{"id":16013,"date":"2019-04-05T18:29:18","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T22:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/?p=16013"},"modified":"2019-04-05T18:30:39","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T22:30:39","slug":"natural-beauty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/fr\/2019\/04\/05\/natural-beauty\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Beauty"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ornamental grasses, lavender and echinacea sway with the breeze in the weathered-steel planter box fronting the work studio of landscape designer Joel Loblaw. The rusted metal\u2019s warm orange, the earthy browns of fading perennials, errant red and gold fallen leaves \u2014 the planter is in sync with the season and it looks perfect, perfectly natural.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Loblaw design parlance, however, \u201cperfectly natural\u201d means more than just leaving plants alone, post-bloom, with autumn leaves for added mulch. Although this prominent landscape architect takes his cues from nature \u2014 hardy native species, low-maintenance plant material, multi-season visual appeal \u2014 his approach to landscaping is precise, meticulously planned. \u201cIt\u2019s about layering, how the geometry works,\u201d says Loblaw, who set up his eponymous design studio in Toronto in 2011. \u201cThere should be a healthy tension between looseness and structure. [For example, together,] hedges and grasses make each other stand out more.\u201d And, he adds, there would be \u201ca little bit of a zinger, a cool, funky touch.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Function & visual impact are at play in an urban oasis framed by rusted-metal walls and black-stained fencing<\/a><\/div>\n

One such zinger is the \u201carchitectural lantern\u201d he conceived as an outdoor dining room in midtown Toronto, in Rosedale, which received a lot of attention from the press and was on the cover of a coffee table book on modern design. Inspired by the interior of the client\u2019s house, the 12-by-12-foot raised pavilion has a cedar framework partially walled in by frosted glass panels. In daytime, the glass is a blank canvas to reflect the play of light and shadow from the mature trees and plants on the property. At night, the \u201croom\u201d glows like a lamp, redefining itself as an art installation, the mere visual of it a soothing respite from the stress of life in the city. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As a singular design element for a client<\/span> living in a penthouse downtown, Loblaw<\/span> positioned large naturally-rusting metal planter<\/span> boxes to delineate the outdoor space. Feather<\/span> reed grasses and columnar trees and shrubs<\/span> provided contrast to masses of lavender \u2014 a<\/span> distinctly modern, low-maintenance garden<\/span> that embraces all four seasons. A putting green<\/span> was even installed along the entire length of<\/span> the suite. At another property, in Forest Hill,<\/span> the same bright orange rusted steel was used<\/span> for walls to frame a tiered cedar deck, anchored<\/span> at one end by a clean-line storage shed, also<\/span> in cedar, that had a sliver of a window. The<\/span> fencing was painted black, so it would, Loblaw<\/span> explains, \u201cdisappear into the landscape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Loblaw is partial to designating areas for<\/span> relaxation and entertaining. Asked to create<\/span> a peaceful retreat in Markham to echo the<\/span> ambience of the Muskokas, he retrofitted<\/span> the client\u2019s spacious garden with an elevated<\/span> outdoor kitchen, replete with ample space for<\/span> alfresco dining. He then added a sunken stone<\/span> patio with a post-and-beam arbour and a border<\/span> of flowering perennials, select grasses and<\/span> trim hedges. Another lounging area featured<\/span> Adirondack chairs around a fire pit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those design zingers and Loblaw\u2019s<\/span> imaginatively functional take on city oases are<\/span> what his team have become known for. But it\u2019s<\/span> out-of-town properties that get his creative<\/span> juices flowing in a special way. \u201cThere\u2019s more<\/span> freedom in the country, usually [a body of]<\/span> water, more of nature,\u201d he says. \u201cIn the city,<\/span> you are recreating nature.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Ambient lighting, a design hallmark of Loblaw's encourages R&R at an elegant sunken stone patio in Markham<\/a><\/div>\n

One of the country properties he worked on<\/span> was a Cape Cod\u2013style home on the shores of<\/span> Lake Erie, where he ensured that all the mature<\/span> trees on-site are left untouched. The elegant<\/span> flagstone pathway he designed is surrounded by<\/span> mass plantings and leads to a cedar terrace and<\/span> a stairway down to the beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of the studio\u2019s work comes by way of word<\/span> of mouth, and he\u2019s typically booked up one year <\/span>in advance, at least.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI got into the field because I love the<\/span> outdoors,\u201d says Loblaw, who is a graduate of<\/span> Ryerson\u2019s landscape architecture program and,<\/span> in his younger years, worked in construction<\/span> and landscaping \u2014 a background that likely<\/span> explains the practical side of his body of work.<\/span><\/p>\n

He maintains his work-life balance with out-of-office routines. He spends Friday through<\/span> Sunday at his cottage in the town of Meaford,<\/span> a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the city.<\/span> Wednesday night is \u201cart sessions night\u201d with<\/span> two buddies \u2014 an architect and an animator<\/span> \u2014 in his Leslieville home\u2019s garage, converted<\/span> into a studio. An accomplished abstract painter<\/span> himself \u2014 he had two solo shows in 2018 \u2014<\/span> Loblaw says \u201cgood energy\u201d is what the sessions<\/span> are all about. \u201cWe drink beer, alcohol…we go<\/span> crazy,\u201d he says, laughing.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"An alfresco dining room created by landscape designer, Joe Loblaw for a client in Toronto<\/a><\/div>\n

\u201cJoel is the whole package,\u201d notes Lindsy<\/span> Gregory, who is Loblaw\u2019s business partner<\/span> and in fact his \u201cbig sister,\u201d which is her actual<\/span> designation on her business card. \u201cHe\u2019s a design<\/span> genius but knows how to run a business and<\/span> manage clients.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gregory, who keeps the studio\u2019s projects<\/span> on track and on budget and is in charge of<\/span> financials and client service, is not averse to<\/span> getting her own hands dirty if necessary, as<\/span> do the rest of the group. The team is small \u2014<\/span> four core members, two support staff \u2014 and<\/span> tight-knit, with a harmoniously democratic<\/span> atmosphere. \u201cEveryone is involved in the<\/span> creative process,\u201d says Gregory. \u201cBecause we\u2019re<\/span> a small team, we\u2019re all jacks-of-all-trades. And<\/span> we believe that great ideas come from anywhere<\/span> and anyone, no matter the [person\u2019s] job title.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As industry favourites, Loblaw and his<\/span> team are content. To date, there are no award<\/span> plaques on the walls of the studio because,<\/span> well, Joel Loblaw Inc. does not participate<\/span> in competitions. \u201cMy parents have always<\/span> encouraged me to do what I like to do,\u201d Loblaw<\/span> says. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course. Why should anything else matter?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

By <\/span>Dali Castro<\/span> – *This article originally appeared in INSIGHT: The Art of Living | Spring 2019<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Photography courtesy of: Brenda Liu<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ornamental grasses, lavender and echinacea sway with the breeze in the weathered-steel planter box fronting the work studio of landscape designer Joel Loblaw. The rusted metal\u2019s warm orange, the earthy browns of fading perennials, errant red and gold fallen leaves \u2014 the planter is in sync with the season and it looks perfect, perfectly natural.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":16020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[394],"tags":[889,1150,1151,1152,1175,1207,232,251,371,420,614],"class_list":["post-16013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insight-magazine","tag-outdoor-decor","tag-insight-2019","tag-insight-magazine-spring-2019","tag-insight-spring-2019","tag-landscape-architecture","tag-natural-beauty","tag-real-estate-toronto","tag-luxury-real-estate","tag-sothebys-international-realty-canada","tag-luxury-real-estate-toronto","tag-outdoor-spaces"],"yoast_head":"\nNatural Beauty - INSIGHT BLOG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Landscape architect Joel Loblaw finds inspiration in natural beauty and designs modern outdoor spaces that look inviting all year round.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/fr\/2019\/04\/05\/natural-beauty\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Natural Beauty - 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