Inspiration for a mediterranean front yard landscaping in Los Angeles.

Example of a transitional mosaic tile bathroom design in Boston

A steep hillside is turned into a lush landscape using salvias, ornamental grasses, pomegranates and other easy care plants.
Photo of a traditional hillside stone landscaping in San Francisco.

Often, less is more. Take this landscape design composed of climbing roses, hydrangeas, and lilies surrounding a bluestone terrace. This small, suburban garden feels both expansive and intimate. Japanese forest grass softens the edge of the terrace and adds just enough of a modern look to make the garden’s owners, urban transplants, happy. “My husband and I were looking for an outdoor space that had a secret-garden feeling,” says homeowner Anne Lillis-Ruth. “We’ve had fun adding furniture, antique planters, and a stone fountain to [landscape designer] Robert Welsch’s beautiful landscape. The white and green plantings provide the perfect backdrop to my collection of colorful table linens, glassware, and china. We love our garden!” Dean Fisher loved it, too. “The setting is so lovely and relaxed. It evokes the south of France, with its intimate scale and the integration of house and patio through the use of the vines and other plantings.”

Example of a classic white floor bedroom design in Atlanta with gray walls

After removing an outdated circle drive and overgrown plantings, our team reconfigured the drive and installed a full-range color bluestone walk to clearly emphasize the main door over the side entry.

the bamboo is a clumping variety called Bambusa eutuldoides viridi-vittata , Asian lemon bamboo. This variety is a clumper and you do not need to contain it, however, do allow an 8'by 10' area for its ultimate growth. Bamboo does require constant maintenance and you will need to do some research for the specific variety you choose. Once planted, it will become a beautiful focal point and add a stunning tropical accent. Photo Credit: Sherwood Cox

Irregular bluestone stepper path and woodland shade garden.
Inspiration for a traditional shade stone landscaping in Boston.

The round rock path leads through fragrant thyme, blue oat grass, iris, ceanothus, rosmary, pine, lavender and blanket flower to a patio by the sea. Located on the shores of Puget Sound in Washington State. Photo by Scott Lankford

Extra tall stand wood closet with magnificent island and bench. Pull down rods to make access to all that extra storage possible.
Example of a classic closet design in Little Rock

A paver patio (Anchor Afton, walnut color) to gives the homeowners the entertainment and dining space they wanted. The blended colors of the pavers pull together the colors of the roof shingles (brown) and the New York Bluestone (blue/gray). The smaller pattern of the pavers defines the space, inviting guests to sit. Plus, the plant bed between the wall and the patio gave the homeowners a space to plant seasonal color and an edible garden.

Christopher Lee
1950s living room photo in Los Angeles

This project was an update and addition to a historic firehouse in Pacific Heights. The original layout included the engine room, a bunkroom and a cook’s cottage at the rear. Our work was primarily to work with a collection of odd spaces at the rear and create kids bedrooms, a light court and design a more creative and inviting court yard between the existing buildings. After the renovation the home retains the character of the firehouse with 4 bedrooms to complement the party / play space on the ground floor, and the quintessential great room upstairs. Paul Dryer Photography

Summary As far as unique outdoor living spaces go, this entire backyard makeover at Manor Country Club in Rockville, Maryland has the bases covered. A flagstone patio, AZEK-covered deck, cedar pergola, and hot tub were added to make this Montgomery County home stand out. The basement was also renovated and given a stone fireplace. Situated on Manor's 18th tee box, the patio and pavilion feature open views, low-maintenance plantings, and all of the amenities one needs for entertaining. The integrated hot tub is integrated into the AZEK decking for easy and safe access. We also paved the driveway and laid stone for the front path. Other features Hot tub that is half under the awning and half exposed to the sky for excellent stargazing Integrated porch lighting Stone flower boxes built into the multi-tiered patio Materials AZEK Terra Collection decking, Tahoe AZEK Harvest Collection decking, slate gray Pennsylvania flagstone patio blocks Cedar wood Pressure-treated wood Photos by Venturaphoto

The office garden
Design ideas for a contemporary backyard landscaping in San Diego.

Living room - contemporary living room idea in Chicago with beige walls and no tv

The Laurel was a project that required a rigorous lesson in southern architectural vernacular. The site being located in the hot climate of the Carolina shoreline, the client was eager to capture cross breezes and utilize outdoor entertainment spaces. The home was designed with three covered porches, one partially covered courtyard, and one screened porch, all accessed by way of French doors and extra tall double-hung windows. The open main level floor plan centers on common livings spaces, while still leaving room for a luxurious master suite. The upstairs loft includes two individual bed and bath suites, providing ample room for guests. Native materials were used in construction, including a metal roof and local timber.

Design ideas for a traditional shade landscaping in Chicago.

Already partially enclosed by an ipe fence and concrete wall, our client had a vision of an outdoor courtyard for entertaining on warm summer evenings since the space would be shaded by the house in the afternoon. He imagined the space with a water feature, lighting and paving surrounded by plants. With our marching orders in place, we drew up a schematic plan quickly and met to review two options for the space. These options quickly coalesced and combined into a single vision for the space. A thick, 60” tall concrete wall would enclose the opening to the street – creating privacy and security, and making a bold statement. We knew the gate had to be interesting enough to stand up to the large concrete walls on either side, so we designed and had custom fabricated by Dennis Schleder (www.dennisschleder.com) a beautiful, visually dynamic metal gate. The gate has become the icing on the cake, all 300 pounds of it! Other touches include drought tolerant planting, bluestone paving with pebble accents, crushed granite paving, LED accent lighting, and outdoor furniture. Both existing trees were retained and are thriving with their new soil. The garden was installed in December and our client is extremely happy with the results – so are we! Photo credits, Coreen Schmidt