A Garden in the Atrium

See how these homeowners embraced the original features of their 1976 Sacramento home to create a meaningful and unique dry garden.

Learn how these homeowners embraced the original features of their 1976 Sacramento home to create a meaningful and unique dry garden— inside and out.

One of the first things that attracted Tyler and Jessica Wichmann to their Sacramento area home was its atrium. “It was the biggest draw for us. My wife and I are big plant people, and we’ve collected cacti, succulents and houseplants over the years,” says Tyler. The home was built in 1976 by the Streng Brothers, Bill and Jim Streng. Along with Carter Sparks, the home’s architect, they built nearly 4,000 homes in the area during the mid century. The three- bedroom, two- bathroom 2,100- square- foot home was built for its climate, as Sparks placed indoor atriums ( rather than an exposed courtyard) and AC units in his designs, both of which make the home especially suitable for the hot Sacramento summers. “The atrium is built for the valley, as it gets us that indooroutdoor feel without scorching us with the heat,” says Tyler.

RENOVATIONS AND RESTORATIONS

After closing on the home in August 2019, Tyler and Jessica got to work on renovations. The home’s original features had been kept in good shape, but it needed some 21st- century updates, like removing asbestos and popcorn ceilings. “The house had amazing bones,” says Tyler. “We were only the second owners of this home.”

The couple also restored the original concrete slab fl ooring, removed a large and obstructing Norfolk pine in the atrium and cleared out the remaining plants and soil in the space to get rid of pests.

Tyler and Jessica were excited to make the atrium their own. They decided to turn their atrium into a dry garden, planting euphorbia, cacti and succulents, many of which the two had been raising for years. “It was one of the most humbling things to be able to put our plants into our new atrium and watch them grow, as our house and family grows alongside them,” says Tyler.

Another space that needed lots of TLC was the kitchen. Tyler and Jessica worked with Kerf Design of Seattle, Washington. It was important to them to keep the original footprint, so they worked with Kerf to restore the kitchen’s original charm, while making sure it was up to 21st- century standards. They added new raised quartz countertops, appliances, cabinets and hardware. “We knew we wanted to work with Kerf … and we couldn’t be happier with how [ the kitchen] turned out,” says Tyler.

A BLISSFUL BEDROOM

But the bedroom is where Tyler and Jessica’s personal style really shines. “We’re into the color black. It’s a prominent color we use, and so in our bedroom you see that a lot,” says Tyler. The wall that sits behind the bed is covered in a gray siding, a nod to the atrium and the home’s exterior, where it is also used. The furniture and fixtures have been carefully curated and are some of the couple’s favorites. The George Nelson lights were something they had wanted for a long time, and they give the space warm light with a mid century look. The Glen of California dressers were another long- sought- after piece, and they provide stylish storage to the pared- down and relaxing space. “We wanted to make sure our bedroom was a retreat,” says Tyler.

Together, Tyler and Jessica have created a home that embraces its mid century roots, while still providing modern comforts and reflecting the couple’s personal style. And rather than being covered up or ignored, the home’s most unique feature— its atrium— finds its place with Tyler and Jessica. “That atrium will grow into a botanical desert garden over the years … and watching ourselves grow with the plants, that will be such a cool thing,” says Tyler.

THE SUNNY ATRIUM IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE WHEN YOU ENTER THE HOME, AND IT SETS THE STAGE FOR THE WARM AND WELCOMING TONES THROUGHOUT THE SPACE. IT’S THE CENTERPIECE OF THE HOME, AS THE VARIOUS ROOMS AND NOOKS SURROUND IT.

THE FRONT YARD OF TYLER AND JESSICA WICHMANN’S HOME IS COVERED BY ANOTHER DRY GARDEN, WHICH GIVES IT A SOPHISTICATED DESERT VIBE. THE COUPLE HAS ALWAYS ADMIRED OTHERS’ DESERT GARDENS, AND THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANCE TO CREATE ONE THEMSELVES.

THE ENCLOSED ENTRYWAY, WITH ITS BURNT- ORANGE MOTIFS, BRIGHT GLASS PANELS AND SMALL DISPLAY OF SUCCULENTS HINTS AT WHAT LIES BEYOND THE FRONT DOOR.

ABOVE: THE MUTED GREENS OF THE COUPLE’S MANY PLANTS ARE SEEN IN THE MILO BAUGHMAN CHAIR SOURCED FROM A LOCAL DEALER. THE CHAIR AND THE COMFORTABLE SOFA CREATE A RELAXING AND INVITING LIVING ROOM. BELOW: THE VIBRANT HUES OF THE CHROMECRAFT DINING ROOM SET FIND ECHOES ELSEWHERE IN THE SPACE, LIKE THE FRONT DOOR OR THE MODERNICA CHAIRS IN THE GREAT ROOM.

THANKS TO THE HELP OF KERF DESIGN, TYLER AND JESSICA’S KITCHEN PERFECTLY WALKS THE LINE BETWEEN RETRO FUN AND 21ST- CENTURY NECESSITIES. THE KITCHEN STILL MAINTAINS ITS ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT, AND THE WINDOW OVER THE SINK IS A PASS- THROUGH, ALLOWING FOOD AND OTHER ITEMS TO BE EASILY PASSED TO THE BACKYARD.

THE HANGING LIGHT IN THE ATRIUM IS ORIGINAL TO THE HOME. DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT CARTER SPARKS AND HIS FRIEND GUNNAR LINDH, THESE LIGHTS ARE RARE IN OTHER STRENG BROTHERS HOMES, MAKING THEM ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE.

LEFT: THE SHELVING UNIT IN THE GREAT ROOM HOLDS THE COUPLE’S TATTOO MEMORABILIA, FAVORITE BOOKS AND GUADALUPE IMAGERY. THE PAINTING THAT SITS OVER THE MODERNICA SOFA IS FROM A FRIEND AND ARTIST, GUY LONG, OWNER OF ROSE CITY. TYLER AND JESSICA CREDIT THE PAINTING AS INSPIRING THE COLOR PALETTE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THEIR HOME.

BELOW: SERENE AND SIMPLE, TYLER AND JESSICA’S BEDROOM IS A RETREAT FIRST AND FOREMOST. THE GRAY SIDING MATCHES THE EXTERIOR AND ATRIUM SIDING, CREATING AN INDOOR- OUTDOOR FEEL. THE DESIGN THAT SITS ABOVE THEIR BED IS FROM THEIR WEDDING, AND THEY BOTH HAVE TATTOOS OF IT AS WELL.