Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in DC Metro

Seat walls and Fire pit built with recycled concrete Landscape Design Concepts
Design ideas for a mid-sized rustic drought-tolerant and full sun backyard mulch garden path in Los Angeles for spring.

5 Star Outdoor Design is the area leader in pool & spa design, landscape design, outdoor kitchens, entertainments areas and much more. Let 5 Star be your one stop shop for creating the perfect outdoor space you'll love for years.

Photo of a small modern courtyard landscaping in Orange County.

Classic style entry door with 3/4 lite Saratoga glass design. Installed in Yorba Linda, CA home.
Huge elegant front door photo in Orange County with beige walls and a medium wood front door

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Dallas.

Example of a minimalist single-wall open concept kitchen design with no island

Mexican Palm Thatch also known as rain capes are fabricated from sustainable palm trees native to a specific geographical region in Mexico. This commercial quality thatch can are used for a variety of shade structures, Palapa umbrellas, in tropical themed environments, resorts, and for Tiki hut and Tiki bar designs. This eco friendly material is processed and then woven into a variety of shapes, heights, and diameters. The Mexican runner roll is generally the most popular, comprised of long strips 30” in height and 60’ long. They are also available in square and rectangular panels, and as rain capes which are round weaves to fit radius or octagonal designed roofs. Mexican thatch is known for its versatility in both residential and commercial applications and as the most economical material on the market today.

Design ideas for a small contemporary partial sun backyard mulch water fountain landscape in Baltimore.

The privacy trees help enclose the patio making for a very intimate setting.
Example of a trendy home design design in Boston

Here is a before photo of the hillside that was cleared by the client.
Photo of a contemporary backyard garden path in Baltimore.

Zenith Zoysia lawn in partial shade. Photo by Harold Riddle of Redshed Creative.
Design ideas for a large farmhouse partial sun hillside stone landscaping in Atlanta for summer.

This project began as a wilderness retreat for the homeowners at their rural estate. They already had a large outdoor area complete with a pond, and detached garage in the perfect location to tie into an outdoor entertaining area/kitchen for the swimming pool. The homeowners were hoping that the design team at Legendary Escapes could create something magical for their small grandchildren, and for the grownups to enjoy for summertime relaxation. When the discussion turned to themes, the cartoon SpongeBob came up, and our team found a direction to go, either to the homeowners delight, possibly mixed with a bit of apprehension at the thought of a cartoony theme as a result. We promised subtle surprise and delight - and the homeowner decided to let the team go with their vision. The pool is a very abundant sized swimming pool, much larger than the average residential swimming pool. The sunledge was also made larger after the pool layout, providing even more space for chairs and play area for small children. One of the special surprises the owners didn't even know about until after they were in were the secret port holes that were re-seated with magnifying glass - and showcased miniature characters behind them, that when viewed through the glass looked giant in size. The waterfall/slide combination also features a large grotto - themed and decorated with elements that remind visitors to the space of the lessons and themes of the cartoon. The castle is solid, carved concrete - mixed and sculpted on site and hand placed. As the waterfall began to take shape, the outside was created as a sand castle, providing the perfect whimsical backdrop for the slide, and accents including a pair of flipper outfitted legs of what we can only think is mermaid man. One of the biggest surprises on this project came when Al found an old wooden boat at an auction, which he bought, took back to the job and cut it in half - creating the tail end of a boating incident, much like SpongeBob would have had when he missed the direction of the curve sign while out boating. (The joke in the show is that he can't ever get his drivers license because he doesn't know how to steer.) The other end of the boat became a vertical storage space for firewood or other pool side needs. The two parts of the boat became anchor pieces for what became the "wharf wall" which is the perfect area to lead people into the swimming pool retreat. The pool has three different entertaining patio levels, including the lower wharf level, swim up bar and raised concrete counter at the deep end of the pool. The middle section of patio is perfect for relaxing and watching kids play in the pool with the deck jets and sun ledge, and the upper area is adjacent to the outdoor kitchen area, also designed and created out of concrete (carved timbers) as the cabinetry and under bar areas. The pool was completed with ecoFinish on the sun ledge, interior of the spa, grotto and the slide. The main swimming area of the pool was vinyl liner, constructed in the special hybrid way of the team. With the project complete, the homeowners and family thoroughly enjoyed their backyard retreat. Any hesitation at the initial theme ideas were fully appreciated as they developed along the way, with the final project a subtle blend of function and whimsy, meeting everything that they could have asked for in a backyard entertaining retreat. Their advice is to just trust Al and the team through the process, because the results will be more than you would ever hope for. If our team can help you create a backyard or custom retreat, which includes a pool and plenty of outdoor entertaining options to surprise and delight you and your family, please reach out to start your design discussions.

Honed Algonquin upper terrace and steps lead you to the sod pathways. We see two of the large 12' Cornus Florida specimens in the Eco-Lawn plant beds. Norway Maples in the neighbours backyard add plenty of shade and privacy between the two backyards.

Relaxed, Cottage Garden under Oak Trees
Inspiration for a mid-sized mediterranean drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard concrete paver flower bed in San Francisco.

Debra Prinzing