If you’re tiling your floor, consider laying two different colored tiles in stripe formation. It’s a fairly simple application that will add just enough visual variation.
by Randy Thueme Design Inc. - Landscape Architecture
A raised bed doesn't need to be 3 feet off the ground! Stone or brick edge walls and gravel paths are gorgeous ways to define your vegetable beds and make it easier to pick the fruits of your labor.
Wood boxes are a classic for raised beds, but beware of using materials that will either rot or seep into the soil. Check with your local garden center or a garden designer for the best materials for your site.
I love the classic four-square grid for a vegetable garden. No matter the size of your yard, this design can work — just scale it to fit.
Patio. Stone under your feet will provide cool relief from the heat when placed in the shade and is a wonderful material to use when building a patio. The decorative arch on the wall makes for a great focal point as well.
Think of unusual materials for your flower beds such as rusted metal strips welded together. The texture, scale, and color of the rusted metal against the greenery is a welcome surprise.
Spanish Mediterranean Courtyard: Patio. There are paved areas for outdoor living, usually made of tile, stone or brick. This courtyard patio has a Mediterranean influence and the floor is done in a herringbone pattern. Notice wrought-iron window grilles, a feature of Spanish architecture, in the fireplace wall.
Spanish Mediterranean Courtyard: Fireplace. This is the back area of the house in the previous photo. This garden was designed to enhance the existing architecture and create a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor areas. The fireplace wall features a built-in bench and an outdoor kitchen.
Spanish Mediterranean Courtyard: This courtyard is surrounded on three sides by a U-shaped home. A flagstone patio with tight joints provides a smooth surface for the table and chairs.
Spanish Mediterranean Courtyard: I like the tiles but not too many of them. Hand-painted tile. Colorful Spanish or Mexican tile is a favorite element of these courtyards. Here, cheerful patterns cover the face of a large planter. The top also provides casual seating.
Spanish Mediterranean Courtyard: Container plants. Plants in decorative ceramic or terracotta pots are often found grouped together. Vary the heights and when in doubt, go with an odd number of pots.
A built-in Moorish style bench and low planter provide additional seating in this lush feeling garden patio.
Water feature. A colorfully tiled fountain makes a stunning focal point in this courtyard, while providing the soothing sound of water. The bright colors are repeated in the cluster of dark pink flowers in the corner and a pair of blue chairs.
Keep in mind that you will need to run electrical power to a recirculating pump that is in the fountain's reservoir (pool).
by Aitken and Associates
by clemente design studio, llc
US · 8 photos
added by 99greensleeves
Residential Forecourt entry garden and fountain
8x16-inch adobe pavers using the textured side of the paver.
Laid in a herringbone pattern on a hexagonal, waterproofed,
reinforced concrete slab. Fountiain is faced with imported tiles
from the San Miguel de Allende region of Mexico. Hand-carved wood bench is also from Mexico.
This modern residence is kept warm and inviting through its use of color and materials. I love the bamboo trees and I can ask if I can have olive trees.