Standard Trex decking boards make a clean, clear pathway edge, easy to both install and maintain. Weather friendly and dog friendly. Installation by Joy Creek Nursery. | Photo © Alyse Lansing.

We were asked to create something really special for one of our most admired clients. This home has been a labor of love for both of us as we finally made it exactly what she wanted it to be. After many concept ideas we landed on a design that is stunning! All of the elements on her wish list are incorporated in this challenging, multi-level landscape: A front yard to match the modern traditional-style home while creating privacy from the street; a side yard that proudly connects the front and back; and a lower level with plantings in lush greens, whites, purples and pinks and plentiful lawn space for kids and dogs. Her outdoor living space includes an outdoor kitchen with bar, outdoor living room with fireplace, dining patio, a bedroom-adjacent lounging patio with modern fountain, enclosed vegetable garden, rose garden walk with European-style fountain and meditation bench, and a fire pit with sitting area on the upper level to take in the panoramic views of the sunset over the wooded ridge. Outdoor lighting brings it alive at night, and for parties you can’t beat the killer sound system!

Photography: © Anastasia Hockinson
Eclectic patio photo in San Francisco

Open concept kitchen - mid-sized farmhouse galley light wood floor and yellow floor open concept kitchen idea with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, an island, a farmhouse sink, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and black countertops

This couple was very excited to get a new deck as they enjoy entertaining their family outside. They also have a dog so they asked us to install a dog gate. They now feel safe letting their dog out on the deck and into the yard. This deck was built out of low maintenance Trex Select decking in Saddle color. They picked pressure treated wood with aluminum balusters for the railing.

The existing quirky floor plan of this 17 year old kitchen created 4 work areas and left no room for a proper laundry and utility room. We actually made this kitchen smaller to make it function better. We took the cramped u-shaped area that housed the stove and refrigerator and walled it off to create a new more generous laundry room with room for ironing & sewing. The now rectangular shaped kitchen was reoriented by installing new windows with higher sills we were able to line the exterior wall with cabinets and counter, giving the sink a nice view to the side yard. To create the Victorian look the owners desired in their 1920’s home, we used wall cabinets with inset doors and beaded panels, for economy the base cabinets are full overlay doors & drawers all in the same finish, Nordic White. The owner selected a gorgeous serene white river granite for the counters and we selected a taupe glass subway tile to pull the palette together. Another special feature of this kitchen is the custom pocket dog door. The owner’s had a salvaged door that we incorporated in a pocket in the peninsula to corale the dogs when the owner aren’t home. Tina Colebrook

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard stone landscaping in Los Angeles for summer.

Kaitlyn Boyyd
Inspiration for a farmhouse home design remodel in Phoenix

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in San Francisco.

Outdoor Elements maximized the available space in this beautiful yard with a contemporary, rectangular pool complete with a large tanning deck and swim jet system. Mosaic glass-tile accents the spa and a shell stone deck and coping add to the contemporary feel. Behind the tanning deck, a large, up-lit, sheer-descent waterfall adds variety and elegance to the design. A lighted gazebo makes a comfortable seating area protected from the sun while a functional outdoor kitchen is nestled near the backdoor of the residence. Raised planters and screening trees add the right amount of greenery to the space.

The main goals of this project was to make it more usable and enjoyable for the owner, to reduce maintenance and to created a covered area for enjoyment year-round. This design also kept the family's new puppy in mind - fencing it in for safety and planting with careful consideration of plants that are safe for dogs. The winding pathway for humans is reminiscent of a stream bed and there is also a narrow perimeter fence specifically for the pup! Ben Park

Exposed rafters, standing seam metal roof, covered porch
Mid-sized classic side porch idea in Wilmington

Elegant hallway photo in Atlanta

This custom vertical bar metal fence is a modern twist on a traditional front yard fence.
Large contemporary beige front yard and two-story mixed siding exterior home idea in Dallas with a shed roof

This dog run was installed in Smithtown Long Island NY by Gappsi. A dog run is useful for giving your dog a safe and happy environment to play in while also maintaining a clean back yard. This dog run is built with a black chain link fence to keep the dog within the specific area. A synthetic turf is then laid across the selected area within the fence. The turf allows easy clean up and prevents a muddy environment. Using a prepared rca base and using a high quality durable turf with a double-coated backing makes it extremely difficult for any tear. The turf allows easy drainage for liquid waste and allows easy clean up for solid waste. To clean up any dog run a simple hose down is all that is needed.

This dog run was installed in Smithtown Long Island NY by Gappsi. A dog run is useful for giving your dog a safe and happy environment to play in while also maintaining a clean back yard. This dog run is built with a black chain link fence to keep the dog within the specific area. A synthetic turf is then laid across the selected area within the fence. The turf allows easy clean up and prevents a muddy environment. Using a prepared rca base and using a high quality durable turf with a double-coated backing makes it extremely difficult for any tear. The turf allows easy drainage for liquid waste and allows easy clean up for solid waste. To clean up any dog run a simple hose down is all that is needed.

Photo By: Jude Parkinson-Morgan
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional front yard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco.

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

After: Pea Pebble Patio (Right Front Deck)
Example of a mountain style patio design in Atlanta