A teenage girl's room thats a departure from the ordinary. This space was meticulously crafted to capture her love for music, museums, literature, and moments of quiet contemplation. Our design journey took us on a quest to create a space that not only exudes a moody atmosphere but also serves as a haven for relaxation, study, and cherished gatherings with friends.

This is an example of an asian landscaping in Vancouver.

Photo of a craftsman landscaping in Vancouver.

The goal of this project was to craft clean lines, gentle flows, and seasonal texture within an established woodland setting. Challenges arose from dappled light and deer pressure, along with the need for minimal irrigation. These conditions inspired us to create a woodland meadow enriched with understory birches, flowering shrubs, part-shade perennials, and spring bulbs. The inclusion of woodland ephemerals, stepping-stone paths and strategically-placed boulders enhanced the opportunity for quiet contemplation and wildlife observation. The crisp, curved edges of the tightly-jointed walks invite you into the garden while clearly defining maintenance areas. Angela Kearney, Minglewood, LLC

A lawn cools the eye, adding to the experience of vibrant, colourful surroundings. The bench is angled to invite stepping along side fragrant azaleas to sit and contemplate beauty.

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

This is an example of a craftsman landscaping in Vancouver.

Moss Garden: A Living Carpet of Tranquility A moss garden is a serene, low-maintenance landscape feature that evokes a profound sense of calm and natural beauty. Composed of vibrant, velvety mosses that thrive in shaded, humid environments, these gardens offer a soft, carpet-like groundcover that replaces traditional lawns or gravel with rich, green texture. At Westland Design, our moss gardens are thoughtfully integrated into the overall landscape to enhance a feeling of timelessness and stillness. Whether nestled beneath the canopy of trees, edging a stone pathway, or surrounding a tranquil water feature, moss brings subtle movement and color to quiet corners of the garden. Key qualities of a moss garden include: Evergreen softness: Moss provides lush, year-round greenery that requires no mowing or fertilizing. Quiet beauty: It absorbs sound, contributing to a peaceful, contemplative environment. Natural elegance: Ideal for Japanese-style gardens or woodland settings, moss complements stone, water, and wood elements with organic harmony. A moss garden is more than a design choice—it’s an invitation to slow down, observe closely, and appreciate nature’s quiet elegance.

This extension to a very distinctive timber clad house set in a prominent hilltop position in the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire was an exciting project with many contextual constraints. The clients had a large family and needed to provide more bed space for visiting grandchildren, so we created a new large en-suite bedroom for them at first floor level, which freed up other areas of the house for guest accommodation. The extension is designed to sensitively integrate with the existing house whilst having its own distinct character. The existing palette of materials is reinterpreted in a thoroughly modern way. A rigorous design process had to be adopted in order to secure planning approval for this contemporary design from the notoriously difficult Peak District National Park. The existing rough grit-stone side wall is treated as a ‘ruined’ solid base from which the lighter weight construction of the timber and glass facades spring from. Much thought went into the multi layered timber cladding which imbue the extension with its own unique character, and the carefully positioned areas of clean, frameless glazing which focus and frame the amazing views out to the surrounding countryside. A large frameless corner window provides a sun-drenched corner with seating, perfect for quiet contemplation. Beautifully finished in elegant birch faced plywood panelling the interior exudes a minimalist serenity which makes a pleasing contrast to the rugged exterior finishes.

Photo of an asian landscaping in Vancouver.

With this client who has been passionate about plants all his life, there was naturally a close collaboration and a lot of input from him. Upon closer inspection you'd find some very exceptional plants that are sort of experimental but "all worth the try" in Gordon's eyes. And he is right! I relished the opportunity to use Star Magnolia stellata, Redbud Cercis 'Avondale' and 'Silver Cloud', Arabian Lilac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany', Royal Bromeliad Vriesea imperialis, also many unusual bulbs such as Scilla. Besides structure providing shrubs and trees (Tecoma, existing Indian Hawthorne with beautiful structures, Sweet Pea Bush, Golden Breath of Heaven, Ilex, Ginkgo, Bronze Loquat etc.) you'll see here also my favorite perennials, succulents and grasses, all as low care and undemanding as well as low-water as possible, to keep the landscape colorful and interesting year round. One of the highlights of this garden are the dry stream beds, bird bath and garden bench that we added. Built originally by himself and his wife, the dry stream beds were overgrown, mostly hidden by plant debris, or half rolling down hill. We had fun selecting a mixed collection of colorful and richly textured boulders of various sizes over, and with the input from 7 team members: Gordon, me, the contractor, the supervisor and three workers, we re-created the stream beds, making sure that anchor stones on the sides were well embedded in the slope, and that stone shelves and “top dressing” with smaller pebbles would add to the visual interest. Now these beds form very pleasing architectural features that look like they have always been there. We were all surprised how quickly all plants adapted to the site and started growing and putting out bloom. Now the old birdbath, a traditional white thing with dove figurines resting on the scalloped bowl, looked out of place, and I suggested to replace it with a stone bowl. And that part of the garden just called for a bench under the Macademia nut tree, to observe the birds and contemplate the whole creation. Only stone would do, but not any stone! Gordon picked a Basalt boulder that was naturally bowl shaped. It’s so heavy that it took 8 men to heave it into place! The Basalt bench was not much lighter, and together they make a very inviting scene. This job should last for a while. Photographed by Emma Almendarez at http://www.emmatheodoraphotography.com/

With this client who has been passionate about plants all his life, there was naturally a close collaboration and a lot of input from him. Upon closer inspection you'd find some very exceptional plants that are sort of experimental but "all worth the try" in Gordon's eyes. And he is right! I relished the opportunity to use Star Magnolia stellata, Redbud Cercis 'Avondale' and 'Silver Cloud', Arabian Lilac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany', Royal Bromeliad Vriesea imperialis, also many unusual bulbs such as Scilla. Besides structure providing shrubs and trees (Tecoma, existing Indian Hawthorne with beautiful structures, Sweet Pea Bush, Golden Breath of Heaven, Ilex, Ginkgo, Bronze Loquat etc.) you'll see here also my favorite perennials, succulents and grasses, all as low care and undemanding as well as low-water as possible, to keep the landscape colorful and interesting year round. One of the highlights of this garden are the dry stream beds, bird bath and garden bench that we added. Built originally by himself and his wife, the dry stream beds were overgrown, mostly hidden by plant debris, or half rolling down hill. We had fun selecting a mixed collection of colorful and richly textured boulders of various sizes over, and with the input from 7 team members: Gordon, me, the contractor, the supervisor and three workers, we re-created the stream beds, making sure that anchor stones on the sides were well embedded in the slope, and that stone shelves and “top dressing” with smaller pebbles would add to the visual interest. Now these beds form very pleasing architectural features that look like they have always been there. We were all surprised how quickly all plants adapted to the site and started growing and putting out bloom. Now the old birdbath, a traditional white thing with dove figurines resting on the scalloped bowl, looked out of place, and I suggested to replace it with a stone bowl. And that part of the garden just called for a bench under the Macademia nut tree, to observe the birds and contemplate the whole creation. Only stone would do, but not any stone! Gordon picked a Basalt boulder that was naturally bowl shaped. It’s so heavy that it took 8 men to heave it into place! The Basalt bench was not much lighter, and together they make a very inviting scene. This job should last for a while. Photographed by Emma Almendarez at http://www.emmatheodoraphotography.com/

A variety of stone is used to create an interesting and contemplative space.
Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Charlotte.

Large transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Charlotte with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, an island, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink and quartz countertops

A private residential retreat for study and contemplation. This traditional mahogany library features built-in bookcasing, generous lateral file storage, and an enclosed wet bar. Architectural elements include raised-panel wall panelling, custom mouldings and trim, and richly detailed square rosettes of solid fiddleback mahogany. Design: SBG Architects, Photos: John Horner

Beautiful deck renovation with beautiful landscaping and fire piece.
Deck - mid-sized traditional backyard deck idea in Other with a fire pit and a roof extension

Photo of an asian landscaping in Vancouver.

Sunday, June 28, 1:00 to 2:30pm | Washington, DC Forest Hills Residence by Jay Graham, FASLA of Graham Landscape Architecture with architect Christopher Morrison, FAIA, LEED-AP This recently renovated urban landscape and garden located in the Northwest quarter of Washington, DC, sprang from a near-complete reconstruction of the property’s main house. Adjacent to Rock Creek Park, a large urban park and natural area, the landscape and gardens reflect both the woodland character of the nearby park and the modern architectural design of the home. Mirroring a distinct, internal angular wall separating the public and private spaces of the residence, a complimentary wall in the outdoor garden creates a dialogue between the interior of the home and the outdoor living space. Throughout the renovation process, the architect and landscape architect worked cooperatively to create a memorable outdoor space. Moving the original garage entrance allowed for an extension of the entry garden, where an extended walkway and ornamental screen along the street front provide enhanced privacy for the residence and create a garden backdrop visible from inside the home. Plantings in the rear of the home occupy the site’s natural slope as the property descends steeply into Creek Valley, a spur of Rock Creek Park, and provide residents with a rare scenic view of dense woodlands and a space for quiet contemplation in the midst of the bustling metro region. Photo courtesy Graham Landscape Architecture

This is an example of a mid-sized craftsman backyard landscaping in Vancouver.