When the owners of historic Weeden Farm, one of the oldest privately held farms in New England, decided to divide their property, a generous benefactor stepped in to save a large portion of the land and underwrite the construction of The Barn, as it is known, to be used as the headquarters of the South Kingstown Land Trust. The new HQ building replaced a 19th Century building that had been used to hold farm equipment and as a summer residence for extended family members. The original building was beyond renovation, and DSR AIA & Assoc. was commissioned to design a new building on the original footprint. The design goal was to provide a modern multi-functional space acknowledging the original barn in scale and materials and was respectful of the character of the remaining 18th Century farm buildings. The main floor houses a large common area used for meetings and informal gatherings, as well as a modern catering kitchen and bathrooms. Upstairs, several offices, a library and conference room, and an additional bathroom serve the SKLT staff, while the addition of a large stone loggia on the ground floor welcomes summer visitors and groups. The Barn project received several design awards.

A sophisticated, yet livable, redesign took this Mediterranean-style home from old-world to a transitional/soft contemporary look. Opting to acknowledge the client’s past New York, Miami and LA residences, modern touches were added throughout. Leveraging the new kitchen backsplash, mixed hues and patterns of blues and grays flow through each room, adding cohesive style as well as needed pops of color. The neutral color palette of the main upholstery pieces and multi-colored artwork allows the homeowner’s future flexibility to introduce different colored accents to their rooms, creating new looks and maximizing the possibilities within their existing design. In the main living space, a dramatic, large-scale tile design created a newly-defined statement wall in the family room—balancing the originally problematic offset fireplace. The oyster shell artwork above the fireplace, geometric etagere, and soft and sleek seating complement the tile and allow it to remain a grounding element in the room, while colorful artwork, rugs, and upholstery ensure the room stays lively. The brightly lit dining room boasts a bold blue hue and dramatic drapery to make an impactful statement without upstaging the rest of the surrounding rooms. A mica-chipped accent wall in the bedroom was the perfect backdrop to the white lacquer and chrome details in the furnishings. We added additional vivid fuchsia accents (the clients’ favorite color) and fuzzy textures to balance the edgy details, keeping an overall soft, feminine look.

September, Date and Time TBD | Saratoga Blackwell Hillside Garden by Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush of Design Focus International Each detail of this spectacular Saratoga landscape was considered with its hillside site in mind, from the size of the pool to the choice of antique stone masonry. Working closely with the owner, the landscape architects created a series of intimate garden spaces on three terraces. At the top of the site, entertainment is the name of the game where a bocce ball court and a fire pit take advantage of the site’s commanding views of the Santa Clara Valley. Below the house, a jewel-like pool captures the eye, with its intricate glass-tile and bronze water jets. At its end, a seating area and fireplace are shaded by an arbor covered with climbing roses, adding both fragrance and hue. Visitors descend a series of terraced stone stairs set into the hillside, punctuated by raised beds of strawberries, lavender, artichokes, and citrus. A formal parterre flower garden on the terrace is replanted periodically with colorful blooms in acknowledgment of the changing seasons. Photo by Lauren Devon

Hoffman Landscapes received the Decade Award of Excellence from the National Association of Landscape Professionals in 2017 for this stunning property in Washington, CT. The Hoffman team designed and installed the project for the former homeowner and won a Grand Award of Excellence from NALP for it back in 2007. The Decade Award acknowledges 10 consecutive years of exceptional property maintenance. Congrats to all on a job well done!

Internationally Acknowledged Interior Designers & Decorators
Example of a huge eclectic master carpeted and white floor bedroom design in Atlanta with blue walls and no fireplace

A sophisticated, yet livable, redesign took this Mediterranean-style home from old-world to a transitional/soft contemporary look. Opting to acknowledge the client’s past New York, Miami and LA residences, modern touches were added throughout. Leveraging the new kitchen backsplash, mixed hues and patterns of blues and grays flow through each room, adding cohesive style as well as needed pops of color. The neutral color palette of the main upholstery pieces and multi-colored artwork allows the homeowner’s future flexibility to introduce different colored accents to their rooms, creating new looks and maximizing the possibilities within their existing design. In the main living space, a dramatic, large-scale tile design created a newly-defined statement wall in the family room—balancing the originally problematic offset fireplace. The oyster shell artwork above the fireplace, geometric etagere, and soft and sleek seating complement the tile and allow it to remain a grounding element in the room, while colorful artwork, rugs, and upholstery ensure the room stays lively. The brightly lit dining room boasts a bold blue hue and dramatic drapery to make an impactful statement without upstaging the rest of the surrounding rooms. A mica-chipped accent wall in the bedroom was the perfect backdrop to the white lacquer and chrome details in the furnishings. We added additional vivid fuchsia accents (the clients’ favorite color) and fuzzy textures to balance the edgy details, keeping an overall soft, feminine look.

A sophisticated, yet livable, redesign took this Mediterranean-style home from old-world to a transitional/soft contemporary look. Opting to acknowledge the client’s past New York, Miami and LA residences, modern touches were added throughout. Leveraging the new kitchen backsplash, mixed hues and patterns of blues and grays flow through each room, adding cohesive style as well as needed pops of color. The neutral color palette of the main upholstery pieces and multi-colored artwork allows the homeowner’s future flexibility to introduce different colored accents to their rooms, creating new looks and maximizing the possibilities within their existing design. In the main living space, a dramatic, large-scale tile design created a newly-defined statement wall in the family room—balancing the originally problematic offset fireplace. The oyster shell artwork above the fireplace, geometric etagere, and soft and sleek seating complement the tile and allow it to remain a grounding element in the room, while colorful artwork, rugs, and upholstery ensure the room stays lively. The brightly lit dining room boasts a bold blue hue and dramatic drapery to make an impactful statement without upstaging the rest of the surrounding rooms. A mica-chipped accent wall in the bedroom was the perfect backdrop to the white lacquer and chrome details in the furnishings. We added additional vivid fuchsia accents (the clients’ favorite color) and fuzzy textures to balance the edgy details, keeping an overall soft, feminine look.

Internationally Acknowledged Interior Designers & Decorators
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Atlanta with beige walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Believe it or not, this was actually an under utilized exterior balcony. We decided to use the space to house a new Laundry room. We didn't want to sacrifice the incredible view so we incorporated a huge picture window to help bring the outdoors in. We reintroduce the navy paint color used in the Master Bedroom on the ceiling with a fun yellow schoolhouse electric light fixture and this fun graphic wave wallpaper was a playful way to acknowledge all the fun lake adventures.

Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Atlanta.

Internationally Acknowledged Interior Designers & Decorators
Example of a large minimalist master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom design in Atlanta with gray walls and no fireplace

September, Date and Time TBD | Saratoga Blackwell Hillside Garden by Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush of Design Focus International Each detail of this spectacular Saratoga landscape was considered with its hillside site in mind, from the size of the pool to the choice of antique stone masonry. Working closely with the owner, the landscape architects created a series of intimate garden spaces on three terraces. At the top of the site, entertainment is the name of the game where a bocce ball court and a fire pit take advantage of the site’s commanding views of the Santa Clara Valley. Below the house, a jewel-like pool captures the eye, with its intricate glass-tile and bronze water jets. At its end, a seating area and fireplace are shaded by an arbor covered with climbing roses, adding both fragrance and hue. Visitors descend a series of terraced stone stairs set into the hillside, punctuated by raised beds of strawberries, lavender, artichokes, and citrus. A formal parterre flower garden on the terrace is replanted periodically with colorful blooms in acknowledgment of the changing seasons. Photo by Lauren Devon

Michelle DiNicola wanted more casual look to a traditional treatment. She wanted to acknowledge the importance of the window as dictated by the architecture but not to overdo it. Robert from A Room With a View partnered with Michelle to achieve this result.

Highlands Ranch Mansion Event Center. This display was created to recognize the 6 Previous owners of the Highlands Ranch Mansion and to acknowledge the donors that made this remodel possible.

Scott Buley, HTT&T, High Tech Turf & Trees, LandscapeMakeover.biz, Rain Garden Nursery. March 9, 2016. By August (nearly 6 mos. later) two small areas (7 to 9 sq. ft. max) to the left of the Pelicans slowly started declining. This timing is confirmed by photos we diligently took every time we visited. We aerated, added todressing, and overseeded. By late September, early October, we noted no improvement. On October 13th we again came in and removed dead (smelly) sod, and re-sodded with 1&1/2 pieces of new Turf Type Tall Fescue, exactly matching the original sod, from the same source near Woodburn, Oregon. It took less than 2 rolls of sod. Each roll is 5 square feet. The only other areas that had this appearance, (or smell), were acknowledged as obvious "dog spots". We may need to run a soil test on the sod removed, if necessary. We also noted that there were no spots in the front yard, where the lawn is not enclosed.

Saturday May 16, 10:30am to 12:00pm | Saratoga Blackwell Hillside Garden by Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush of Design Focus International Register: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-northern-california-2015 Each detail of this spectacular Saratoga landscape was considered with its hillside site in mind, from the size of the pool to the choice of antique stone masonry. Working closely with the owner, the landscape architects created a series of intimate garden spaces on three terraces. At the top of the site, entertainment is the name of the game where a bocce ball court and a fire pit take advantage of the site’s commanding views of the Santa Clara Valley. Below the house, a jewel-like pool captures the eye, with its intricate glass-tile and bronze water jets. At its end, a seating area and fireplace are shaded by an arbor covered with climbing roses, adding both fragrance and hue. Visitors descend a series of terraced stone stairs set into the hillside, punctuated by raised beds of strawberries, lavender, artichokes, and citrus. A formal parterre flower garden on the terrace is replanted periodically with colorful blooms in acknowledgment of the changing seasons. Photos by Lauren Devon

Real estate office in a historic flat iron building gets a modern update with practical and thoughtful details that acknowledge its rich history. Erin Adams Photography

Saturday June 27, 2:30 to 4:00pm | Bluemont Piedmont Retreat by Jay Graham, FASLA of Graham Landscape Architecture, with Ralph Cunningham, FAIA Nestled at the base of the Shenandoah foothills in Virginia, this 178-acre site, once used for agriculture, has been transformed by the current owners into an attractive country retreat. The expansive landscape surrounding the residence incorporates Modernist design elements while acknowledging the site’s vibrant agricultural history. Visitors enter the property along an extended driveway, aligned to perfectly capture views of the nearby foothills before meandering through a wooded area featuring a beautiful array of stone walls and mature oak trees that terminate abruptly in a clearing, offering guests their first glimpse of the main residence. Pathways, and terraces, encircle the home where a wedge-shaped entry garden beckons, drawing visitors through the front door. Other spaces include the Tapestry and Master’s gardens, which were designed to introduce a diverse palette of plants to the property, direct views, and provide an additional splash of color and personality to the outdoor area. Adjacent to the home and bounded by natural boulders found on site, a turf platform provides flat ground for outdoor games. Beyond the lawn, a newly established meadow completes the design plan as it draws attention outward to more natural aspects of the environment, a pond, and restored woodlands. Photo copyright Maxwell Mackenzie

A fateful meeting in Australia led a young couple to starting a successful tasting room in Rochester, NY. The rapid growth of their business model led to the necessity to produce their own wine locally. Once an ideal site was found the dream of building their production facility and tasting room began to take form. The vaulted public space is perched on top of a 20 foot tall foundation wall allowing for tanks, pallet storage, as well as the ability to bottle wine on site. The use of natural materials was an important part of acknowledging the local vernacular and helping the building integrate into the landscape. A trip to Hammondsport would not be complete without a visit to this modern vineyard. Enjoy some wine tasting and take in one of the most spectacular views of Keuka Lake.