A luxurious Palm Springs-inspired landscape elevates an architecturally outstanding canal-front home
Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards Winner
This innovative landscaping project was delivered for an opulent, luxury canal-frontage home on the Sunshine Coast. Inspired by the Mid-Century Modern Palm Springs’ aesthetic, the design delivers a refined, contemporary, coastal landscape defined by architectural planting, bold forms, and contrasting textures.
“From the outset, it was clear this project would be something truly special,” says Leigh Barrett, director of Living Style Co. “Few homes in Australia feature a front facade and entryway as striking as this one, nor do they have such a flawless indoor-outdoor flow or picture-perfect location.
“The homeowner was deeply involved in the architectural design of the residence and challenged us to create a luxurious landscape that would enhance its presence without overpowering or distracting from it. Our role was to complement the architecture through thoughtful, considered landscape integration.
“The front entry, being a grand focal point, called for a clean, simple, and pared-back approach balanced with bold, sculptural planting to soften the extensive use of hard materials for walls, paving, and driveways. The same principle was applied around the swimming pool, a key visual and functional element of the home, where planting needed to provide interest while allowing the design of the pool to remain the hero.
“Privacy was a major consideration, with effective screening required on both side boundaries and at the rear of the property, which is highly visible from the canal. Two strategically placed pandanus trees were installed to provide screening from the water while also softening the home’s strong visual impact from that vantage point.”
The rooftop gardens were designed to be low-set yet visually engaging thanks to the variations in plant texture and form. Cascading plants were added to shade eastern-facing windows and help break up the strong, vertical concrete elements.
“A lawn that appeared to merge with the canal was essential, as was step-free access from both levels of the home to accommodate a robotic mower, reducing manual maintenance,” says Leigh.
“Unlike many canal-front homes, direct physical connection to the water was a key requirement for the owners. The canal was not just a backdrop — it was a destination. We created a generous, private white-sand beach zone to allow for relaxation, water access, and shaded outdoor enjoyment.
“To achieve this unique and luxurious inclusion, we used sandbags to shape a flatter beach area while also protecting it from prevailing onshore winds and water chop. The lower pandanus provided vital shade, making the space functional and comfortable.”
To complete the vision, Living Style Co installed a cloud-based automatic irrigation system with water metering that gives the homeowners complete control over water use across the diverse landscape zones.
Winner of the Residential $200,000-$250,000 category in the 2025 Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards, this high-end project in Bokarina, offers an integrated approach to luxury outdoor living, successfully blending hardscape, horticulture, and technology to deliver a bold, modern, coastal-cool landscape with a Palm Springs vibe.
For more information
Living Style Co
Phone (07) 5445 0462
Email info@livingstyleco.com.au
Photography: Z Media