A family in West University contacted us to design a contemporary Houston landscape for them. They live on a double lot, which is large for that neighborhood. They had built a custom home on the property, and they wanted a unique indoor-outdoor living experience that integrated a modern pool into the aesthetic of their home interior. This was made possible by the design of the home itself. The living room can be fully opened to the yard by sliding glass doors. The pool we built is actually a lap swimming pool that measures a full 65 feet in length. Not only is this pool unique in size and design, but it is also unique in how it ties into the home. The patio literally connects the living room to the edge of the water. There is no coping, so you can literally walk across the patio into the water and start your swim in the heated, lighted interior of the pool. Even for guests who do not swim, the proximity of the water to the living room makes the entire pool-patio layout part of the exterior design. This is a common theme in modern pool design. The patio is also notable because it is constructed from stones that fit so tightly together the joints seem to disappear. Although the linear edges of the stones are faintly visible, the surface is one contiguous whole whose linear seamlessness supports both the linearity of the home and the lengthwise expanse of the pool. While the patio design is strictly linear to tie the form of the home to that of the pool, our modern pool is decorated with a running bond pattern of tile work. Running bond is a design pattern that uses staggered stone, brick, or tile layouts to create something of a linear puzzle board effect that captures the eye. We created this pattern to compliment the brick work of the home exterior wall, thus aesthetically tying fine details of the pool to home architecture. At the opposite end of the pool, we built a fountain into the side of the home's perimeter wall. The fountain head is actually square, mirroring the bricks in the wall. Unlike a typical fountain, the water here pours out in a horizontal plane which even more reinforces the theme of the quadrilateral geometry and linear movement of the modern pool. We decorated the front of the home with a custom garden consisting of small ground cover plant species. We had to be very cautious around the trees due to West U’s strict tree preservation policies. In order to avoid damaging tree roots, we had to avoid digging too deep into the earth. The species used in this garden—Japanese Ardesia, foxtail ferns, and dwarf mondo not only avoid disturbing tree roots, but they are low-growth by nature and highly shade resistant. We also built a gravel driveway that provides natural water drainage and preserves the root zone for trees. Concrete pads cross the driveway to give the homeowners a sure-footing for walking to and from their vehicles.

Bedroom - contemporary bedroom idea in Las Vegas with white walls

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Dallas Rugs provided this hand knotted wool and silk rug to our interior design client, RSVP Design Services. The photography is by Dan Piassick. Please contact us at info@dallasrugs.com for more rug options. Please contact RSVP Design Services for more information regarding other items in this photo. http://www.houzz.com/pro/rsvpdesignservices/rsvp-design-services

Mike Schwartz
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Inspiration for a large contemporary master marble floor and white floor bathroom remodel in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, white walls, an undermount sink and a hinged shower door

Spacecrafting/Architectural Photography
Huge trendy open concept living room photo in Minneapolis with gray walls

©Finished Basement Company
Inspiration for a huge contemporary look-out dark wood floor and brown floor basement remodel in Denver with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a tile fireplace

Inspiration for a contemporary master carpeted bedroom remodel in Boston with beige walls

Photo Credit: Pawel Dmytrow
Inspiration for a small contemporary single-wall light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

This contemporary bath utilizes the galley way construction of this master bath through the use of light, and finishes. A large glass shower equipped with rain shower head and storage niches, reflects light impeccably making the space feel expansive. Counter to ceiling height mirror atop a floating vanity, utilize the lateral height of the space. A seated vanity with topped with a mirror at the end of the galley creates drama and focal point upon entry.

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Trendy bedroom photo in Los Angeles

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A stunning minimal primary bathroom features marble herringbone shower tiles, hexagon mosaic floor tiles, and niche. We removed the bathtub to make the shower area larger. Also features a modern floating toilet, floating quartz shower bench, and custom white oak shaker vanity with a stacked quartz countertop. It feels perfectly curated with a mix of matte black and brass metals. The simplicity of the bathroom is balanced out with the patterned marble floors.

Transitional Laundry Room
Trendy laundry room photo in Boston

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