Grieb Inspired Mid-Century Landscape - Mequon, WI

This redesigned landscape for a mid‑century ranch honors the home’s original radial architecture with a new circular front walkway, Zen garden, and planting beds that echo the home’s geometry. Expanded outdoor living spaces, updated hardscapes, cohesive plantings, and subtle lighting bring new life to the property while staying true to its architectural roots.

This mid‑century ranch home in Mequon, originally designed by Donald Grieb, had been expanded with an addition that continued the home’s distinctive radial floor‑plan theme. When the homeowners were ready to update the landscape, they sought a design that would respect the home’s architectural heritage while creating more functional outdoor spaces. Having worked on two other Grieb‑designed homes, we were thrilled to bring our mid‑century landscape expertise to this project.

Our design intuition immediately pointed toward a front walkway that reflected the home’s radial geometry. That instinct was confirmed when the clients shared the original blueprints, which revealed a circular walkway that had never been built. We brought that concept to life with a new curved front walkway, and within its arc, we created a circular Zen garden centered around an existing Japanese maple.

The surrounding planting beds continue the radial theme, expanding outward like ripples on water. The plant palette includes long‑blooming perennials, ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs, and boxwoods, providing structure and year‑round interest.

The goal for the backyard was to create larger, more usable outdoor living spaces. A failing deck and deteriorating porch were replaced with a new concrete patio, supported by dry‑stacked Lannon stone retaining walls. A dramatic set of steps connects the patio to the rest of the yard, reinforcing the home’s architectural rhythm.

A stepping‑stone path links the patio to both the master bedroom and a new fire pit area set within the lawn. Hardscape angles and planting bedlines continue the radial theme, all centered on the home’s large curved living room. Plantings mirror the front palette and include ornamental trees such as Japanese maple, serviceberry, and redbud.

Low‑voltage landscape lighting highlights the architecture and plantings, extending the landscape’s impact into the evening. Lannon stepping stones form an implied path connecting the front and back yards. Around the garage end of the home, simple plantings keep the focus on the architecture.

Existing wood address panels were replaced with low dry‑stacked Lannon stone walls, and new radial planting beds extend from the end of the main wall. Karl Foerster grasses were placed in line with the stone walls to reinforce the linear geometry of the walls. The result is a cohesive, modern landscape that celebrates the home’s mid‑century design while providing functional, beautiful outdoor spaces for contemporary living.