Modern swimming pool and spa design. Contemporary landscape and pool lighting surround this unique pool. Luxury swimming pool landscaping ideas by Cipriano- 2013 “Top 50 Pool Builder” with 14 International Design Awards. Bergen County-Northern NJ

Nothing is more charming than a quiet garden path complete with stone pavers, wildflowers, and the view of a cozy firepit in the distance.
This is an example of a large transitional side yard stone walkway in Salt Lake City.

The 2023 Southern Living Idea House is an oasis on the Tennessee hillside. Bill Holloway and Luke Sippel of Lake + Land Studio had the task of building and designing the perfect home for clients who loved dogs, music, and indoor-outdoor living. The 5,600-square-foot contemporary Southern farmhouse in Leiper’s Fork was intentionally placed to fit the surrounding natural landscape. Holloway and Sippel wanted the home to feel as though it had always been there. An important element of Southern living was present in the home’s design and build: porches. The home has a large, covered porch that runs the nearly the entire length of the back of the home on the main floor and one on the lower level. Using Marvin Ultimate multi-slide doors on the porch unified the indoor and outdoor spaces. The multi-slide door has the ability for the door to open fully, seamlessly blending the two spaces. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Elevate Direct Glaze Window Elevate Casement Window Elevate Sliding French Door Elevate French Door Ultimate Glider Window Ultimate Multi-Slide Door Ultimate Outswing Door Architecture Firm: Lake + Land Studio Builder: Hatcliff Construction Interior Design: Laura Hodges Studio Landscape: Southern Creations Landscaping Dealer: AVI Windows and Doors

This shady gravel garden path takes one from the back of the property to the front garden. Crushed stone meandering path lined with shade-loving perennials with white flowers making an elegant white and green garden. Photo: Lisa Cullen

Karen transformed her front yard with 100% drought-tolerant landscaping, using water-wise plants and a wide variety of natural stone materials. Cobble, rubble, pebble, flagstone and crushed rock were combined to create a dry streambed that adds a fluid movement to the yard. A basalt fountain water feature was positioned near the entry. Since Karen’s home is part of a Homeowner’s Association, speed was essential to the project. She hired Laura Eubanks of Design for Serenity to facilitate the quick turnaround, completing the project in just 5 days. Design for Serenity designed and installed the beautiful landscaping and succulent tapestries, while Karen herself selected the stone. Karen thinks of landscape rock as a form of art, considering it to be one of the most important elements in her project. She spent several hours with Laura’s team selecting the perfect boulders and materials from our Fallbrook yard. Her hard work paid off: Karen’s guests and HOA neighbors all raved about the impact of natural stone in this total yard transformation.

--Historic / National Landmark --House designed by prominent architect Frederick R. Schock, 1924 --Grounds designed and constructed by: Arrow. Land + Structures in Spring/Summer of 2017 --Photography: Marco Romani, RLA State Licensed Landscape Architect

Glencoe IL Formal driveway design. A mix of concrete pavers and natural bluestone. French inspired theme. By: Arrow. Land + Structures. Landscape Architects and Builders

The crused shell driveway is traditional surface that is bordered by a bluestone walk that connects to both the front and back house entries. The relocated tool shed has an outdoor shower on the backside for cleaning up after coming back from the beach. Paul Maue

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Design ideas for a transitional garden path in Austin.

Landscaping stones line the walkway from the garage to the house in this Great Falls backyard. Designed and built by Land Art Design, Inc.
Patio - large eclectic backyard stone patio idea in DC Metro with no cover

Dramatic plant textures, modern hardscaping and sharp angles enhanced this mid-century modern bungalow. Soft plants were chosen to contrast with the sharp angles of the pathways and hard edges of the MCM home, while providing all-season interest. Horizontal privacy screens wrap the front porch and create intimate garden spaces – some visible only from the street and some visible only from inside the home. The front yard is relatively small in size, but full of colorful texture.

Joshua Drake Photography
Living room - transitional formal and enclosed dark wood floor living room idea in Charleston with beige walls and a standard fireplace

Welcome to DreamCoast Builders, where we turn your home dreams into unique realities. From Clearwater Fl. to Tampa and the 33756 area, we specialize in remodeling, custom homes, and home additions that stand out. Picture your modern house with a captivating swimming pool, complemented by lush artificial grass in the backyard. Our attention to detail ensures every aspect, from interior ideas to outdoor amenities like pool umbrellas and wave shades, reflects your individual style. Let us create a home that's as unique as you are. Contact us today and make your dream home a reality

Bliss Garden Design
Inspiration for a contemporary side yard gravel landscaping in Seattle.

Amber Frederiksen Photography
Inspiration for a tropical shade backyard landscaping in Miami.

Photo shows Japanese Tea House west side. The gravel path contains a Japanese dry river bed and an Inukshuk sculpture, metaphysically designed. The surrounding garden is the inner Roji garden and contains a Roji stepping stone path designed with a metaphysical pattern. pattern. Photo credits:Dan Drobnick

JANE BEILES
Bedroom - transitional master bedroom idea in New York with white walls

The property is one of the original farm houses located on the main street of a small town. It has been in the family for many years and our client just inherited the property. They were trying to have balance of preserving the old while realizing modern day living has its benefits too. The house had a large addition added using mostly old style materials, but designed with function and modern day luxuries. Our goal was to carry that theme to the outside. Our first problem we had to address was how to transition between the first floor elevation changes. The lower room was the husband’s office. He stated in the future he may have clients over and it would be nice to have an area to sit outside. The wife’s main concern was to renew the four corner garden. She also felt it was very important to be able to see it from the kitchen area. Finally there was an old wishing well stuck right outside the kitchen. They both felt it would be neat to be able to incorporate this in some how. They wanted a patio area with a built in grill to accommodate there family and friends. They also wanted to keep a large play area for the kids. We were able to pull this off successfully. We addressed the first issue by having a small lower level flagstone area. This area is large enough for 1 to 2 people to sit comfortably. It also provides a transition from his office to the larger patio area. We installed a simple small gravel sitting area opposite of the main patio. This provides our client a secluded place to relax or do business. Mrs.... told me she is amazed how much her and her husband enjoys this area. It is so peaceful looking at the small creek over a glass of wine. We built a natural limestone retaining wall to create the patio terrace. The stone was chosen to extend the houses architectural elements into the landscape. Irregular broken flagstone was used to give it a more casual feel. We installed three Serviceberries into the patio terrace to replace some trees that were taken down during the remodeling. She was very concern that they would block the view of the four corner garden. We new they were crucial to nestle in the terrace, so we placed them for a couple days for her to decide. Fortunately she agreed they not only kept the view open, but helped frame the garden. The four corner garden was designed to be viewed from afar and experienced up close. We wanted the space to have some formal structure while keeping with the casual farm house feel. Another natural limestone retaining wall was created. This leveled the garden terrace and helped associate it with the rest of the property. The four corner garden is nestled into the existing woods edge. This provides three distinct experiences to entering the garden; a more formal from the driveway, an open feel from the lower lawn, and a more natural / casual experience from the wooded area. The Plymouth brown gravel was used for the center of the garden. This helped highlight the stone post that was found during construction. The gravel also brings the sense of sound into the garden space. Lamb’s ear was chosen as a fun way to get kids interest in horticulture. The balance of using the new to create the old feel is what makes this project a success. The property has already hosted a local historical society event and won an award for its preservation efforts. When Mrs.... can’t find her husband, she knows he is either reading the newspaper by the grill or resting in the hammock along the wood’s path.