After I gave birth to a pair of rambunctious twins and while on maternity leave I spent a lot of time taking them out for walks in the neighborhood. In my case that neighborhood was San Rafael, CA (approximately 20 minutes North of the Golden Gate Bridge). It was a great opportunity to get out of the house, get some exercise in, and also get inspiration to see what homeowners do to their front yards. I think that some home owners might perceive their front yards as “unusable space” and don’t really care what is going on out there. Others see it as an introduction to the rest of the home and have spent time and money making it into an inviting space. Always one for searching out inspiration, I have photographed some of my favorites. Perhaps your front yard is part of this list, or perhaps someone you know? In any case, I hope you will find these as inspiring as I did.

The first front is located in Lucas Valley. I love the draught friendly, low maintenance lawn, the modern garage door and the symmetrical placement of the planters.

This next house is in the Terra Linda neighborhood. Though this might not be considered a “yard” per se, I do appreciate that this owner thought about consistency of the plantings and the nice color of the front door.

Speaking of the color of the front door, the below examples show that a pop of color will transform a typical Eichler exterior to something interesting and visibly pleasing.

I am always on the hunt for good fence ideas. I noticed the below house with the horizontal fence in 2009 or so, and it is a look that many has incorporated since then. I think it still be popular for years to come. The addition of a matching wood walkway with integrated lights takes this home to something that stands out in the neighborhood.

Another completely different look for an Eichler. This makes me think more of a Blu Home house. The sleek façade with a mix of warm wood and white stucco makes this a huge source of inspiration for me. Take the draught tolerant plantings, poured concrete pavers and modern sconces, and this design is a home run!

Below is a nice idea of how to get around the maximum fence limit if your fence is located close to the sidewalk. This owner elevated their front yard with the help of a poured concrete retaining wall. They then added a fence with sparsely spaced horizontal slats at top to increase the feeling of privacy.

These are just a few of the awesome Eichler front yards there are in Terra Linda. Please feel free to add to these photos if you are aware of any other front yards that should be part of this list.