Designers: Luanza Maitland & Sydney Leigh Warren
Tuscan backyard tile and l-shaped lap hot tub photo in Miami

Cambridge Paver Driveway & Walkway - Commack, NY 11725 | www.stonecreationsoflongisland.net | Deer Park, NY 11729
Inspiration for a large contemporary ceramic tile front door remodel in New York with a dark wood front door

The new front walk of Tierra y Fuego terra-cotta with inset Arto ceramic tiles winds through fragrant drifts of Lavender, Cistus 'Little Miss Sunshine', and Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'. A pair of 'Guardsman' Phormium stand sentry at the front porch. Photo © Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Photo Credit: Carl Mayfield Architect: Kevin Harris Architect, LLC Builder: Jarrah Builders Chandeliers, eclectic, entrance, foyer, interior design, neutrals, double doors, loggia, bronze finish accents.

The back yard patio is the new living room. Let’s discuss. If you’ve tried to purchase an outdoor, propane heater, new grill, or even outdoor seating in the past six months, this is not news to you. We’re all doing our best to manage through the pandemic while still enjoying social connections and time with family and friends. The solution that so many of us have adopted is to spend more time outside. There’s a Norwegian saying that says, “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.” It’s a mantra worth adopting these days. We have a lot of customers who are ready to bundle up and enjoy their back yards as much as they enjoy their living rooms. But these lucky homeowners have had that opportunity for the past six months. Reading any further may make you pretty jealous, but we hope that it inspires you for a future project in your own back yard.

Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio design in Raleigh with a roof extension

Example of a trendy ceramic tile and black floor front door design with gray walls and a black front door

Blue ceramic pots and a matching blue tile backsplash bring a touch of the Mediterranean to this rooftop terrace in the heart of New York City. This Park Avenue residence actually features three separate rooftop terraces. One terrace is made for entertaining and features a built-in fireplace, inset jacuzzi, bluestone patio, custom-built wood planters, an outdoor kitchen, and ceramic pots filled with boxwoods and flowers. The upstairs terrace feels like a private oasis surrounded by lush birch trees and roses that soften the view on all sides. Another smaller terrace off the master bedroom is charmingly intimate and features a mix of serene evergreens and comfortable lounge chairs. Read more about this garden on my blog, www.amberfreda.com.

Huge tuscan white two-story mixed siding house exterior photo in Austin with a hip roof and a tile roof

The entry from the street goes through a vibrant mix of mostly evergreen plants repeated throughout the property.
Photo of a large mediterranean full sun front yard stone retaining wall landscape in Seattle.

Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge, Bob Ganser AIA, Christian Dean, AIA, Nate Dodge Photography: Brandon Stengel @ Farm Kid Studios
Example of a trendy entryway design in Minneapolis

Lunada Bay Agate Martini Cortona glass mosaic tile
Alcove shower - contemporary white tile, mosaic tile and gray tile alcove shower idea in Orange County

Photography by Studio H Landscape Architecture & COCO Gallery. Post processing by Isabella Li.
Photo of a small modern backyard stone water fountain landscape in Orange County.

Hot tub - mid-sized coastal backyard stone and rectangular lap hot tub idea in Miami

Land2c A shady sideyard is paved with reused stone and gravel. Generous pots, the client's collection of whimsical ceramic frogs, and a birdbath add interest and form to the narrow area. Beginning groundcovers will fill in densely. The pathway is shared with neighbor. A variety of textured and colorful shady plants fill the area for beauty and interest all year.

Urn and fountain Features for your Austin, Central Texas, Houston, Southeast Texas Landscape We offer Urn and Fountain Water Feature Design and Installation in the Austin and Central Texas area including Bastrop, Elgin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Manor, Buda, Lakeway and San Marcos. We also serve the Houston and Southeast Texas area including Rosenberg, Richmond, Katy, Stafford, Missouri City, and Manvel. Urn and fountain Water Features are perfect for smaller areas or places where you're just not looking for a natural looking waterfall. A disappearing water feature can be created using almost any vessel you can imagine. These features are perfect for small courtyards, front yards, or commercial properties where liability is a concern. They are a great way to 'get your feet wet' with water features without the commitment of a pond. We have created fountainscapes using urns, ceramic vases, natural stone columns, even a concrete cowboy boot! The water fills up the vessel and then spills over, disppearing into a bed of decorative gravel. the water is then recirculated through the feature again and again. For more information on urn and fountainscapes, please visit As an added bonus for those of you looking to go in a more 'green' direction, most pondless water features can be used in conjunction with the RainXChange rainwater caturing system. In fact, you can get up to 12 LEED points by incorporating our system into your design. The RainXChange system captures rainwater and stores it underground in a hidden reservior while recirculating it through an urn or fountain feature or even a pondless waterfall. For more information on the RainXChange system, please visit Contact us to get started on your urn or fountain water feature 512-782-8315 or 281-668-4077

This Houston outdoor kitchen and entertaining area offers a modern take on Mediterranean style. Designed and built by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston, this fully loaded family and entertaining space echoes the stucco, travertine tile patio and Mediterranean style of the existing home while exuding a more modern, transitional style. “This was a high-profile client – both VPs of different oil and gas companies who entertain affluent guests on a regular basis – so they wanted to make sure they had high-end appliances and all the latest amenities they could order,” says Lisha Maxey, senior designer for Outdoor Homescapes and owner of LGH Design Services in Houston. “They also have two kids, ages 7 and 10, and wanted a family gathering space that better accompanied their new, luxurious pool.” What really sets apart this outside kitchen design idea, however, is the way the elements are used throughout the space. “Usually, outdoor kitchen designs for a backyard are grouped into one island or cabinet,” explains Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. “But here, the patio, roof and fireplace were all in place, separated by stucco columns, and the outdoor kitchen elements had to work around them.” A 14-foot-long cooking island houses a built-in Fire Magic grill with a Magic View Window (allows the chef to check on food without lifting the lid and losing valuable heat). The island, the countertop of which is "Carnaval" granite from Lackstone, also features a Fire Magic power burner, warming drawer and trash drawer. On one side of the fireplace, forming an “L” with the cooking island, sits a built-in Primo ceramic grill. On the other side of the fireplace is a 3-foot-long cabinet housing a bar with a wine cooler, ice maker and upper cabinet. And finally, just outside the patio door is a 7-foot-long cabinet with a modern Kohler sink with a high-arc Moen faucet (sink and faucet from Faucets Direct), a trash drawer and another upper cabinet. Outdoor Homescapes of Houston, by the way, outfitted both cabinets with glass inserts, custom pulls and three-way sensor lighting. “At the beginning, this was basically a blank space with a fireplace in the middle,” says Maxey. So Outdoor Homescapes upgraded the fireplace with Austin Stack Stone in white (No. 401) from Colorstonescreenshot vickers mosaic tile rectangle. "The stone added that pop,” notes Maxey. The fireplace’s espresso-colored, distressed wood mantel (from Mantels.com) and upper wood cabinets were both stained with the Minwax color Jacobean. The ceiling fans were also updated with ones featuring similarly espresso-colored, wooden fan blades, to match. The table in the middle - a cast-iron, Mediterranean style gem with hand-forged scrollwork designs from Patio 1 in Houston – seats 10. “We wanted this kind of Mediterranean feel,” says Maxey. “We wanted rustic, but the appliance package was so new, with all its stainless steel, so we kept a the cabinets and the columns stucco instead of stone for a more clean, modern look and then did the custom tile backsplash and mosaic in more of a rustic, Mediterranean look." The backsplash is a 1-inch travertine tile background with 4-inch square metallic insets, both from Floor & Decor. The tile for the 18-by-24-inch rectangle mosaic came from Great Britain Tile Co. and included a Dianno Reale tumbled border and background. The bronze, diamond-shaped insets are tumbled Dark Emperdor tile and the scrolls are tumbled Noce tile. The client, who admits they have high standards, was more than pleased with the project – especially browsing through Outdoor Homescapes’ vast library of patio kitchen design ideas, the 3D virtual video tour that let them preview the project from every angle before construction. They also liked the personalized design consultation. "OH provides a very neat service where one of their designers will either shop/buy for you or shop with you for the more detailed pieces that will finish your home," reads the client's review on Houzz. "This was a very positive, personalized feature ... Lisha helped narrow down an enormous marketplace of materials and finishes to a few we could choose from."

Inspiration for a timeless ceramic tile and white floor living room remodel with a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace and beige walls

Lindsay Reid Photo
Inspiration for a small rustic enclosed ceramic tile and gray floor living room remodel with white walls, a wood stove and a metal fireplace