Beverly Katz was chosen as the 2016 Master of Landscape Design by MyNewOrleans.com. See excerpt from their site below. Master of Landscape Design Beverly Katz Exterior Designs As a girl growing up in Texas, Beverly Katz wanted to be a ballerina. As an adult, she found her way into another artistic endeavor — landscape design. Katz first worked as a landscape architect’s assistant and then struck out on her own. In business for more than 25 years, clients have come to refer to Katz as a “landscape therapist” due to her way of transforming their outdoor spaces by exploring an owner’s interior life. “I study people through their interior first so I can capture what they like and need and let it flow to the outside,” she says. A life member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, Katz has garnered…
Local New Orleans Designer Travels to China Beverly Katz of Exterior Designs Spends Labor Day with brother architect Larry Samuelson, AIA in Chengdu, China Beverly Katz, local New Orleans landscape designer and owner of Exterior Designs, travels to Chengdu City, Sichuan, China to visit brother architect Larry Samuelson, AIA. During her time abroad, Samuelson showed his sister around and introduced her to his latest modular home project. Chengdu is the capital of China’s southwestern Sichuan province and perhaps most commonly known for its cuisine, the spicy Sichuan peppercorn that flavors the region’s hot-pot dishes. Also the home of the giant panda, Chengdu has established the world-renowned breeding and research base for giant pandas that attracts almost 100,000 visitors each year. Covering tens of hectares with bamboo groves and a native-like habitat, the base is the only one of its kind…
Planning a bridal shower, wedding, baby christening??? Or maybe, you want a change—a chance to relax in your courtyard or backyard with welcoming flora and perhaps new hardscape, or lightening. What better reason to refurbish your summertime landscaping? Now is the time to clear away and update last year’s annuals, weeds and overgrowth and make changes. Think of an all-white landscape planted with happy geraniums, gentle Impatiens, crisp wax begonias, elegant Spathiphyllums, and contemplative hydrangeas—in the soil surrounding the landscape or in an array of splendid clay or ceramic pots, in gorgeous colors and sizes to fit within your plan throughout your landscaping. Maybe you want a more colorful palate for your landscaping. This is the time of year—the right season–to make changes to create the look and feel you want for your special moments and events—or just for you….
The Williams Research Center Symposia Exterior Designs, Inc. by Beverly Katz was invited to sponsor the upcoming Perspectives on New Orleans Architecture: Past, Present, Future presented by The Historic New Orleans Collection. The Twenty-first Annual Williams Research Center Symposium will take place on February 19–20, 2016 at the Hotel Monteleone on 214 Royal Street in New Orleans. Source: THNOC – Williams Research Center Symposia
Often viewed as a symbol of resurrection and renewal, butterflies are a sure sign summer is on its way. In south Louisiana, we have approximately 55 species of indigenous butterflies, bumblebees, honeybees, ladybugs, as well as 12 species of hummingbirds. Pollinators are biotic agents, like bees, butterflies and certain birds, that move pollen from male to female parts of flowers. They are responsible for assisting over 80% of the world’s flowering plants and play a crucial role in the ecosystem. Without them, food would be very scarce! Why not build a garden to invite these important colorful pollinators to your yard? Size does not matter. Your garden can take up the entire yard or can be as small as a window box or few containers. The most important thing is to choose a mix of native annuals and perennials that…
Is your yard/garden ready to withstand the storm?? Warm weather, outdoor BBQ’s, swimming, and Hurricane Season…all signs that the summer season is here in South Louisiana! The 2015 Hurricane Season is starting in mere weeks on June 1; is your landscape ready for a storm? With the recent thunderstorms, we got a little taste of what high winds and rain can do to the yard. Being prepared when a named storm blows through is the only way to keep your house and family safe. Below are a few tips on what to do to prepare: Start with trees; trim any dead limbs or branches that may fall in strong winds. Do not leave trimmings or clippings in the yard since they can easily become projectiles. *Remember the ‘6/40 Rule’ when putting yard and lawn trimmings out for pick-up: no pieces longer…
Guest article by Jelena Djurdjevic. Image graciously provided by Homebuyers Centre. Though often overlooked as an art form, the best landscape design combines aesthetics, culture and functionality to create a pleasing outdoor space. As with all design work, it has changed with the times and adopted new styles and ideas. A few relatively small changes to a garden area can completely change the look and feel of a house. The lighting, the plants, the complimentary or contrasting elements to the building – these can all build upon each other to create something really special. It can be done with less time and less money than you might perhaps expect, as well. Ornaments for everyone’s taste Garden items are usually what first attracts the eye to a landscape garden. These include things like water features, statues, bird baths, and other ornaments….
As the weather warms up outside, we are not the only ones getting excited about the spring, so is our honorary state bird, the mosquito. There are several methods to deter these pests from crashing your outdoor party ranging from candles to repellent sprays, but we like to use plants! Not only will plants offer a natural, chemical-free, safe way to repel mosquitos; they add color and fragrance to your outdoor space. Here are a few of our favorite insect repelling plants that will also thrive down here in South Louisiana. Lavender With the exception of the hearty, but less fragrant Spanish Lavender, many varieties of lavender cannot withstand the wet soil, heat and humidity of South Louisiana. That is until the recent introduction of ‘Phenomenal’ which, according to Southern Living Magazine, is a version of the herb that can not only withstand the growing conditions here,…
As winter’s shorter days and cooler temperatures force us indoors to stay warm, the house can feel ‘stuffy’ and there is nothing worse than being forced to spend countless hours inside a house with stale air. More importantly are the adverse effects poor quality air indoors can have on you and your family’s health. With little or no fresh air coming in and running heaters all winter, it is no wonder that we suffer breathing problems, congestion and headaches during these colder months. By definition, indoor air pollution is chemical, biological and physical contamination of indoor air and may result in adverse health effects. This contamination can include pollutants from tobacco smoke, mold, allergens, bacteria, viruses, radon, formaldehyde, asbestos, mercury and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). How do we clean up the air in our homes? Some of these pollutants can be…
For years, Exterior Designs, Inc. has offered carpentry to complement our landscape services. We have a professional carpenter on staff that specializes in small interior and exterior projects. Exterior Designs offers a wide variety of new construction or remodeling services. We will work with you on drafting a plan that allows you to visualize the finished product. In addition to our carpentry services, we also offer handyman services to New Orleans and the surrounding area. Some of our services include: Cleaning dirt, dust and cobwebs from your porch or outdoor room Painting or staining to refurbish existing wood work Removing fallen tree limbs and branches Building and staining or painting shutters Pretty much anything else you can think to relieve the stress of those tasks you simply don’t have the time or energy to think about! Creativity does not have…