At this Saratoga, Calif., home of an NFL star, there is no such thing as simple. The quarterback had visions of a pool deck connected to an outdoor kitchen that featured a fireplace, barbecue and trash compactor. Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete, in Santa Cruz, Calif., was chosen as the man for the job. "He wanted the pool to have somewhat of an organic feel," Ralston says. "But at the same time, he wanted to have more of a conventional look." The customer's wishes were met by Ralstons team painting the kitchen components white. The pool deck was also tied in to the look. . "The concrete is acid-stained, and what that does is play off his conventional-looking barbecue and pizza oven with organics," Ralston says. "I always view acid stain as an organic because it comes from the iron oxides that are in the Earth. The way the iron oxides play out, they have this variation that is hard to reproduce with any other medium." 25% To create the color on the pool deck, Ralston blended L.M. Scofield Co.'s Padre Brown and Faded Terracotta acid stains. Three Rivers Flagstone was employed to create a band around the pool. Although Ralston and his project foremen did a large amount of work, no one person can take credit for the design. "It's really a result of many minds," he says. Preconstruction meetings were held with Ralston and his crew, an architect, a landscape architect, a pool contractor and the homeowner. Ralston suggested what hardscape mediums to use and provided samples for the group. "It was like a Mr. Potato Head," Ralston says. "We pieced things together and mixed and matched until we came to agreement with all parties." picture In order to keep all of the deck's elements cohesive, the same tile was used in a spa, around the pizza oven and barbecue, and in the pool coping. "It ties itself together that way," Ralston says. "It's really nice to have juxtaposition in our hardscapes." Because there were so many elements to the kitchen, there were a lot of different types of workers in the area. "It was a challenge to keep everything coordinated between the electrician, pool contractor, landscaper, architect, and the homeowner's desire to have t is built in three months," Ralston says. The project ended up taking around five months to complete. Thankfully for Ralston, he had three foremen on the site - a masonry foreman, concrete foreman, and staining and sealing foreman. "All of those guys have years and years of experience with me," he says. "A key to success is to have people in the field who really know at they were doing."

Positioned to provide access from all areas of the home, this sleek kitchen emphasizes specialty work zones, with a highly functioning triangle existing between refrigerator, prep, and cooking areas. A Thermador appliance package includes a 36” induction cooktop, steam oven, warming drawer, conventional oven, and double-door builit-in refrigerator. Installed in the island are integrated appliances such as a drawer microwave, dishwasher and a U-line wine cooling unit with dual controls. The island sink has a touchless faucet and garbage disposal system. Contrasting cabinet colors and the use of two different countertop surfaces are melded together with a vibrant coordinating tile backsplash. Hand painted outlets are hidden in plain sight in the backsplash. LED lighting in the upper and lower cabinets are accented by pendant lights over the island. Additional ceiling RAB LED lighting can be adjusted per mood and occasion. Disappearing sliding doors surround the kitchen carrying the sense of the outside throughout the interior.

Miles off the highway, nearly to the end of a one way road, David Arkin and Anni Tilt’s design for this sustainable private residence combines Watershed Block, straw bale, and reclaimed redwood. The weight of the Watershed Block base, in some locations serving as retaining walls, creates both a structural and visual anchor to the lighter straw and wood components. The block veneer on the gunite walls of the lap pool rise directly from the ground. Architect : Arkin Tilt Architects Photo : Edward Caldwell

BRP Construction, LLC A design-build firm in Maryland Visit us at www.brpdesignbuild.com or call us at (202) 812-9278
Large contemporary gray three-story mixed siding flat roof idea in DC Metro

Karyn Millet Photography
Inspiration for a coastal family room remodel in Los Angeles

Kitchen - coastal kitchen idea in Miami

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

The Main Stay House exists as a straightforward proposal on an urban infill lot, paring down the components of a house to a minimal amount of planes and openings. The scheme is anchored by a modern entry sequence and a staircase volume, both clad in iron spot masonry externally and internally, creating thresholds between the respective realms of public, common and private, by minimal means. The masonry contrasts with an otherwise muted interior atmosphere of smooth, desaturated surfaces. The entry sequence is a twist upon the conventional domestic front door, front facade, and fence. The front masonry wall replaces the typical residential fence and frames an indirect access to the front door, functioning as a privacy barrier while revealing slices of the interior to the public street. The staircase bifurcates the layout to provide a clear division between the common and private zones of the house, while clearly reading as a mass from all outside view. Brick and glass become portals between common and private zones. The design consolidates the service core along the west façade, allowing the structure to fully open the living zone to the pool court and existing trees. This directly connects interior and exterior, as well as human and nature. Freedom to vary the program or functional use of the area is enabled and strongly encouraged. Photography: Twist Tours

This modern pool house and infinity edge pool share sunset views across the waters of a beautiful cove in southeastern Connecticut. The concept of a fire element (there are two) was an obvious complement to the water theme. The pool house avoids conventional construction methods and materials and instead uses architectural concrete, steel, and glass as the finishes. The indoor fireplace is situated in a cast-in-place concrete wall created using 1\" veneer plywood forms that were assembled by carpenters. The hearth was precast and lifted into place. A TV resides above the fireplace. Outside, the linear fire element is positioned right at the edge of the terrace, as a similar treatment to the infinity edge pool. The linear fires link to the brilliant reds and oranges of the sunsets that grace this special property throughout the year. Architect: Christopher Arelt Designer: Christopher Arelt Photographer: Michael Elsden

The Main Stay House exists as a straightforward proposal on an urban infill lot, paring down the components of a house to a minimal amount of planes and openings. The scheme is anchored by a modern entry sequence and a staircase volume, both clad in iron spot masonry externally and internally, creating thresholds between the respective realms of public, common and private, by minimal means. The masonry contrasts with an otherwise muted interior atmosphere of smooth, desaturated surfaces. The entry sequence is a twist upon the conventional domestic front door, front facade, and fence. The front masonry wall replaces the typical residential fence and frames an indirect access to the front door, functioning as a privacy barrier while revealing slices of the interior to the public street. The staircase bifurcates the layout to provide a clear division between the common and private zones of the house, while clearly reading as a mass from all outside view. Brick and glass become portals between common and private zones. The design consolidates the service core along the west façade, allowing the structure to fully open the living zone to the pool court and existing trees. This directly connects interior and exterior, as well as human and nature. Freedom to vary the program or functional use of the area is enabled and strongly encouraged. Photography: Charles Davis Smith

AquaTerra Outdoors transformed the entire environment at this country side estate from a blank slate to a luxurious destination for outdoor living, playing and relaxing. Features of this project include all new pool, spa, fire feature, outdoor kitchen, travertine paver decks and patios, and landscaping. Photo Credit: Daniel Driensky

This is an alternate option to a conventional jump board made from Natural Lannon Stone slabs

Despite the stately brick exterior, these owners boldly flaunted convention by choosing a sleek contemporary esthetic for their kitchen remodel. For continuity, the home’s hardwood flooring continues throughout. Unadorned flat panel doors create a soothing environment in light-reflecting glossy white on the perimeter, with soft matte gray on the bar and island. Beautifully veined “Blue Savoie” marble countertops and backsplashes inject organic color and pattern into the scheme. To ensure that light penetrates the space, wall cabinets at the sink and bar stop short of the ceiling for an airy ambiance, with horizontal lift—up doors. Stacked cabinets flanking the hood are vertically hinged; top doors align with cabinetry above the paneled refrigeration columns. Easy entertaining is guaranteed with the convenient wet bar, which includes a paneled beverage fridge and icemaker. Minimalizing visual distraction is accomplished by limiting the use of handles to appliances requiring them; otherwise, base cabinets have unobtrusive integrated channel pulls, while uppers have touch latches. The hard-working island houses both microwave and paneled refrigerator drawers, along with extra storage and plenty of seating. Enhancing the dining experience in the breakfast area is a custom curved banquette, with light-filled views of the bucolic, backyard, and pool.

Tom Bonner
Large contemporary two-story metal house exterior idea in Los Angeles with a shed roof and a metal roof

Transitional freestanding bathtub photo in San Francisco with beige walls

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler