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Pool - pool idea in New York

Example of a minimalist basement design in Burlington

Inspiration for a modern basement remodel in Burlington

cottage family room with full lake view at sunset
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Toronto

Example of a large cottage open concept brown floor living room design in Milwaukee with beige walls

Inspiration for a modern basement remodel in Burlington

Eat-in kitchen - small craftsman u-shaped eat-in kitchen idea in Seattle with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

fireplace rustic
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Toronto

All product and labor from Lowe's Craftsmen: Creative Renovations After photos by Marcus Lehman
Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped vinyl floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

When I came to this property not only was the landscape a scrappy mess the property also had some very real grading and drainage issues that were jeopardizing the safety of this house. As recent transplants from New Jerseys to Southern California these clients were in awe of all the plants they were seeing in their neighborhood. Living on the water at the Ventura harbor they wanted to be able to take full advantage or the outdoor lifestyle and cool ocean breeze. Being environmentally conscious citizens, these clients were very concerned that their garden was designed with sustainability as a leading factor. As they said in our initial consultation, “Would want or garden be part of the solution not part of the problem.” This property is the last house on the bottom of a gently sloping street. All the water from the neighbor’s houses drain onto this property. When I came into this project the back yard sloped into the house. When it would rain the water would pool up against the house causing water damage. To address the drainage we employed several tactics. Firstly, we had to invert the slope in the back yard so that water would not pool against the house. We created a very minor slope going away from the house so that water drains away but so the patio area feels flat. The back of the back yard had an existing retaining wall made out of shabby looking slump stone. In front of that retaining wall we created a beautiful natural stone retaining wall. This retain wall severs many purposes. One it works as a place to put some of the soil removed from the grading giving this project a smaller carbon foot print (moving soil of a site burns a lot of fossil fuel). The retaining wall also helps obscure the shabby existing retaining wall and allows for planting space above the footing from the existing retaining wall. The soil behind the ne retaining wall is slightly lower than the top of the wall so that when the run on water on from the neighbor’s property flows it is slowed down and absorbed before it has a chance to get near the house. Finally, the wall is at a height designed to serve as overflow seating as these clients intend to have occasional large parties and gatherings. Other efforts made to help keep the house safe and dry are that we used permeable paving. With the hardscape being comprised of flag stone with gravel in-between water has a chance to soak into the ground so it does not flow into spots where it will pool up. The final element to help keep the house dry is the addition of infiltration swales. Infiltration swales are depressions in the landscape that capture rain water. The down spouts on the sides of the houses are connected to pipe that goes under the ground and conveys the water to the swales. In this project it helps move rain water away from the house. In general, these Infiltration swales are a powerful element in creating sustainable landscapes. These swales capture pollutants that accumulate on the roof and in the landscape. Biology in the soil in the swales can break down these pollutants. When run of watered is not captured by soil on a property the dirty water flows into water ways and then the ocean were the biology that breaks down the pollutants is not as prolific. This is particularly important in this project as it drains directly into the harbor. The water that is absorbed in to the swales can replenish aquafers as well as increasing the water available to the plants planted in that area recusing the amount of water that is needed from irrigation. When it came to the planting we went with a California friendly tropical theme. Using lots of succulents and plants with colorful foliage we created vibrant lush landscape that will have year around color. We planted densely (the images in the picture were taken only a month after installation). Taller drought tolerant plants to help regulate the temperature and loss of water from the plants below them. The dense plantings will help keep the garden, the house and even the neighborhood cooler on hot days, will provide spaces for birds to enjoy and will create an illusion of depth in a somewhat narrow space. Today this garden is a space these homeowners can fully enjoy while having the peace of mind that their house is protected from flooding and they are helping the environment.

We added two feet from the garage to enlarge the area and provide space for concealed laundry and new mudroom.
Large transitional u-shaped porcelain tile and multicolored floor utility room photo in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white countertops

modern cottage bathroom with skylight
Bathroom - modern bathroom idea in Toronto

Example of a minimalist home design design in San Francisco

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Pak Cheung The only way to create an open, light-filled living space was to construct dormers in the roofline. Our designer opted for two—one large gable dormer on the front of the house and a smaller shed dormer on the back roof. The choice of paint color added bright and playful feel to the space.

Home design - modern home design idea in San Francisco

These Brooklyn parents wanted any project on their property to be earth-friendly. They asked us to capture rainwater for irrigation which we were able to do through our own experts in our Rainwater Harvesting Division. “They chose to go two routes,” adds Dave. “First, rainwater is captured via Techo-Bloc permeable pavers (shown here) installed in their new patio area. Voids between the pavers were filled with crushed stone permitting rain to pass through the joint spaces. This permits the water to flow down into an underneath layer of bluestone gravel and crushed stone to be filtered.”

A sunny and bright bathroom.
Example of a classic beige tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, beige floor, single-sink and wallpaper corner shower design in Cleveland with furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, yellow walls, an undermount sink, granite countertops, a hinged shower door and a freestanding vanity