A multi-valent overhaul of a steep mountain property damaged by The Flood and at risk of future degradation. We made room for an outdoor living space by broadening an old fire roadbed using ancient stonework tactics (and a couple of backhoes) to shore up the slopes about and below. We performed extensive erosion mitigation all over the site while making aesthetic improvements. To give the owners access to the overlook far above their home, we built a trail to last generations and accommodate users of all abilities. Patio concrete, cobble, and fire pit by others.

Built by Award Winning, Certified Luxury Custom Home Builder SHELTER Custom-Built Living. Interior Details and Design- SHELTER Custom-Built Living Build-Design team. . Architect- DLB Custom Home Design INC.. Interior Decorator- Hollis Erickson Design.

The success of this project began with engaging our firm First, it was all about the trees. Every design decision, from the home's architectural layout to the placement of the swimming pool, was guided by our assessment of how to preserve and celebrate the existing mature trees. We had total control of the project design strategy, and it became the foundation of the project’s success. Over a five-year period, we meticulously managed the health and integration of these trees to ensure their survival. Their preservation allowed the architecture and landscape to merge seamlessly, giving the property its defining character.

Water Conservation Low flow faucets Low flow showers Energy Efficiency Dense-pack blown in insulation R-31 Walls R-50 Ceiling Insulation (3″ closed cell Spray Foam + R38 Batts) Energy Star certified appliances Energy efficient on-demand water heater All lighting CFL or LED Sustainable Materials Bamboo Decking Job-Site recycling Bamboo flooring Polished concrete flooring Indoor Air Quality Indoor Air Quality Zero VOC paint Occupancy controlled bath fans Heat Recovery Ventilator No added urea formaldehyde

This typical Brownstone went from a construction site, to a sophisticated family sanctuary. We extended and redefine the existing layout to create a bright space that was both functional and elegant. This 3rd floor bathroom was added to the space to create a well needed kids bathroom. A bright, fun and clean lines bathroom addition. Photo Credit: Francis Augustine

A multi-valent overhaul of a steep mountain property damaged by The Flood and at risk of future degradation. We made room for an outdoor living space by broadening an old fire roadbed using ancient stonework tactics (and a couple of backhoes) to shore up the slopes about and below. We performed extensive erosion mitigation all over the site while making aesthetic improvements. To give the owners access to the overlook far above their home, we built a trail to last generations and accommodate users of all abilities. Patio concrete, cobble, and fire pit by others.

The comfortable elegance of this French-Country inspired home belies the challenges faced during its conception. The beautiful, wooded site was steeply sloped requiring study of the location, grading, approach, yard and views from and to the rolling Pennsylvania countryside. The client desired an old world look and feel, requiring a sensitive approach to the extensive program. Large, modern spaces could not add bulk to the interior or exterior. Furthermore, it was critical to balance voluminous spaces designed for entertainment with more intimate settings for daily living while maintaining harmonic flow throughout. The result home is wide, approached by a winding drive terminating at a prominent facade embracing the motor court. Stone walls feather grade to the front façade, beginning the masonry theme dressing the structure. A second theme of true Pennsylvania timber-framing is also introduced on the exterior and is subsequently revealed in the formal Great and Dining rooms. Timber-framing adds drama, scales down volume, and adds the warmth of natural hand-wrought materials. The Great Room is literal and figurative center of this master down home, separating casual living areas from the elaborate master suite. The lower level accommodates casual entertaining and an office suite with compelling views. The rear yard, cut from the hillside, is a composition of natural and architectural elements with timber framed porches and terraces accessed from nearly every interior space flowing to a hillside of boulders and waterfalls. The result is a naturally set, livable, truly harmonious, new home radiating old world elegance. This home is powered by a geothermal heating and cooling system and state of the art electronic controls and monitoring systems.

This project located in Muskoka blends modern sophistication into the natural setting. Poolscape Inc. constructed a cast-in-place, vanishing edge pool that was formed to sit above a 1200sqft. underground concrete bunker. The bunker houses the pool equipment & boiler, as-well-as site utility controllers for site irrigation and lighting. Surrounding the pool and wrapping around the residence, extensive concrete slabs were poured and granite tiles laid to create multilevel patios and walkways. Areas of the patios overlooking the lake cantilevered out over the edge of the rock face and required the installation of custom iron and glass railings between stone pillars to provide safety due to the severity of the slope.

WINNER OF 2013 HPBA VESTA AWARDS The Evolution 360 Series has won two Vesta Awards at the HPBExpo for Best Outdoor Hearth Product and Best in Show! HPC has been selling the ambiance of fire through being the leader in Fire Pit Inserts for many years with our wide range of shapes, sizes, and technologies. What better way to compliment fire than to add the elegance and soothing sound of a shear, running water. Our focus over 2 years ago was to develop a turnkey, self-contained water system that is universal, robust, and is cost effective for our dealers - thus evolved HPC’s new Water Pit Insert. Finally this year we are proud to introduce the Evolution 360 Series - our first in a line of Water Pit Inserts. The Evolution 360 can be installed on practically any patio in a residential or commercial setting - no pond or pool needed! This fully assembled, plug-n-play system comes ready to install - simply level the water pit then connect water, electric, and gas. Finally, enclose with stone, veneer, stucco, etc. to match your patio décor. Operation is even simpler - three switches control the water, LED lights, and fire pit. The Evolution 360 is made of durable, weather resistant, black polyethylene and engineered to last - no on-site guesswork. It is strong enough to allow for the option of our Water Rock to be used to line the floor of the basin. Evolution 360 Features: - Beautiful blue LED lights to illuminate water - hidden under scupper. - Auto fill system- automatically adds water when needed; Low level sensor protects pump if water supply issue. - Filtration- water is conditioned with a reusable, easy-to-clean filter. - Water pump- 3,200 gallons per hour (4,000, 4,800, 6,000gph pumps available upon request) - Leveling / Height Setting- four heavy, 3/4” threaded feet give flexibility of height adjustment and leveling. Easily adjusted on site with ~4” of travel. - Overflow feature allows water to escape safely. - Electrical Connection- simply with a 5-lead, 20’ cable ready to connect. Control Panel incorporates 3 push-to-reset breakers for water, LEDs & fire. - Fire Pit Insert: CSA Certified Remote Electronic Ignition 13SS90HWI 90k Btu, 12” burner. - Copper Bowls: Choose from a 4-scupper design or the new 360-degree model- both handmade with beautiful hammered copper.. We have three variations of the Evolution 360 series Copper Fire Bowl Water Pit Insert Features: Seperate Operation of Fire with Wall Switch (optional control box available) Seperate Operation of Water with Wall Switch (optional control box available) Seperate Operation of Lighting with Wall Switch (optional control box available) Fully Self Contained, Filtrated System

This wine cellar holds 500 bottles in the 100 square foot climate controlled enclosure. It is fitted with its own HVAC system which holds a constant temperature and humidity level year round. The display panels were all custom fabricated for the space and assembled on site. You have a great view of the stunning display from the 12 foot solid slab bar. The bar houses a dishwasher, a 2-drawer refrigerator /freezer combo with ice maker, as well as some storage cabinets. The waterfall top is an absolute black granite with a honed finish. All of the cabinetry as well as the display panels were sprayed onsite. This is the conversation piece of the party!

This wine cellar holds 500 bottles in the 100 square foot climate controlled enclosure. It is fitted with its own HVAC system which holds a constant temperature and humidity level year round. The display panels were all custom fabricated for the space and assembled on site. You have a great view of the stunning display from the 12 foot solid slab bar. The bar houses a dishwasher, a 2-drawer refrigerator /freezer combo with ice maker, as well as some storage cabinets. The waterfall top is an absolute black granite with a honed finish. All of the cabinetry as well as the display panels were sprayed onsite. This is the conversation piece of the party!

This wine cellar holds 500 bottles in the 100 square foot climate controlled enclosure. It is fitted with its own HVAC system which holds a constant temperature and humidity level year round. The display panels were all custom fabricated for the space and assembled on site. You have a great view of the stunning display from the 12 foot solid slab bar. The bar houses a dishwasher, a 2-drawer refrigerator /freezer combo with ice maker, as well as some storage cabinets. The waterfall top is an absolute black granite with a honed finish. All of the cabinetry as well as the display panels were sprayed onsite. This is the conversation piece of the party!

This wine cellar holds 500 bottles in the 100 square foot climate controlled enclosure. It is fitted with its own HVAC system which holds a constant temperature and humidity level year round. The display panels were all custom fabricated for the space and assembled on site. You have a great view of the stunning display from the 12 foot solid slab bar. The bar houses a dishwasher, a 2-drawer refrigerator /freezer combo with ice maker, as well as some storage cabinets. The waterfall top is an absolute black granite with a honed finish. All of the cabinetry as well as the display panels were sprayed onsite. This is the conversation piece of the party!

Our clients requested an energy-efficient escape home on a 16-acre site in rural Elgin that would be maintenance friendly, age-in-place adaptable, and whose sculptural quality could harbor for their expressive family. With its dominant east-west axis, the maximizes control of solar gain control; its placement was carefully adjusted to allow all of the nearby trees to thrive. The standing seam roof’s pitch and azimuth provide optimal solar PV and fills a 20,000-gallon rainwater cistern. The age-in-place, step-less interior provides an expansive view at the south terrace. The cantilever of the board-formed foundation is a structurally expressive solution resolving an otherwise imposing mass. The curved prow of the north-pointing entry is a nod to local Elgin brick. A bowed and formally jubilant thermal chimney faces south for efficient passive ventilation. Photo credit: Chris Diaz General Contractor: Native (buildnative.com)

Patio kitchen - mid-sized transitional backyard concrete patio kitchen idea in Denver with a pergola

A view of the creek featuring natural boulders and native plants growing along the water’s edge. These carefully selected plantings help stabilize the banks while enhancing the natural character of the site.

A visual artist and his fiancée’s house and studio were designed with various themes in mind, such as the physical context, client needs, security, and a limited budget. Six options were analyzed during the schematic design stage to control the wind from the northeast, sunlight, light quality, cost, energy, and specific operating expenses. By using design performance tools and technologies such as Fluid Dynamics, Energy Consumption Analysis, Material Life Cycle Assessment, and Climate Analysis, sustainable strategies were identified. The building is self-sufficient and will provide the site with an aquifer recharge that does not currently exist. The main masses are distributed around a courtyard, creating a moderately open construction towards the interior and closed to the outside. The courtyard contains a Huizache tree, surrounded by a water mirror that refreshes and forms a central part of the courtyard. The house comprises three main volumes, each oriented at different angles to highlight different views for each area. The patio is the primary circulation stratagem, providing a refuge from the wind, a connection to the sky, and a night sky observatory. We aim to establish a deep relationship with the site by including the open space of the patio.

Exploring passive solar design and thermal temperature control, a small shack was built using wood pallets and re-purposed materials obtained for free. The goal was to create a prototype to see what works and what doesn't, firsthand. The journey was rough and many valuable lessons were learned.

Exploring passive solar design and thermal temperature control, a small shack was built using wood pallets and re-purposed materials obtained for free. The goal was to create a prototype to see what works and what doesn't, firsthand. The journey was rough and many valuable lessons were learned.