When Arlene Battisill and Desiree Estrada decided to rip out the tangle of ivy and juniper bushes that choked off their house from their Silver Lake neighborhood's active street life, their frontyard became a meeting place.

That's because along with new landscaping, the couple put in a lively burbling brook that runs through the 980-square-foot frontyard. Now nannies bring toddlers to splash in the water, and the couple will often come home to teenagers with their pants legs rolled up, wading in the stream.

Battisill and Estrada shut down the stream during the week to conserve electricity, but even when the recirculating water pumps are turned off, the dry riverbed, calm pond and serene flora maintain their allure. "It's still pretty, and people still stop by," said Estrada, who admits that it took a while to get used to people wandering through the yard. "But now it's nice," she said. "It reminds you of times past, when people left their doors open."

See more pictures of the creek on Tesla Avenue.

– Anne Harnagel

Photo credit: Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times

The West Adams Heritage Assn. celebrates the preservation of historic houses, but earlier this month, a markedly modern installation in Jefferson Park shared its “best garden” prize. Look at the home of Marina Moevs and Steve Peckman, and it’s obvious why: Few gardens could do a better job accenting but not overwhelming their lovingly restored Craftsman home.

After having taken pains to strip, then stain the clapboard for a weathered, muted effect, the first criterion that Moevs and Peckman put to a local garden designer was to keep the plants low. Herbs would be welcome, but they didn’t want any specimens taller than 3 feet. Furthermore, they didn’t want to water — or at least water often. Finally, they wanted to capitalize on a  cash-for-grass program that offers rebates for replacing turf with a low-water alternative.

The designer, Renee Gunter of Urbanscapes, was so well-known among water-wise gardeners that when sprinkler restrictions were rolled out last year, ABC News went to her front yard to see what kind of garden was possible on a $10-a-month water budget. As it happened, Gunter was also a trusted hand among preservationists in the greater district encompassing Jefferson Park known as historic West Adams. The drought-tolerant front garden of the area’s landmark South Seas House is her work.

The challenge for Gunter with this new job was height. Her gardens had never kept such a low profile before.

Perhaps it was a client named Marina, or maybe it was the vaguely oceanic tint to the clapboard stain, but Gunter began thinking in terms of sea floor vegetation. After poring over the succulent collection at the Jungle garden center, she had a palette in mind dominated by lavender, milky greens and occasional dashes of orange.

“I started putting together a flat of plants and took them home to just look at them,” she said. “They were like pieces in a puzzle.”

Once she got a sense of how they might be grouped to the most dramatic effect, the next challenge was dealing with a space that was to be not only low, but also flat. As the build began, Gunter began moving earth to create subtle berms. She then intersected the garden with gravel paths, one of which she planted while leaving the other clear for access from the driveway. She topped weed cloth with three inches of Del Rio gravel, creating paths that serve as sinks to trap rainwater and prevent runoff to the ocean.

For more explanation of the design, photos of the finished project and details on the rebate Moevs and Peckman received for replacing their lawn, keep reading …

James Bond co-founded the high-end Undefeated sneaker boutiques.

Pierre Deux, the purveyor of all things French country, is offering at least 20% off all merchandise in its new location on Robertson Boulevard through Aug. 15.

That includes the new fall collection, such as the hand-embroidered linen pillows by Ankasa ($195 to $350) shown above. They're in Pierre Deux now but won't be hitting other stores until mid-August.

"We have expanded the tabletop collection and haveadded several new pieces of furniture in lighter woods and easy-to-integratefabrics," Pierre Deux marketing director Naomi Cooper said.

An opening reception with designer Joe Nye is scheduled for Sept. 16 and will benefit Inner-City Arts.

471 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 657-9400.

– Lisa Boone

Photo credit: Pierre Deux

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Sure, summer here has been remarkably mild. We all know it's a matter of time before those hot Santa Ana winds starting to blow through. How about a little preparation?

Whether you're living without A/C or simply want to lower your energy use, modern fans can help you beat the heat without compromising style.

The LoftWing ceiling fan, above, is designed for large spaces such as lofts or foyers. It moves approximately 5,500 cubic feet of air with a back-and-forth motion that only requires 50 watts of electricity. It is designed and manufactured in Los Angeles. Price: $6,200.

More affordable but no less novel: the Dyson Air Multiplier, left. The Home section reviewed a prototype of the blade-less fan in January, and the product has since hit the marketplace. Yes, the design magically delivers a steady stream of smooth air. But function clearly takes a backseat to aesthetics. As our reviewer wrote, "the thing is simply lovely: futuristic, sleek, vaguely enigmatic" – — a fan you buy not just to keep cool, but to be cool. Price: $299.

We've got five more fans on the jump, from a $12,000 sculpture at Moss to a budget buy from Target.

Every Monday we post a new home whose design is presented in the architect or interior designer's own words. This week:

Designer: Michael Ostrow, Grace Home Furnishings, Los Angeles

Location: Pacific Palisades

Goals: to create a stylish and comfortable home for a new family — unfussy and clean, with character

Designer's description: Clients Edward and Melissa Akkaway were faced with a newly constructed 5,000-square-foot spec house and a baby on the way. We set to work immediately to create modern, elegant and comfortable interiors in which the young couple — Edward is an anesthesiologist and Melissa owns Beckley, a high-end women's boutique — would feel at home. Comfort trumped tradition in the living room, which was converted into a den for Edward. Situated just off the entry, this space is home to his electric guitars, video games and huge television. The family room, which opens onto the kitchen, now is the home's main entertaining space. Kravet Tufts Collection rugs and pieces from Barbara Barry for Baker, Julian Chichester and Hickory Chair were used throughout. Because Grace Home also manufactures its own furniture collection, we were able to create several pieces just for the Akkaways, making their home personal to them. Among the details: custom colors for the rugs and trim for lampshades, drapes and pillows.

Keep reading for more details and photos …

There are many lists of freshman dorm necessities floating around on the Internet, but one list making the rounds among parents on L.A.'s Westside is especially thorough. It's an Excel spreadsheet that usually lands in in-boxes with a disclaimer from the sender saying something like, "I know it's a little much, but it's nice to have it all spelled out."

This particular list is broken down into categories such as "bedding," "bedroom stuff," "common room," "hardware store" and "toiletries," and it has more than 100 items, including Dixie cups, Blistex, mini cutting board, stamps, ruler, Wite-Out, thank you notes and small vacuum.

Some people see helicopter mom in this list; others might see just plain neurotic person. After all, an 18-year-old who has managed to get into college is surely capable of buying his or her own Blistex. But there is something else in the time, care and energy spent by the unknown parent who put it all together: the desire — however absurd — to take care of everything, just one last time.

Read more about the emotions behind the college dorm room shopping trip.

– Deborah Netburn

Photo: Sharon Lerman shops with her son Ben, center, and his friend Daniel Gordon at Bed Bath & Beyond in Los Angeles. Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

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For the last few years, 20th century design dealer Pat McGann has been turning contemporary raw silk, wool and printed cotton, as well as vintage Indian embroideries, into a collection of pillows and throws. "It's an eclectic mix," she says. "I'm tired of that word but it seems to fit."

From Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, the Pat McGann Textile Collection will be reduced by 50%. The floral print cotton pillow on the rug, above, is marked down from $350 to $175, which includes a down and feather insert. The vintage Swat Balley embroidered silk pillow perched on the midcentury ottomans (on sale for $1,250 for a set of four) is now priced at $375. The throws, piled on the cabinet to the right, are $195 during the sale.

Fans of Hollywood Regency and midcentury chinoiserie may like McGann's half-off furniture. The black lacquer commodes with brass hardware are $1,750 each. The tole bamboo lamps with custom shades are $1,900 for the pair and the midcentury Japanese screens made from cedar and bamboo are $325 each. (There are six of them.) The wool Lincoln rug is marked from $3,195 to $2,235, a 30% reduction on McGann's stock of Missoni Home designs.

Pat McGann Gallery, 746 N. La Cienaga Blvd., (310) 657 8708

– David A. Keeps

Photo credit: Pat McGann

Art restorer Gustavo Perez of Restoration by Heart works on 200-year-old paintings like the one pictured above, Roy Lichtenstein's pop art pieces, even concert posters. Interestingly, he says Andy Warhol's fluorescent-colored works present his biggest challenge.

"When you restore something painted in fluorescents, you have to change it," he says. The paints are so reflective that adding anything on top of the color automatically darkens it. His collection of Warhol colors may be larger than the artist's was.

Ariel Swartley's article has a lot more about Perez, his Temecula workshop and the art of restoring works on paper.

– Deborah Netburn

Photos: Gustavo Perez works to bring painting back to its original condition in the Restoration By Heart Studio in Temecula, where he works on a variety of projects. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Eco-chic retailer Environment Furniture is offering an interesting promotion through the end of the month: Purchase a bed from any Environment showroom and receive a $500 gift certificate redeemable toward any regularly priced dining room table, coffee table, dresser or upholstered piece of furniture.

Environment's emphasis is on modern furnishings made from reclaimed, recycled or repurposed woods. The Santos platform bed above is composed of Brazilian peroba rosa wood from barns, benches and fences. The mattress floats atop a recessed base of what the company says is responsibly harvested mahogany, and the wide ledge surrounding the mattress allows for a bedside lamp, book or coffee mug. Price: $3,195.

Given $500, I might invest in the simple, organic Beam coffee table, right, also made from peroba rosa. Price: $1,795.

The promotion runs through Aug. 31 and excludes the lower-priced Era collection, sale items, accessories and rugs. It's offered in brick and mortar stores only: 8126 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles, (323) 782-0296; and South Coast Plaza,  3333 Bear St., Suite 225, Costa Mesa, (714) 557-3100. The promotion is not being offered at Environment's outlet store at H.D. Buttercup, 3225 Helms Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 558-8900.

– Lisa Boone

Photo credit: Environment Furniture