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Pro Spotlight: 3 Tips for Unearthing a Gorgeous Backyard
A Cleveland-area landscape architect shares how to take your outdoor space from ordinary to extraordinary
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Who: Patrick Cloonan of Cloonan Design Services
Where: Willoughby, Ohio
In his own words: “I love the wow factor I get to create for homeowners.”
When it comes to your outdoor space, landscape architect Patrick Cloonan recommends taking it beyond the usual lawn and garden beds, no matter how beautiful they might be. Cloonan, the owner of Cloonan Design Services in Willoughby, suggests starting with a yard that reflects your personal style, whether that’s traditional or contemporary. Then add the amenities of your dreams — pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, fire and water features or even a sport court. “Create an amazing outdoor living experience,” he says.
Where: Willoughby, Ohio
In his own words: “I love the wow factor I get to create for homeowners.”
When it comes to your outdoor space, landscape architect Patrick Cloonan recommends taking it beyond the usual lawn and garden beds, no matter how beautiful they might be. Cloonan, the owner of Cloonan Design Services in Willoughby, suggests starting with a yard that reflects your personal style, whether that’s traditional or contemporary. Then add the amenities of your dreams — pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, fire and water features or even a sport court. “Create an amazing outdoor living experience,” he says.
A lightbulb moment. Cloonan got an early start in the landscape business, mowing neighbors’ lawns when he was 12. He hadn’t considered it a career path until his first “client” told him about landscape architecture. “It was like a lightbulb went off,” he says. “I looked into it and knew right away that this was what I wanted to do.” After graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in landscape architecture, he started his business in 1991.
Personal service. Cloonan’s approach to creating one-of-a-kind outdoor spaces includes brainstorming and collaborating with clients on the design. “People can’t always identify what they like, so we coach them through it,” he says. He also searches for unusual and unexpected materials that fit his clients’ vision, such as glass spa surrounds.
Below, Cloonan offers tips for creating your own backyard masterpiece.
Below, Cloonan offers tips for creating your own backyard masterpiece.
1. Design Your Dream Pool
Create the pool you’ve always wanted instead of going for a basic option. “When it comes to a pool, all bets are off,” Cloonan says. “Pools are supposed to be fun.” He created a contemporary, California-inspired poolscape, seen here, in Hunting Valley using floating stepping stones, glass tiles and a glass hot tub.
White limestone gives the pool deck a bright, fresh look, and 28 color-wheel LED lights add to the fun. The traditional-style cabana complements the clients’ house, providing design continuity. The team completed the look using tropical plants that are either treated as annuals or removed and sheltered in the winter.
See more of this project
Create the pool you’ve always wanted instead of going for a basic option. “When it comes to a pool, all bets are off,” Cloonan says. “Pools are supposed to be fun.” He created a contemporary, California-inspired poolscape, seen here, in Hunting Valley using floating stepping stones, glass tiles and a glass hot tub.
White limestone gives the pool deck a bright, fresh look, and 28 color-wheel LED lights add to the fun. The traditional-style cabana complements the clients’ house, providing design continuity. The team completed the look using tropical plants that are either treated as annuals or removed and sheltered in the winter.
See more of this project
2. Add a Fun Feature
Whimsical elements will take your yard to the next level. The same Hunting Valley clients had purchased a swing for their patio, but it was too large for the space. “I suggested putting it on the slope above the pool so they could look down at everything,” Cloonan says.
Because there were no trees to hang the swing from, Cloonan designed the artificial tree seen here and had it fabricated off-site, complete with outlets in the trunk for lights. He also created a path to the tree lined with ostrich ferns, Japanese maples, sumac and copper mushroom lights.
Whimsical elements will take your yard to the next level. The same Hunting Valley clients had purchased a swing for their patio, but it was too large for the space. “I suggested putting it on the slope above the pool so they could look down at everything,” Cloonan says.
Because there were no trees to hang the swing from, Cloonan designed the artificial tree seen here and had it fabricated off-site, complete with outlets in the trunk for lights. He also created a path to the tree lined with ostrich ferns, Japanese maples, sumac and copper mushroom lights.
3. Turn Limitations Into Opportunities
Take a fresh look at your layout to uncover a better backyard. Orange Village homeowners, for example, had thought a pool was impossible because of their sloped site, but that wasn’t the case. Cloonan’s team built a 16-by-50-foot pool and spa off the house’s main level, stealing space from a driveway turnaround and turning a bedroom into a pool room with an adjacent bathroom.
Traditional rock walls with wine-cellar-inspired doors and an arbor add privacy. Contemporary touches can be found in the curving lines of the black iridescent spa tiles, platform pool entry and Italian porcelain deck tiles. “It was one of my most creative designs,” Cloonan says.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Patrick Cloonan and examples of his work, visit Cloonan Design Services’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Take a fresh look at your layout to uncover a better backyard. Orange Village homeowners, for example, had thought a pool was impossible because of their sloped site, but that wasn’t the case. Cloonan’s team built a 16-by-50-foot pool and spa off the house’s main level, stealing space from a driveway turnaround and turning a bedroom into a pool room with an adjacent bathroom.
Traditional rock walls with wine-cellar-inspired doors and an arbor add privacy. Contemporary touches can be found in the curving lines of the black iridescent spa tiles, platform pool entry and Italian porcelain deck tiles. “It was one of my most creative designs,” Cloonan says.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Patrick Cloonan and examples of his work, visit Cloonan Design Services’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
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Review by schreibfive:
Pat did an amazing job designing our pool, pavilion, landscaping and redesigning our driveway. He was very responsive and dedicated to making our vision become a reality. He is a very positive person...More
Jaeger & Ernst cabinetmakers has had the opportunity to work with Patrick recently on a home in Chargrin Falls - his commitment to achieving details which fulfill the design concept are extraordinary. We would welcome the opportunity to work with him anytime.