Limestone counter needed to be replaced due to stains. Perfect compliment to existing bathroom was Blue Louise granite. Needed a boneyard piece (difficult to find) and after calling over 20 showrooms, located a coffee table for sale in showroom. Had it custom cut to fit new counter and pony wall top.

When a friend of Susan's set up a foundation in her daughter's name benefiting Neonatal Intensive Care technology and education, SYI donated a 4-hour design consultation for a silent auction to help the fund. With that gift certificate (plus a couple hours), this young family got a living and dining room plan, product selections and color scheme. A few tips and some direction for rugs, art and accessories elsewhere in the house, and this client took off on her own. The house looks great: casual and clean, elegant and kid-friendly.

Rosa californica / California wild rose Photo: Jerry Kirkhart, via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic
This is an example of a landscaping in Other.

Garden 26 in Valley Glen
This is an example of a landscaping in Los Angeles.

Any post covered with exotic hardwoods like Ipe create a unique and special centerpiece in the area. Surrounded by nature, this mailbox post benefited from the custom made sleeve.

Heidi A. Long
Mid-sized contemporary beige stone exterior home idea in Other

Deschampsia Cespitosa 'Goldtau' / Golden Dew Tufted Hair Grass
Photo of a landscaping in Other.

Master bath in this "bonus room" benefits from vaulted ceiling and big circle-top window. But short side walls mean best design clusters sinks and tub in center of room.

One of the best ways to add a warm serenity around a pool area is installing a high quality decking structure. Not only aesthetically pleasing but highly functional as well. Thermo Treated Ash decking 120 x 21mm with Rubio Monocoat: Hybrid - Greylook Benefits: 1. Stable geometry. 2. Biological stability. 3. Insects, bugs, larvae won't appear in the wood. 4. No visible surface fixings 5. Reduces timber damage and decay 6. Faster installation 7. Installation over existing timber, sheet floor, battens and concrete 8. No popping Nails for kids to cut their feet on 9. No hammering popping nails to re fix 10. Thermo-treating wood burns, but the positive result consists that the Thermo-treating wood allocates carbonic monoxide less; beneficial to the environment. 11. Finished planks, can stay for a long time in cold shops without heating, wait a long time of departure on the construction site awaiting installation 12. Low thermal conductivity of Thermo-treating wood. 13. "Green" product, environmental friendliness. Photographer: Ettiene Smit

At Archadeck of Nova Scotia we love any size project big or small. But, that being said, we have a soft spot for the projects that let us show off our talents! This Halifax house was no exception. The owners wanted a space to suit their outdoor lifestyle with materials to last far into the future. The choices were quite simple: stone veneer, Timbertech composite decking and glass railing. What better way to create that stability than with a solid foundation, concrete columns and decorative stone veneer? The posts were all wrapped with stone and match the retaining wall which was installed to help with soil retention and give the backyard more definition (it’s not too hard on the eyes either). A set of well-lit steps will guide you up the multi-level deck. The built-in planters soften the hardness of the Timbertech composite deck and provide a little visual relief. The two-tone aesthetic of the deck and railing are a stunning feature which plays up contrasting tones. From there it’s a game of musical chairs; we recommend the big round one on a September evening with a glass of wine and cozy blanket. We haven’t gotten there quite yet, but this property has an amazing view (you will see soon enough!). As to not spoil the view, we installed TImbertech composite railing with glass panels. This allows you to take in the surrounding sights while relaxing and not have those pesky balusters in the way. In any Canadian backyard, there is always the dilemma of dealing with mosquitoes and black flies! Our solution to this itchy problem is to incorporate a screen room as part of your design. This screen room in particular has space for dining and lounging around a fireplace, perfect for the colder evenings! Ahhh…there’s the view! From the top level of the deck you can really get an appreciation for Nova Scotia. Life looks pretty good from the top of a multi-level deck. Once again, we installed a composite and glass railing on the new composite deck to capture the scenery. What puts the cherry on top of this project is the balcony! One of the greatest benefits of composite decking and railing is that it can be curved to create beautiful soft edges. Imagine sipping your morning coffee and watching the sunrise over the water. If you want to know more about composite decking, railing or anything else you’ve seen that sparks your interest; give us a call! We’d love to hear from you.

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to match the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who cannot live tiny, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design Assistance Jimmy Thornton

Photo by Jay Sifford.
Inspiration for an eclectic home design remodel in Charlotte

Garden Travels: Desert Botanical Garden
Design ideas for a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Photo of a landscaping in Other.

Asclepias verticillata / Whorled Milkweed
Inspiration for a landscaping in Minneapolis.

Photo: Pete Veilleux, East Bay Wilds
Inspiration for a partial sun landscaping in San Francisco for summer.

Garapa hardwood decking is becoming more popular because of the beautiful golden color. This builder used a plug system so there's no exposed screws, which is an added benefit. Built by Decksouth.

Photo by Jay Sifford
Design ideas for an eclectic landscaping in Charlotte.

Photo: Las Pilitas Nursery
Photo of a partial sun landscaping in Other for summer.