The Evolution of Buckskin Drive: Landscape Design

When Vojin and Lubijca walked into our Laguna Hills Buckskin Drive home they instantly noticed the scent of the ocean mixing with the smell of red brick; it was the smell of their memories. Originally from Montenegro, where beautiful mountains emerge from the Adriatic Sea, the couple were in search of a place that would immerse them in the sensations of their country.

It was available as former owners Mark and his wife, now empty-nesters had downsized, and best of all, there was still work to do. The backyard was unfinished and would give this couple the bonding project they were looking for. They turned to Marc Whipple to help them express their vision for the back of the house.

They continued the same flow of ideas that were executed in the home for the positioning of the pool, the look of the hardscape, water features, and plantings. As the couple refined the interior décor themselves, they created a set of principles to guide their material and design choices: modern, organic, genuine, close to nature, oriental influence, no artificial materials, and repetitive patterns.

Vojin and Lubijca threw themselves into the study of the Prairie Style that touched something inexplicable in them both. They happened upon a picture of Frank Lloyd Wright in the traditional dress of Montenegro, and discovered that Frank had married a dancer from there, Olga (Olgivanna) Ivanovna Lazovich. This brought a new dimension to the innate connection they felt to their new home, compelling them to name it The Ivanovan Lloyd Wright House.