—more importantly—helps shield the property from the busy roadway on the other side of the trees.
included his son Rich Jr. and landscape designer Frank Thropp, in the business for 45 years, would have to fit a swimming pool, a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen, a fireplace and more into the space. It was a hefty task given the property’s small size and location on a corner lot along a busy roadway.
“The challenge of getting all the elements onto the property,” Cording says, “seemed impossible.”
But CLC had the luxury of working with a relatively blank slate in the backyard. The only significant features from the previous design were an old brick patio, oak trees along the perimeter and a patch of lush, green lawn. That made it easier to create “destination points” in the yard. To freshen the look, the firm installed a light and durable bluestone patio, but also “added a little old to the new” by incorporating some of the old red brick into the design, Cording says. The patio connects different zones of the yard, from the grill and dining area to the living space.
Perfect for all-weather lounging, rattan sofas from Eastern Outdoor Furnishings in Totowa surround the outdoor living room’s custom fireplace, constructed from fieldstone that was specially split and rounded for the project. Overhead, a pergola built by S Scott Construction and Design in Franklin Lakes provides ample shade on sunny days.
This page and opposite: The team at CLC Landscape Design squeezed everything the homeowners wanted into the relatively small corner lot. Once the plans were completed, the design included an outdoor kitchen and eating area, a living room and fireplace and a water feature with spa. Though not on the owners’ original wish list, they added a separate firepit with Adirondack chairs and mulch groundwork.
Behind the fireplace, CLC used a variety of plantings in different heights to shield the property from the busy street.
“The planting was intense,” Cording says, adding that hydrangeas and even more lush foliage were added behind the adjacent hot tub area. “The neighbor’s driveway was right behind the spa space, so we built a wall there and put in more plants.”
While fitting a hot tub into the plans didn’t pose much of a problem, the desired swimming pool did. “I knew we couldn’t do a real swimming pool because the yard was too small,” Cording notes. “So, we went with a swim spa. He’s 6’5, so this feature allows him to swim and get exercise and then go into the hot tub.”
“That’s what good design is about—meeting the client’s needs and making it look beautiful all year long,” he says of the project, which took roughly three months to complete in 2019. “Everyone wants a fireplace, pool, somewhere to relax in their yard. This is one of our proudest projects, as we checked off everything on the wish list while working with limited space.”
As for the knee surgery that Cording eventually needed, the homeowner helped him check that off his list too.
This page: S Scott Construction and Design in Franklin Lakes built a pergola over the living space to keep visitors cool on a warm day, while the custom-built fireplace offers visual interest and warmth during chilly nights. Opposite page, top: The same firm constructed a similar pergola along the side of the house, allowing rose plants to grow around and above the grill area. Opposite page, bottom: Instead of a full-size swimming pool, a swim spa by Endless Pools was added so the homeowners could enjoy ample exercise and relaxation sessions in the backyard.
