BDG 23rd Edition 2020

Out of Site!
Architecture:
MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects
Photography: Jeff Sinon
Meandering native stone drives. Jaw-dropping views.
Mossy, stepping-stone paths. Granite hardscapes that
take on the tones of the lake. Landscape design/build
firm Pellettieri Associates, Inc. brings nature’s splendor
to higher ground. At a time when homeowners are
appreciating the great outdoors more than ever—in
their lives and in their home designs—we sat down with
President George Pellettieri, who has been in the business
for 35 years, to see just how his firm does it.
First and foremost, Pellettieri Associates likes to enter
the picture early. “We can be the most beneficial if we are
the first ones on the site and the last ones to leave,” he
says. If his team can see the setting, they can assess its
features, views and special characteristics, and create an
optimal program, often with outdoor “rooms” that serve
multiple uses.
They take their cues from nature—the granite of the
surrounding ledge, the direction of the sun—as well as
the wants of the homeowner. “Lifestyle is so important,”
contends Technology Director Graham Pellettieri; we
encourage residents to think hard about how they intend
to use their property. Will they entertain regularly and, if
so, how many guests? Do they cherish a particular tree?
What time of year will they be using the home?
Pellettieri Associates then brings these seamless,
sustainable settings to fruition, maintaining them for years
afterward. The company is happiest when asked, “Were
you really here?” offers George. “That’s a sign that we’ve
done our job well.”
242 bostondesignguide.com