outdoor living space, outdoor cook station, outdoor kitchen, bluestone hardscaping, custom wood structures, pergolas, arbor
Patio - contemporary patio idea in Portland

Inspiration for a mid-sized mediterranean backyard concrete and rectangular lap hot tub remodel in Los Angeles

Lagoon-side property in the Bel Marin Keys, Novato, CA. Entertaining and enjoying the views were a primary design goal for this project along with replacing the lawn with CA native and low water plants and a total renovation. The project includes a large camaru deck with built-in seating. The concrete steps and pavers lead down to the water's edge. I included a sunken patio on one side and a beautiful Buddha statue on the other, surrounded by succulents and other low-water, contemporary plantings. I also used Dymondia ground cover to create a natural pathways within the garden. Photo: © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design. Design Eileen Kelly

Custom concrete shower shelves were added to the shower wall to bring interest to an otherwise large and vacant surface and provide additional areas for bathing products, candles or decor. Photography by Paul Linnebach

Jim Bartsch
Inspiration for a transitional white gable roof remodel in Santa Barbara

Landscaping In Long Beach, CA Photo by A-List Builders Fresh lain lawn, concrete pavers, botanical plants, stone boulders.
This is an example of a contemporary backyard concrete paver formal garden in Los Angeles.

Michael Pring
Trendy patio photo in New York with a fire pit

Craig H. Wilson
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless medium tone wood floor and screened-in back porch remodel with no fireplace, a standard ceiling, decking and a roof extension

This modern farmhouse located outside of Spokane, Washington, creates a prominent focal point among the landscape of rolling plains. The composition of the home is dominated by three steep gable rooflines linked together by a central spine. This unique design evokes a sense of expansion and contraction from one space to the next. Vertical cedar siding, poured concrete, and zinc gray metal elements clad the modern farmhouse, which, combined with a shop that has the aesthetic of a weathered barn, creates a sense of modernity that remains rooted to the surrounding environment. The Glo double pane A5 Series windows and doors were selected for the project because of their sleek, modern aesthetic and advanced thermal technology over traditional aluminum windows. High performance spacers, low iron glass, larger continuous thermal breaks, and multiple air seals allows the A5 Series to deliver high performance values and cost effective durability while remaining a sophisticated and stylish design choice. Strategically placed operable windows paired with large expanses of fixed picture windows provide natural ventilation and a visual connection to the outdoors.

Built from the ground up on 80 acres outside Dallas, Oregon, this new modern ranch house is a balanced blend of natural and industrial elements. The custom home beautifully combines various materials, unique lines and angles, and attractive finishes throughout. The property owners wanted to create a living space with a strong indoor-outdoor connection. We integrated built-in sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings to attract ample, natural lighting. The master bathroom is spacious and features an open shower room with soaking tub and natural pebble tiling. There is custom-built cabinetry throughout the home, including extensive closet space, library shelving, and floating side tables in the master bedroom. The home flows easily from one room to the next and features a covered walkway between the garage and house. One of our favorite features in the home is the two-sided fireplace – one side facing the living room and the other facing the outdoor space. In addition to the fireplace, the homeowners can enjoy an outdoor living space including a seating area, in-ground fire pit and soaking tub.

This is an example of a coastal backyard landscaping in Portland Maine.

Jessie Preza Photography
Large trendy multicolored two-story mixed siding house exterior photo in Jacksonville with a metal roof and a hip roof

This fun classic kitchen in Gold River features Columbia frameless cabinets in Sandy Hook grey. A green glass backsplash in a random matte and polished pattern complements the cabinets which are faced with both painted wood and frosted glass. The Silestone countertops in the Lyra finish have an ogee bullnose edge. The floors are finished in a rich brown porcelain tile of varying sizes that are made to resemble distressed wood. Photo Credit: Nar Fine Carpentry, Inc

We were asked to add a small sunroom off a beautiful 1960's living room. Our approach was to continue the lines of the living room out into the landscape. Opening up and glazing the walls on either side of the fireplace gave more presence to the Dale Chihuly piece mounted above while visually connecting to the garden and the new addition. Ostmo Construction Dale Christopher Lang, PhD, AIAP, NW Architectural Photography

At this Palo Alto home, a concrete wall provides privacy for front yard seating. Existing boxwoods and dogwood tree at right were kept per client's wishes. (Photography by Paul Dyer)

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This client came to us wanting some help with updating the master bath in their home. Their primary goals were to increase the size of the shower, add a rain head, add a freestanding tub and overall freshen the feel of the space. The existing layout of the bath worked well, so we left the basic footprint the same, but increased the size of the shower and added a freestanding tub on a bit of an angle which allowed for some additional storage. One of the most important things on the wish list was adding a rainhead in the shower, but this was not an easy task with the angled ceiling. We came up with the solution of using an extra long wall-mounted shower arm that was reinforced with a meal bracket attached the ceiling. This did the trick, and no extra framing or insulation was required to make it work. The materials selected for the space are classic and fresh. Large format white oriental marble is used throughout the bath, on the floor in a herrinbone pattern and in a staggered brick pattern on the walls. Alder cabinets with a gray stain contrast nicely with the white marble, while shiplap detail helps unify the space and gives it a casual and cozy vibe. Storage solutions include an area for towels and other necessities at the foot of the tub, roll out shelves and out storage in the vanities and a custom niche and shaving ledge in the shower. We love how just a few simple changes can make such a great impact! Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

©Nathan Kirkman 2013
Example of a mid-sized trendy deck container garden design in Chicago

Cesar Rubio
Photo of a farmhouse full sun gravel vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco.

Andrea Calo
Patio - contemporary patio idea in Austin