Bainbridge Island Garden | Lore Patterson
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard mulch formal garden in Seattle for summer.

This stylish Brentwood home had recently been renovated while preserving the integrity of its original mid-century design, and architecture. With furniture and furnishings true to the stylish time period, this was a perfect yard to imitate the aesthetics of the infamous Brazilian Landscape Architect, Burle Marx. This family needed a fun, yet functional space to host friends and family; but wanted to preserve the timeless aesthetics of the stylish Mid-Century flare. Burle Marx is famous for his organic nature within modernist landscape architecture. We pulled inspiration from Marx, as one of the first people to call for the conservation of Brazil’s rainforests, to introduce a palette of native and beneficial plant materials to mimic his environmental efforts. We also pulled from his artistic expressions with our curved and dramatic garden bed lines, and placement of specimen plantings. All in all, we created a truly timeless landscape design, that’s style will easily convey generation to generation. Caleb Kerr - http://calebkerr.com

Dustin Peck Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless terra-cotta tile wine cellar remodel in Raleigh

Huge elegant concrete front porch photo in Oklahoma City

©️Maxwell MacKenzie THE HOME, ESSENTIALLY A RUIN WAS PRESERVED THROUGH NEGLECT. A CLARIFIED HISTORIC RENOVATION REMOVES BAY WINDOWS AND 1950’S WINDOWS FROM THE MAIN FAÇADE. TWO WINGS AND A THIRD FLOOR AND A SYMPATHETIC STAIRWAY ACCOMMODATE MODERN LIFE. MASONS WERE TASKED TO MAKE THE STONE WORK LOOK AS THOUGH “A FARMER BUILT THE WALLS DURING THE NON-PLANTING SEASON,” THE FINAL DESIGN SIMPLIFIES THE FIRST FLOOR PLAN AND LEAVES LOGICAL LOCATIONS FOR EXPANSION INTO COMING DECADES. AMONG OTHER AWARDS, THIS TRADITIONAL YET HISTORIC RENOVATION LOCATED IN MIDDLEBURG, VA HAS RECEIVED 2 AWARDS FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE.. AND A NATIONAL PRIVATE AWARD FROM VETTE WINDOWS WASHINGTON DC ARCHITECT DONALD LOCOCO UPDATED THIS HISTORIC STONE HOUSE IN MIDDLEBURG, VA.lauded by the American Institute of Architects with an Award of Excellence for Historic Architecture, as well as an Award of Merit for Residential Architecture

Mike Heacox, Luciole Design
Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean full sun backyard decomposed granite outdoor basketball/tennis/multi-game court in Sacramento.

Landscape Architect: Robert Mowat Associates
Tuscan exterior home photo in San Francisco

Constructed in two phases, this renovation, with a few small additions, touched nearly every room in this late ‘50’s ranch house. The owners raised their family within the original walls and love the house’s location, which is not far from town and also borders conservation land. But they didn’t love how chopped up the house was and the lack of exposure to natural daylight and views of the lush rear woods. Plus, they were ready to de-clutter for a more stream-lined look. As a result, KHS collaborated with them to create a quiet, clean design to support the lifestyle they aspire to in retirement. To transform the original ranch house, KHS proposed several significant changes that would make way for a number of related improvements. Proposed changes included the removal of the attached enclosed breezeway (which had included a stair to the basement living space) and the two-car garage it partially wrapped, which had blocked vital eastern daylight from accessing the interior. Together the breezeway and garage had also contributed to a long, flush front façade. In its stead, KHS proposed a new two-car carport, attached storage shed, and exterior basement stair in a new location. The carport is bumped closer to the street to relieve the flush front facade and to allow access behind it to eastern daylight in a relocated rear kitchen. KHS also proposed a new, single, more prominent front entry, closer to the driveway to replace the former secondary entrance into the dark breezeway and a more formal main entrance that had been located much farther down the facade and curiously bordered the bedroom wing. Inside, low ceilings and soffits in the primary family common areas were removed to create a cathedral ceiling (with rod ties) over a reconfigured semi-open living, dining, and kitchen space. A new gas fireplace serving the relocated dining area -- defined by a new built-in banquette in a new bay window -- was designed to back up on the existing wood-burning fireplace that continues to serve the living area. A shared full bath, serving two guest bedrooms on the main level, was reconfigured, and additional square footage was captured for a reconfigured master bathroom off the existing master bedroom. A new whole-house color palette, including new finishes and new cabinetry, complete the transformation. Today, the owners enjoy a fresh and airy re-imagining of their familiar ranch house. Photos by Katie Hutchison

Original white wall sconces were conserved, cleaned, and retained. The original wood and metal terrace bench was restored and retained; the terrace trellis was rebuilt to original specifications. © Jeffrey Totaro, photographer

It’s no surprise these Hanover clients reached out to Cathy and Ed of Renovisions for design and build services as they wanted a local professional bath specialist to turn their plain builder-grade bath into a luxurious handicapped accessible master bath. Renovisions had safety and universal design in mind while creating this customized two-person super shower and well-appointed master bath so their clients could escape to a special place to relax and energize their senses while also helping to conserve time and water as it is used simultaneously by them. This completely water proofed spacious 4’x8’ walk-in curb-less shower with lineal drain system and larger format porcelain tiles was a must have for our senior client –with larger tiles there are less grout lines, easier to clean and easier to maneuver using a walker to enter and exit the master bath. Renovisions collaborated with their clients to design a spa-like bath with several amenities and added conveniences with safety considerations. The bench seat that spans the width of the wall was a great addition to the shower. It’s a comfortable place to sit down and stretch out and also to keep warm as electric mesh warming materials were used along with a programmable thermostat to keep these homeowners toasty and cozy! Careful attention to all of the details in this master suite created a peaceful and elegant environment that, simply put, feels divine. Adding details such as the warming towel rack, mosaic tiled shower niche, shiny polished chrome decorative safety grab bars that also serve as towel racks and a towel rack inside the shower area added a measure of style. A stately framed mirror over the pedestal sink matches the warm white painted finish of the linen storage cabinetry that provides functionality and good looks to this space. Pull-down safety grab bars on either side of the comfort height high-efficiency toilet was essential to keep safety as a top priority. Water, water everywhere for this well deserving couple – multiple shower heads enhances the bathing experience for our client with mobility issues as 54 soft sprays from each wall jet provide a soothing and cleansing effect – a great choice because they do not require gripping and manipulating handles yet provide a sleek look with easy cleaning. The thermostatic valve maintains desired water temperature and volume controls allows the bather to utilize the adjustable hand-held shower on a slide-bar- an ideal fixture to shower and spray down shower area when done. A beautiful, frameless clear glass enclosure maintains a clean, open look without taking away from the stunning and richly grained marble-look tiles and decorative elements inside the shower. In addition to its therapeutic value, this shower is truly a design focal point of the master bath with striking tile work, beautiful chrome fixtures including several safety grab bars adding aesthetic value as well as safety benefits.

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and partial sun side yard stone and wood fence walkway in San Francisco.

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Austin.

View from the street showing screening planting and wall. A variety of plant shapes, colors and textures keep things lively. The tall grasses at right will be cut to the ground before spring growth begins. photo Mike Heacox / Luciole Design

The client asked us to reconsider the front entry and associated landscape to give the house not only more curb appeal but to create a safer approach. The previous walkway was sloped and meandered for no apparent reason while the landscape plantings were overgrown and lacked the design aesthetic the client desired. We graded the area to eliminate the slope and straightened the walkway to compliment the homes contemporary architecture. We used custom cut bluestone in a modified running bond pattern for a unique look. Additionally, we widened the front stoop and added what we like to call a Hello / Goodbye terrace directly off the entrance landing. As guests arrive or depart, there’s a comfortable transition area that allows for quick conversation and an easy pedestrian flow. We simplified the plantings by using only 3 species, lavender, boxwood, and hydrangea, along the foundation while adding ornamental grasses for additional colors and textures in other areas. The back yard features a small deck overlooking a conservation area that we enlarged to create a dining area & a lounge with a sectional sofa. We choose a stainless steel railing system to open up the view and replaced the old wooden deck with a sustainable wood similar to mahogany called Ipe. We carried the Ipe over the side to create a horizontal lattice that encloses the underside of the deck for storage and adds to the contemporary feel of the home.

Landscape walls frame the exterior spaces that flank the breezeway connecting the house to the garage. © Jeffrey Totaro, photographer
Large minimalist multicolored one-story stone exterior home photo in Philadelphia with a green roof

Naturalize your landscape through xeriscaping - the responsible alternative in a high desert environment. Drip irrigation conserves water while allowing for the healthy development of plants suited to the Northern New Mexico climate. Rock features, walls, flagstone and Concrete paver paths create an inviting space with minimal maintenance.

Elegant two story home featuring a 3 car garage; 2 gables, curved double hung windows, limestone entryway and stone exterior. Paver brick walkway and custom mailbox and planters

This stylish Brentwood home had recently been renovated while preserving the integrity of its original mid-century design, and architecture. With furniture and furnishings true to the stylish time period, this was a perfect yard to imitate the aesthetics of the infamous Brazilian Landscape Architect, Burle Marx. This family needed a fun, yet functional space to host friends and family; but wanted to preserve the timeless aesthetics of the stylish Mid-Century flare. Burle Marx is famous for his organic nature within modernist landscape architecture. We pulled inspiration from Marx, as one of the first people to call for the conservation of Brazil’s rainforests, to introduce a palette of native and beneficial plant materials to mimic his environmental efforts. We also pulled from his artistic expressions with our curved and dramatic garden bed lines, and placement of specimen plantings. All in all, we created a truly timeless landscape design, that’s style will easily convey generation to generation. Caleb Kerr - http://calebkerr.com

Set on ten acres abutting protected conservation land, the zoning for this site allowed for a creative multi-unit residential project. The design concept created a sustainable modern farm community of three distinct structures. A sense of individuality is established between the buildings, while a comprehensive site design references historic farms with a home-like, residential scale. An existing structure was renovated to house three condo units, featuring sliding barn doors and floor-to-ceiling storefront glass in the great room, with 25’ ceilings. Across a circular cobblestone drive, a new house and barn structure houses two condo units. Connecting both units, a garage references a carriage house and barn with small square windows above and large bays at ground level to mimic barn bays. There is no parking lot for the site – instead garages and a few individual parking spaces preserve the scale of a natural farm property. Patios and yards in the rear of each unit offer private access to the lush natural surroundings and space for entertaining.