Pool fountain - mid-sized modern backyard rectangular pool fountain idea in Dallas with decking

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2015 Houzz http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/44876872/list/my-houzz-architectural-elegance-with-the-addition-of-built-ins

Jim Kruger, LandMark Photography '13
Inspiration for a timeless galley beige floor seated home bar remodel in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and mirror backsplash

Mid-sized elegant white two-story brick gable roof photo in Atlanta

Pacific Garage Doors & Gates Burbank & Glendale's Highly Preferred Garage Door & Gate Services Location: North Hollywood, CA 91606
Mid-sized trendy beige two-story stucco house exterior photo in Los Angeles with a hip roof and a shingle roof

Elegant l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen photo in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This unique farmhouse design was built with the modern family in mind. With plenty of space to entertain, there is ample room for guests and family at the bar, in the kitchen nook, or in the great room. With the open floor plan, nobody is left out! However, if you need a little time alone, head on upstairs where 3 bedrooms, a homework nook, and a bonus room await.

M.James Northern - Northern Exposure Photography
Elegant backyard patio photo in Miami with a roof extension

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2014 Houzz Design: New Leaf Construction
Example of a trendy alcove bathtub design in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, white walls and pink cabinets

Example of a transitional staircase design in Los Angeles

Corner shower - traditional gray tile corner shower idea in Chicago with gray walls, an undermount sink and a hinged shower door

Alise O'Brien
Large elegant master carpeted bedroom photo in St Louis with beige walls

Superior Exterior 713 785-6926
Elegant freestanding desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in Houston with gray walls

Amy Williams Photo
Kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor kitchen idea in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Crushed glass with stone rhomboid mosaic from the Aura Harlequin Collection in silver cloud color, that comes in 12" x 12" sheets, finished with 2" x 12" honed marble chair rail with ogee edge.

Patio container garden - mid-sized contemporary backyard stone patio container garden idea in Los Angeles with no cover

When you open the back doors of the home of Nancy and Jeremy Campbell in Granville, you don’t just step out onto a patio. You enter an extension of a modern living space that just happens to be outdoors. Their patio’s unique design and setting provides the comfort and style of indoors while enjoying the natural beauty and fresh air of outdoors. It all started with a rather desolate back yard. “It was completely blank, there was nothing back there,” Nancy remembers of the patio space of this 1972 split-level house they bought five years ago. With a blank slate to work with, the Campbells knew the key elements of what they wanted for their new outdoor space when they sat down with Travis Ketron of Ketron Custom Builders to design it. “We knew we wanted something covered so we could use it in the rain, and in the winter, and we knew we wanted a stone fireplace,” Nancy recalls. Travis translated the Campbells’ vision into a design to satisfy outdoor entertaining and relaxing desires in all seasons. The new outdoor space is reminiscent of a vast, rustic great room complete with a stone fireplace, a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and ceiling fans, yet no walls. The space is completely open to the elements without any glass or doors on any of the sides, except from the house. Furnished like a great room, with a built-in music system as well, it’s truly an extension of indoor living and entertaining space, and one that is unaffected by rain. Jeremy comments, “We haven’t had to cover the furniture yet. It would have to be a pretty strong wind to get wet.” Just outside the covered patio is a quartet of outdoor chairs adorned with plush cushions and colorful pillows, positioned perfectly for users to bask in the sun. In the design process, the fireplace emerged as the anchor of the space and set the stage for the outdoor space both aesthetically and functionally. “We didn’t want it to block the view. Then designing the space with Travis, the fireplace became the center,” remembers Jeremy. Placed directly across from the two sets of French doors leading out from the house, a Rumford fireplace and extended hearth of stone in neutral earth tones is the focal point of this outdoor living room. Seating for entertaining and lounging falls easily into place around it providing optimal viewing of the private, wooded back yard. When temperatures cool off, the fireplace provides ample warmth and a cozy setting to experience the change of seasons. “It’s a great fireplace for the space,” Jeremy says of the unique design of a Rumford style fireplace. “The way you stack the wood in the fireplace is different so as to get more heat. It has a shallower box, burns hotter and puts off more heat. Wood is placed in it vertically, not stacked.” Just in case the fireplace doesn’t provide enough light for late-night soirees, there is additional outdoor lighting mounted from the ceiling to make sure the party always goes on. Travis brought the idea of the Rumford outdoor fireplace to the Campbells. “I learned about it a few years back from some masons, and I was intrigued by the idea then,” he says. “We like to do stuff that’s out of the norm, and this fireplace fits the space and function very well.” Travis adds, “People want unique things that are designed for them. That’s our style to do that for them.” The patio also extends out to an uncovered area set up with patio tables for grilling and dining. Gray pavers flow throughout from the covered space to the open-air area. Their continuous flow mimics the feel of flooring that extends from a living room into a dining room inside a home. Also, the earth tone colors throughout the space on the pavers, fireplace and furnishings help the entire space mesh nicely with its natural surroundings. A little ways off from both the covered and uncovered patio area is a stone fire pit ring. Removed by just the right distance, it provides a separate place for young adults to gather and enjoy the night. Adirondack chairs and matching tables surround the outdoor fire pit, offering seating for anyone who doesn’t wish to stand and a place to set down ingredients for yummy fireside treats like s’mores. Padded chairs outside the reach of the pavilion and the nearby umbrella the perfect place to kick back and relax in the sun. The colorful throw pillows and outdoor furniture cushions add some needed color and a touch of personality. Enjoying the comforts of indoors while being outdoors is exactly what the Campbells are doing now, particularly when lounging on the comfortable wicker furniture that dominate most of the area. “My favorite part of the whole thing is the fireplace,” Nancy says. Jeremy concludes, “There is no television, it would destroy the ambiance out there. We just enjoy listening to music and watching the fire.”

Tom Crane
Powder room - traditional mosaic tile floor powder room idea in Philadelphia with furniture-like cabinets

This modern lake house is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The residence overlooks a mountain lake with expansive mountain views beyond. The design ties the home to its surroundings and enhances the ability to experience both home and nature together. The entry level serves as the primary living space and is situated into three groupings; the Great Room, the Guest Suite and the Master Suite. A glass connector links the Master Suite, providing privacy and the opportunity for terrace and garden areas. Won a 2013 AIANC Design Award. Featured in the Austrian magazine, More Than Design. Featured in Carolina Home and Garden, Summer 2015.