The Gradient of Wildness

About 50% of our home projects are designed to generate income, but the highest ROI spaces are actually outside.

Exterior spaces are the cheapest square footage in rural construction. No foundation, no framing, no dry-in. But they’re just as much of a living area as the living room itself. Anywhere a client of ours would go barefoot on their property is a part of the property we design.

Porches, fire pits, sauna clearings, creek landings, decks…these can all add utility to your property for a fraction of the cost of conditioned square footage. And when you design these spaces well, they can make it feel like the landscape is an extension of the home.

It comes down to what I call the “gradient of wildness.”

That gradient is all about going seamlessly and gradually from the carefully curated indoor space into the wild landscape around the home. From a living room, out onto an enclosed porch, then to an open-air deck, then to a tended clearing, and finally to the untouched landscape. The “home” includes everything up that raw land, and the gradual move toward it is what really makes you feel like you’re immersed in nature.

Hospitality developers, second-home buyers, STR owners, and even people with undeveloped rural land can all benefit from thinking of their property design as a gradient. If you’re curious about how creative outdoor spaces can change the way your property feels, let’s talk.