Architectural Blue, a Palm Springs-based company that builds and designs outdoor spaces, recently broke ground on an innovative new center that will be a one-stop shopping experience for backyard aficionados.
Known as Garden, the complex will house new offices for Architectural Blue as well as a nursery, outdoor showcases, a café, and lots more. “When working with my clients over the years, we would go shopping at many stores looking for plants, artwork, custom-made metal works, etc. and were left feeling disappointed,” says Architectural Blue’s founder and President/CEO, J. Matthew Naylor.
“Since we were already creating spectacular backyards, I decided we needed a place where our customers could get inspired with ideas and have a place to shop for items we could not find in our area,” he adds. “We also would not have to disturb existing customers to show them our work. Garden now helps with showing our ideas and samples of materials.”
RENDERING COURTESY OF ARCHITECTURAL BLUE
Garden will be an environmentally friendly complex that will be completely off the grid with solar and other cooling methods, and its building structure will utilize recycled shipping containers.
While the Architectural Blue offices will occupy 3,200 square feet, the overall complex will encompass 1.3 acres. And there will be an interesting environmental spin to the property. In addition to being completely off the grid, with solar and other cooling methods, Garden will use recycled shipping containers as its building structure.
“[For many years,] I had researched the idea of container homes,” says Naylor. “I like the idea of using recycled materials that are often forgotten, or sitting somewhere, such as containers in a shipyard. There will be around 35 containers that will be used.”
Garden will feature elements that touch on all aspects of a homeowner’s property. There will be outdoor showcases where customers can see, feel, and touch materials associated with swimming pools, as well as areas that will change often and have different design ideas.
“[There will also be] outdoor furniture, pots, drought-tolerant plants and a potting area where you can pot your own plant, along with organic mulch, water features, etc.,” says Naylor. “The Learning area will have weekly events ranging from gardening, outdoor living, cooking demonstrations using herbs from your garden, [and classes and lectures on the] environment, pool chemistry, outdoor sound, landscape lighting, and many more topics. The Café will offer coffee, ice cream, and snacks.”
Another unique offering will be an artists’ area where vendors can showcase their art. “The artists will be hand selected by me and [reflect] my desire to keep the theme of handcrafted items,” says Naylor.
“Many customers come to us for ideas,” he adds. “[They] want to see the latest trend, latest materials, etc. Architectural Blue is changing the way pools are made with unique materials that customers will be excited about.”
Garden, which will house new offices for Architectural Blue, will be built next to the firm’s existing location.
Garden is projected to open in February 2018 at 710 East Research Drive in Palm Springs.