Tropical islands are the focal point for the design build of the acreage behind this stunning, Mediterranean-style home. The hardscape features a three level pool, including a toddler pool and a wading pool. Starting at the reef, there are three leaf petal loungers which allow you to recline in four to six inches of water at your feet. Limestone holy boulders are placed strategically along the edge for a natural element. A beautiful blend of earthy colors within the flagstone create a natural and rustic pool deck. All of the steps and bench seating inside the pool are also made of flagstone (custom fabricated flagstone coping for this project was completed on site). The toddler pool features fiber optic lighting which was installed at the bottom of the pool in the gunnite shell to create the reflection of a starry, celestial sky (fiber optic lighting can be used to create any number of shapes or constellations). An infinity edge crashes over beautiful stone and tile work, falling into a wading pool below. Another special feature is a water feature of riverstone cobbles sitting below dancing flames. Large stepping stones alongside this feature lead you to a lounge pool deck creating the feeling of an island retreat. Limestone slabs were used for a path of steps that take you through the landscaping back to the main house. A gazebo was added to hold an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor shower and a pool house with restrooms. All of the outdoor features are automated, allowing you to operate water temperature, fire features, water features, even the music and lighting from your smartphone.

Located on a corner lot perched high up in the prestigious East Hill of Cresskill, NJ, this home has spectacular views of the Northern Valley to the west. Comprising of 7,200 sq. ft. of space on the 1st and 2nd floor, plus 2,800 sq. ft. of finished walk-out basement space, this home encompasses 10,000 sq. ft. of livable area. The home consists of 6 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, a 3-car garage, 4 fireplaces, huge kitchen, generous home office room, and 2 laundry rooms. Unique features of this home include a covered porte cochere, a golf simulator room, media room, octagonal music room, dance studio, wine room, heated & screened loggia, and even a dog shower!

Cool & Contemporary is the vibe our clients were seeking out. Phase 1 complete for this El Paso Westside project. Consistent with the homes architecture and lifestyle creates a space to handle all occasions. Early morning coffee on the patio or around the firepit, smores, drinks, relaxing, reading & maybe a little dancing. Cedar planks set on raw steel post create a cozy atmosphere. Sitting or laying down on cushions and pillows atop the smooth buff leuders limestone bench with your feet popped up on the custom gas firepit. Raw steel veneer, limestone cap and stainless steel fire fixtures complete the sleek contemporary feels. Concrete steps & path lights beam up and accentuates the focal setting. To prep for phase 2, ground cover pathways and areas are ready for the new outdoor movie projector, more privacy, picnic area, permanent seating, landscape and lighting to come. Phase II complete...welcome to outdoor entertainment. Movies on the lawn with the family & football season will never be same here. This backyard doubles as an entertainment destination. Cantilever seating, lounging & privacy fence wraps up a party/cozy space. Plenty of room for friends and family

Embrace a 1940 farmhouse where rustic charm and modern elegance coexist in perfect harmony for the family of 5. We harmonized the home’s robust heritage with modern design, revealing a custom entry that leads to a new primary suite, visually enhancing the façade while expanding the living space. The redesign extends into a vibrant open floor plan to enhance family interactions. The heart of the home kitchen hosts soft white cabinetry and natural light to dance on warm wood accents and an inviting island. The bathroom is adorned with dark, dramatic hues complemented by the warmth of wood and marble.

Our homeowner had dreamt about one day redoing her beyond outdated kitchen since they day her husband carried her over the threshold. Vinyl flooring used for a backsplash, dingy carpeting, laminate with no sheen left to speak of and mismatched cabinetry…. it was time to make it happen. A year’s worth of planning later, her time capsule became one dreamy kitchen. Functionality reigns supreme in this small, but efficient kitchen where every cabinet has a story to tell and a place to store it. Countertop space to the right of the stove was an added necessity for function and safety. The raised snack bar is perfect for day to day meals and the lowered countertop was a must for this petite baker. A new lighting plan includes recessed lights, under-cabinet and accent lights, while new lighting fixtures reflect the client’s sense of style. Dingy brick patterned carpet was removed making way for new hardwood floors toothed in from the dining room. An airy palette gained some weight with the use of larger details; the oversized hood, beefy turned posts, prominent apron front sink and a grouping of tall cabinets on the refrigerator wall. Glass cabinet fronts, shiny beveled subway tile, and granite countertops allow light to dance around the space. Zachary Seib Photography

In this backyard space, the design challenge was to bring the essence of the California Mountains to Redondo Beach. As this client is an avid outdoorsman, he wanted to bring the a feel of the Sierra Nevada mountains, his happy place, home to create his very own backyard mountain retreat. Our team sourced materials that one would find in the mountains of California whilst keeping a lounge feel in mind for the secondary design criteria, a retreat. In this retreat, we created four distinct areas: the lounging area with covered pergola, fire pit area with built-in seating bench and overhead trellis complete with carnival lighting, central waterfall, and barbeque area with picnic table and overhead carnival lighting. We built a 10” x 10” rugged pergola was built out of sustainably sourced pine. The massive posts feel as though large pine trees were harvested right out of the California Mountains and crafted right on-site. The pergola was built with a retractable shade cloth so the sun can be let in for warmth in open during the colder months. The pergola and the other hard-scaped areas in the backyard were covered with a mix of gray granite and charcoal pavers. This color selection is reminiscent of the colors in California granite. Walking north from the pergola toward the fire pit area there is a mass planting of deer grasses, assortment of ferns and California coffee berries planted to mimic California Chaparral. At the other edge of this chaparral garden, sits the Cresta Boulder fire pit. Boulders were used to create this fire pit to harness the feeling of being outdoors in the wilderness. The boulders were locally sourced out of the Sierra Nevada mountain range for authenticity. In order to frame the space we installed a trellis and off the trellis runs carnival lights for night time parties. Just beyond the fire pit sits a granite boulder water fall. The waterfall is placed so that wherever you are in the yard you can see and hear the tranquil sounds of the babbling water as it circulates and recycles. The barbeque area is nestled against the backdrop of a dark green fernleaf podocarpus hedge. During the day, birds and butterflies traverse the native foliage and at night the sounds of the fire pit dance in harmony with the gentle sounds of water falling down granite pebbles making this backyard a true retreat from the chaotic noise of the city.

Cool & Contemporary is the vibe our clients were seeking out. Phase 1 complete for this El Paso Westside project. Consistent with the homes architecture and lifestyle creates a space to handle all occasions. Early morning coffee on the patio or around the firepit, smores, drinks, relaxing, reading & maybe a little dancing. Cedar planks set on raw steel post create a cozy atmosphere. Sitting or laying down on cushions and pillows atop the smooth buff leuders limestone bench with your feet popped up on the custom gas firepit. Raw steel veneer, limestone cap and stainless steel fire fixtures complete the sleek contemporary feels. Concrete steps & path lights beam up and accentuates the focal setting. To prep for phase 2, ground cover pathways and areas are ready for the new outdoor movie projector, more privacy, picnic area, permanent seating, landscape and lighting to come.

An amalgamation of design—The union of the classical, the traditional and the avant-garde while melding Brazilian and foreign traditions and styles. The journey of finding a gem like this in Manhattan was comparable to that of looking for Waldo in Hollywood and its interiors had to be suit for purpose! This apartment had two objectives: instigate relaxation and be the perfect place for hosting and entertainment. With the colorful art as an inspiration, the brushed colors were brought into the living room and danced freely through the apartment in shapes of fabrics, art and humorous accessories.

KuDa Photography
Inspiration for a large contemporary carpeted home gym remodel in Other with white walls

Yin Yang, the celebration of opposites. Fire dances above blue glass and reflects in the bowl below. Visitors are warmed up to ten feet away. This portable fire/water feature can hold water within the bowl as a reflecting bowl or cascade over the sides as a fountain.

Backyard landscape
Hot tub - huge transitional backyard stone and rectangular natural hot tub idea in Phoenix

Cool & Contemporary is the vibe our clients were seeking out. Phase 1 complete for this El Paso Westside project. Consistent with the homes architecture and lifestyle creates a space to handle all occasions. Early morning coffee on the patio or around the firepit, smores, drinks, relaxing, reading & maybe a little dancing. Cedar planks set on raw steel post create a cozy atmosphere. Sitting or laying down on cushions and pillows atop the smooth buff leuders limestone bench with your feet popped up on the custom gas firepit. Raw steel veneer, limestone cap and stainless steel fire fixtures complete the sleek contemporary feels. Concrete steps & path lights beam up and accentuates the focal setting. To prep for phase 2, ground cover pathways and areas are ready for the new outdoor movie projector, more privacy, picnic area, permanent seating, landscape and lighting to come.

Cathy Zaeske
Boy teen room photo in Chicago with gray walls

Collaborating with noted Landscape Architect John Roberts, this garden was designed to represent the homeowners' many world travel experiences over the years. To achieve this, planning started at the garden patios, walls, and gathering areas. Four niches were created to celerbate a major world religion for a stunning journey through the cultural beauty of the world. After a Celtic stone inlay with Bluestone patio, steps take visitors into the tranquility of a Zen labyrinth before reaching Islamic and Buddhist niches. Moving further, the environment changes to a Greek Key focus before the final Hindu and Judeo-Christian niches that complete the one-of-a-kind design celebrating beauty from all corners of the globe.

The focal point of the lounge area is a custom designed fire feature clad in a classic pattern of mini mosaic tiles. The dancing flames from the 60” linear fire feature can be delightfully mesmerizing as they add warmth and drama to an evening outdoors.

Located on a corner lot perched high up in the prestigious East Hill of Cresskill, NJ, this home has spectacular views of the Northern Valley to the west. Comprising of 7,200 sq. ft. of space on the 1st and 2nd floor, plus 2,800 sq. ft. of finished walk-out basement space, this home encompasses 10,000 sq. ft. of livable area. The home consists of 6 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, a 3-car garage, 4 fireplaces, huge kitchen, generous home office room, and 2 laundry rooms. Unique features of this home include a covered porte cochere, a golf simulator room, media room, octagonal music room, dance studio, wine room, heated & screened loggia, and even a dog shower!

This master bathroom renovation transforms a builder-grade standard into a personalized retreat for our lovely Stapleton clients. Recognizing a need for change, our clients called on us to help develop a space that would capture their aesthetic loves and foster relaxation. Our design focused on establishing an airy and grounded feel by pairing various shades of white, natural wood, and dynamic textures. We replaced the existing ceramic floor tile with wood-look porcelain tile for a warm and inviting look throughout the space. We then paired this with a reclaimed apothecary vanity from Restoration Hardware. This vanity is coupled with a bright Caesarstone countertop and warm bronze faucets from Delta to create a strikingly handsome balance. The vanity mirrors are custom-sized and trimmed with a coordinating bronze frame. Elegant wall sconces dance between the dark vanity mirrors and bright white full height mirrors flanking the bathtub. The tub itself is an oversized freestanding bathtub paired with a tall bronze tub filler. We've created a feature wall with Tile Bar's Billowy Clouds ceramic tile floor to ceiling behind the tub. The wave-like movement of the tiles offers a dramatic texture in a pure white field. We removed the existing shower and extended its depth to create a large new shower. The walls are tiled with a large format high gloss white tile. The shower floor is tiled with marble circles in varying sizes that offer a playful aesthetic in an otherwise minimalist space. We love this pure, airy retreat and are thrilled that our clients get to enjoy it for many years to come!

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2014 Houzz
Example of an eclectic kids' room design in Dallas

This suburban Toronto couple sold their cottage and re-invested a portion into something they could enjoy every day, a spectacular adult lifestyle backyard. The focal point is a 14’ x 36’ custom vinyl pool with full-width entry steps and elevated feature wall at the deep end with a 60” linear flame dancing on top.