Situated in old Palo Alto, CA, this historic 1905 Craftsman style home now has a stunning landscape to match its custom hand-crafted interior. Our firm had a blank slate with the landscape, and carved out a number of spaces that this young and vibrant family could use for gathering, entertaining, dining, gardening and general relaxation. Mature screen planting, colorful perennials, citrus trees, ornamental grasses, and lots of depth and texture are found throughout the many planting beds. In effort to conserve water, the main open spaces were covered with a foot friendly, decorative gravel. Giving the family a great space for large gatherings, all while saving water.

Example of a transitional exterior home design in Atlanta

Photo: Adrienne DeRosa © 2015 Houzz "Keeping our roots in the city, we had to work with what we were given as far as outdoor space," Will says. When he and Stacy took claim of the property, the back of the building was just what one might expect of an old commercial building. "The original structure was built in 1923 for use as a mechanic’s garage," he describes. "It was complete with a ramp to get the cars from the back alley down to the concrete shop floor." The design of the garden took shape around the couple's affinity for the black basalt pavers. Stacy found them in Washington State, and they were used to match the materials for the garden's retaining walls. The dark material offers the outside area a sense of structure without feeling hard or stark. Glass doors leading into the house through the kitchen and master bedroom offer immediate access to the outside, making the garden a true extension of the home.

Michael Lipman
Large trendy courtyard stone patio photo in Chicago with a fire pit and no cover

A city courtyard reminiscent of the French countryside, an oasis right in the middle of the city. A harmony of details combine to perfect the space, a dramatic change making this space inviting. The character of the home is carried into the courtyard design, the tones of the clay pavers complementing the stone and brick surrounding the courtyard, offering a natural and weathered atmosphere. Around the edge of the pavers is a french drain for functionality, without taking anything away from the design. The arbor over the middle doorway is a custom built addition and it serves more than one purpose; it will be home to climbing vines, it frames the doorway with its placement, and it balances the space with its size and color. A significant addition that integrates and unifies the space. The plantings are all shade lovers, chosen to thrive in this space. There are evergreens and perennials that give the gardens structure throughout the year, and annuals added for seasonal color.

Inspiration for a huge timeless white three-story mixed siding gable roof remodel in New York

This is a custom outdoor pizza oven that we designed and built in Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, OH. Included with this outdoor pizza oven is a custom outdoor kitchen with built in grill, outdoor refrigerator and sink. The patio is a travertine paver patio.

Outdoor living space in backyard features a fire pit and a cement tile fountain.
White two-story house exterior photo in Sacramento

Photo of a mid-sized traditional courtyard brick water fountain landscape in Phoenix.

Stainless steel and mild steel courtyard entry gate.
Example of a mid-sized eclectic courtyard brick patio design in San Francisco with no cover

Trendy courtyard tile patio photo in Phoenix with no cover and a fireplace

The goal of this project was to provide a lush and vast garden for the new owners of this recently remodeled brick Georgian. Located in Wheaton this acre plus property is surrounded by beautiful Oaks. Preserving the Oaks became a particular challenge with the ample front walk and generous entertaining spaces the client desired. Under most of the Oaks the turf was in very poor condition, and most of the property was covered with undesirable overgrown underbrush such as Garlic Mustard weed and Buckthorn. With a recently completed addition, the garages were pushed farther from the front door leaving a large distance between the drive and entry to the home. This prompted the addition of a secondary door off the kitchen. A meandering walk curves past the secondary entry and leads guests through the front garden to the main entry. Off the secondary door a “kitchen patio” complete with a custom gate and Green Mountain Boxwood hedge give the clients a quaint space to enjoy a morning cup of joe. Stepping stone pathways lead around the home and weave through multiple pocket gardens within the vast backyard. The paths extend deep into the property leading to individual and unique gardens with a variety of plantings that are tied together with rustic stonewalls and sinuous turf areas. Closer to the home a large paver patio opens up to the backyard gardens. New stoops were constructed and existing stoops were covered in bluestone and mortared stonewalls were added, complimenting the classic Georgian architecture. The completed project accomplished all the goals of creating a lush and vast garden that fit the remodeled home and lifestyle of its new owners. Through careful planning, all mature Oaks were preserved, undesirables removed and numerous new plantings along with detailed stonework helped to define the new landscape.

Inspiration for a small rustic courtyard brick brick floor patio remodel in Austin with a medium wood front door and no cover

View from the kitchen to the backyard through new telescoping French doors. Photo by Lee Manning Photography
Example of a large classic l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, soapstone countertops, gray backsplash, paneled appliances and white walls

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

While the bathroom portion of this project has received press and accolades, the other aspects of this renovation are just as spectacular. Unique and colorful elements reside throughout this home, along with stark paint contrasts and patterns galore.

The landscape of this home honors the formality of Spanish Colonial / Santa Barbara Style early homes in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. By re-grading the lot and allowing for terraced opportunities, we featured a variety of hardscape stone, brick, and decorative tiles that reinforce the eclectic Spanish Colonial feel. Cantera and La Negra volcanic stone, brick, natural field stone, and handcrafted Spanish decorative tiles are used to establish interest throughout the property. A front courtyard patio includes a hand painted tile fountain and sitting area near the outdoor fire place. This patio features formal Boxwood hedges, Hibiscus, and a rose garden set in pea gravel. The living room of the home opens to an outdoor living area which is raised three feet above the pool. This allowed for opportunity to feature handcrafted Spanish tiles and raised planters. The side courtyard, with stepping stones and Dichondra grass, surrounds a focal Crape Myrtle tree. One focal point of the back patio is a 24-foot hand-hammered wrought iron trellis, anchored with a stone wall water feature. We added a pizza oven and barbecue, bistro lights, and hanging flower baskets to complete the intimate outdoor dining space. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Sam Rosenbaum

An herb spiral allows for more plants than a straight line. Edible greens are arranged in patterns. A food forest is in the background and features japanese plum, pineapple guava, chilean wintergreen, blueberries, and native plants. Bark edging by J. Walter Landscape & Irrigation www.jwlic.com Garden shed by Jane Hart-Meyer www.janesbackyard.com Photo by: Amy Whitworth