Bluestone slab steps. Created using large slabs of bluestone, shaped on site and set one on top of the other. Typically treads of 15"-18", rise of 7". Ideal for heavily trafficked areas. Easily paired with more formal dry stack stone walls or rustic walls.

Reclaimed ‘barre gray’ pavers by Architectural Stone Decor. www.archstonedecor.ca | sales@archstonedecor.ca | (437) 800-8300 The ancient barre gray stone pavers have been reclaimed from different locations across the Mediterranean making them unique in their warm color mixtures and patinas and their exquisite beauty. They have been calibrated to 5/8” in thickness to ease installation of modern use. They come in random sizes and could be installed in either a running bond formation or a random ‘Versailles’ pattern. Their durable nature makes them an excellent choice for indoor and outdoor use. They are unaffected by extreme climate and easily withstand heavy use due to the nature of their hard molecular structure.

This 1964 Preston Hollow home was in the perfect location and had great bones but was not perfect for this family that likes to entertain. They wanted to open up their kitchen up to the den and entry as much as possible, as it was small and completely closed off. They needed significant wine storage and they did want a bar area but not where it was currently located. They also needed a place to stage food and drinks outside of the kitchen. There was a formal living room that was not necessary and a formal dining room that they could take or leave. Those spaces were opened up, the previous formal dining became their new home office, which was previously in the master suite. The master suite was completely reconfigured, removing the old office, and giving them a larger closet and beautiful master bathroom. The game room, which was converted from the garage years ago, was updated, as well as the bathroom, that used to be the pool bath. The closet space in that room was redesigned, adding new built-ins, and giving us more space for a larger laundry room and an additional mudroom that is now accessible from both the game room and the kitchen! They desperately needed a pool bath that was easily accessible from the backyard, without having to walk through the game room, which they had to previously use. We reconfigured their living room, adding a full bathroom that is now accessible from the backyard, fixing that problem. We did a complete overhaul to their downstairs, giving them the house they had dreamt of! As far as the exterior is concerned, they wanted better curb appeal and a more inviting front entry. We changed the front door, and the walkway to the house that was previously slippery when wet and gave them a more open, yet sophisticated entry when you walk in. We created an outdoor space in their backyard that they will never want to leave! The back porch was extended, built a full masonry fireplace that is surrounded by a wonderful seating area, including a double hanging porch swing. The outdoor kitchen has everything they need, including tons of countertop space for entertaining, and they still have space for a large outdoor dining table. The wood-paneled ceiling and the mix-matched pavers add a great and unique design element to this beautiful outdoor living space. Scapes Incorporated did a fabulous job with their backyard landscaping, making it a perfect daily escape. They even decided to add turf to their entire backyard, keeping minimal maintenance for this busy family. The functionality this family now has in their home gives the true meaning to Living Better Starts Here™.

The open concept great room allows for a place for friends and family to be easily entertained.
Mid-sized arts and crafts open concept carpeted family room photo in Portland with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard garden path in Houston.

This is the guest room for the young man who visits on occasion. It has a sofa bed so the room can be used as a den when no one is in residence. The homeowner created a gallery wall of her travels, and also incorporated souvenirs and memories from the young man's previous bedroom to make him feel right at home. A 10" long closet along one wall provides the storage space the homeowner lost when the garage was converted. She cleared out a lot of unneeded belongings and organized what was left to fit here, and in multiple other storage areas we incorporated in the remodel. She much prefers that everything is now stored inside the house and easily accessible. Win-win!

This 1964 Preston Hollow home was in the perfect location and had great bones but was not perfect for this family that likes to entertain. They wanted to open up their kitchen up to the den and entry as much as possible, as it was small and completely closed off. They needed significant wine storage and they did want a bar area but not where it was currently located. They also needed a place to stage food and drinks outside of the kitchen. There was a formal living room that was not necessary and a formal dining room that they could take or leave. Those spaces were opened up, the previous formal dining became their new home office, which was previously in the master suite. The master suite was completely reconfigured, removing the old office, and giving them a larger closet and beautiful master bathroom. The game room, which was converted from the garage years ago, was updated, as well as the bathroom, that used to be the pool bath. The closet space in that room was redesigned, adding new built-ins, and giving us more space for a larger laundry room and an additional mudroom that is now accessible from both the game room and the kitchen! They desperately needed a pool bath that was easily accessible from the backyard, without having to walk through the game room, which they had to previously use. We reconfigured their living room, adding a full bathroom that is now accessible from the backyard, fixing that problem. We did a complete overhaul to their downstairs, giving them the house they had dreamt of! As far as the exterior is concerned, they wanted better curb appeal and a more inviting front entry. We changed the front door, and the walkway to the house that was previously slippery when wet and gave them a more open, yet sophisticated entry when you walk in. We created an outdoor space in their backyard that they will never want to leave! The back porch was extended, built a full masonry fireplace that is surrounded by a wonderful seating area, including a double hanging porch swing. The outdoor kitchen has everything they need, including tons of countertop space for entertaining, and they still have space for a large outdoor dining table. The wood-paneled ceiling and the mix-matched pavers add a great and unique design element to this beautiful outdoor living space. Scapes Incorporated did a fabulous job with their backyard landscaping, making it a perfect daily escape. They even decided to add turf to their entire backyard, keeping minimal maintenance for this busy family. The functionality this family now has in their home gives the true meaning to Living Better Starts Here™.

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Other

This 1964 Preston Hollow home was in the perfect location and had great bones but was not perfect for this family that likes to entertain. They wanted to open up their kitchen up to the den and entry as much as possible, as it was small and completely closed off. They needed significant wine storage and they did want a bar area but not where it was currently located. They also needed a place to stage food and drinks outside of the kitchen. There was a formal living room that was not necessary and a formal dining room that they could take or leave. Those spaces were opened up, the previous formal dining became their new home office, which was previously in the master suite. The master suite was completely reconfigured, removing the old office, and giving them a larger closet and beautiful master bathroom. The game room, which was converted from the garage years ago, was updated, as well as the bathroom, that used to be the pool bath. The closet space in that room was redesigned, adding new built-ins, and giving us more space for a larger laundry room and an additional mudroom that is now accessible from both the game room and the kitchen! They desperately needed a pool bath that was easily accessible from the backyard, without having to walk through the game room, which they had to previously use. We reconfigured their living room, adding a full bathroom that is now accessible from the backyard, fixing that problem. We did a complete overhaul to their downstairs, giving them the house they had dreamt of! As far as the exterior is concerned, they wanted better curb appeal and a more inviting front entry. We changed the front door, and the walkway to the house that was previously slippery when wet and gave them a more open, yet sophisticated entry when you walk in. We created an outdoor space in their backyard that they will never want to leave! The back porch was extended, built a full masonry fireplace that is surrounded by a wonderful seating area, including a double hanging porch swing. The outdoor kitchen has everything they need, including tons of countertop space for entertaining, and they still have space for a large outdoor dining table. The wood-paneled ceiling and the mix-matched pavers add a great and unique design element to this beautiful outdoor living space. Scapes Incorporated did a fabulous job with their backyard landscaping, making it a perfect daily escape. They even decided to add turf to their entire backyard, keeping minimal maintenance for this busy family. The functionality this family now has in their home gives the true meaning to Living Better Starts Here™.

This house was a very small mid-century bungalow with previous additions that resulted in a large but chaotic layout. The owners wanted to convert the house to a super-efficient, and charming Craftsman-style, 6 bedroom home for their large family and work at home. We achieved the space needs by moving a few walls for a more efficient, organized layout, setting up spaces for overlapping uses, and making a small upstairs addition. Every bit of square footage was optimized to meet the goals of the project without making the house huge or adding unnecessary cost. Much thought was given to the entry sequence near the front door. A large flow-through mudroom with storage for each family member, and adjacent laundry, make it easy for children to be taught to keep their things organized and to contribute to household chores. A mail station and central home admin area at the mudroom help keep clutter down at other areas and minimize home management tasks. A garage door near the kitchen gives quick access to bulk items. The existing house had too much view to the street from the living room through large corner windows, and too little entry transition, to the extent that the family did not feel comfortable using the living room much without shades drawn. We raised the window sills and brought the new windows in from the corner of the house, allowing plenty of light while protecting privacy and a sense of enclosure in the living room. We enlarged the front porch to create a more graceful transition from the public to private space. We located the front door so that the circulation from entry into the house would allow for furnishing the living room with a sitting circle that is not intruded upon by people walking through the room. Sight lines through the living spaces were an important consideration in the design. The owners wanted discreet spaces for living room, kitchen, dining and family room, but also wanted the living spaces to feel connected and to be able to easily watch their children. Being able to see the children playing in the yard while getting things done inside the house was also important. While largely working with the existing structure, we opened walls and rearranged the use of spaces to make a series of connected living spaces with long views through them. The character of the remodeled house is a contemporary Craftsman with classic materials and cool, consistent colors. A few arches echo through the house to frame spaces and soften the feeling of the rooms. Photography: Kurt Manley https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/bungalow-expansion/

Amber and Opal style Mica glass looks amazing in day and night. Solid brass fixtures with hearty glass and 12v LED is easily service-able for a lifetime of enjoyment.

These homeowners came to us wanting to upgrade the curb appeal of their home and improve the layout of the interior. They hoped for an entry that would welcome guests to their home both inside and out, while also creating more defined and purposeful space within the home. The main goals of the project were to add a covered wrap around porch, add more windows for natural light, create a formal entry that housed the client’s baby grand piano, and add a home office for the clients to work from home. With a dated exterior and facade that lacked dimension, there was little charm to be had. The front door was hidden from visitors and a lack of windows made the exterior unoriginal. We approached the exterior design pulling inspiration from the farmhouse style, southern porches, and craftsman style homes. Eventually we landed on a design that added numerous windows to the front façade, reminiscent of a farmhouse, and turned a Dutch hipped roof into an extended gable roof, creating a large front porch and adding curb appeal interest. By relocating the entry door to the front of the house and adding a gable accent over this new door, it created a focal point for guests and passersby. In addition to those design elements, we incorporated some exterior shutters rated for our northwest climate that echoed the southern style homes our client loved. A greige paint color (Benjamin Moore Cape May Cobblestone) accented with a white trim (Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee) and a black front door, shutters, and window box (Sherwin Williams Black Magic) all work together to create a charming and welcoming façade. On the interior we removed a half wall and coat closet that separated the original cramped entryway from the front room. The front room was a multipurpose space that didn’t have a designated use for the family, it became a catch-all space that was easily cluttered. Through the design process we came up with a plan to split the spaces into 2 rooms, a large open semi-formal entryway and a home office. The semi-formal entryway was intentionally designed to house the homeowner’s baby grand piano – a real showstopper. The flow created by this entryway is welcoming and ushers you into a beautifully curated home. A new office now sits right off the entryway with beautiful French doors, built-in cabinetry, and an abundance of natural light – everything that one dreams of for their home office. The home office looks out to the front porch and front yard as well as the pastural side yard where the children frequently play. The office is an ideal location for a moment of inspiration, reflection, and focus. A warm white paint (Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee) combined with the newly installed light oak luxury vinyl plank flooring runs throughout the home, creating continuity and a neutral canvas. Traditional and schoolhouse style statement light fixtures coordinate with the black door hardware for an added level of contrast. There is one more improvement that made a big difference to this family. In the family room, we added a built-in window seat. This created a cozy nook that is used by all for reading and extra seating. This relatively small improvement had a big impact on how the family uses and enjoys the space.

Reclaimed ‘barre blonde’ pavers by Architectural Stone Decor. www.archstonedecor.ca | sales@archstonedecor.ca | (437) 800-8300 The ancient barre blonde stone tiles and pavers are large rectangular planks that can reach up to 60" in length Their durable nature makes them an excellent choice for indoor and outdoor use. They are unaffected by extreme climate and easily withstand heavy use due to the nature of their hard molecular structure. They are best installed in a running bond format. These pavers have been reclaimed from different locations across the Mediterranean and have been calibrated from thick blocks down to 5/8” in thickness to ease installation of modern use.

This house was a very small mid-century bungalow with previous additions that resulted in a large but chaotic layout. The owners wanted to convert the house to a super-efficient, and charming Craftsman-style, 6 bedroom home for their large family and work at home. We achieved the space needs by moving a few walls for a more efficient, organized layout, setting up spaces for overlapping uses, and making a small upstairs addition. Every bit of square footage was optimized to meet the goals of the project without making the house huge or adding unnecessary cost. Much thought was given to the entry sequence near the front door. A large flow-through mudroom with storage for each family member, and adjacent laundry, make it easy for children to be taught to keep their things organized and to contribute to household chores. A mail station and central home admin area at the mudroom help keep clutter down at other areas and minimize home management tasks. A garage door near the kitchen gives quick access to bulk items. The existing house had too much view to the street from the living room through large corner windows, and too little entry transition, to the extent that the family did not feel comfortable using the living room much without shades drawn. We raised the window sills and brought the new windows in from the corner of the house, allowing plenty of light while protecting privacy and a sense of enclosure in the living room. We enlarged the front porch to create a more graceful transition from the public to private space. We located the front door so that the circulation from entry into the house would allow for furnishing the living room with a sitting circle that is not intruded upon by people walking through the room. Sight lines through the living spaces were an important consideration in the design. The owners wanted discreet spaces for living room, kitchen, dining and family room, but also wanted the living spaces to feel connected and to be able to easily watch their children. Being able to see the children playing in the yard while getting things done inside the house was also important. While largely working with the existing structure, we opened walls and rearranged the use of spaces to make a series of connected living spaces with long views through them. The character of the remodeled house is a contemporary Craftsman with classic materials and cool, consistent colors. A few arches echo through the house to frame spaces and soften the feeling of the rooms. Photography: Kurt Manley https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/bungalow-expansion/

Our front entryway provides open access to your new dining room. Easily fit a table to fit 6 or more people - allowing you to be the new holiday host.

Reclaimed ‘Dalle de Bourgogne’ pavers by Architectural Stone Decor. www.archstonedecor.ca | sales@archstonedecor.ca | (437) 800-8300 The ancient Dalle de Bourgogne stone pavers have been reclaimed from different locations across the Mediterranean making them unique in their warm color mixtures and patinas and their exquisite beauty. They have been calibrated to 5/8” in thickness to ease installation of modern use. They come in random sizes and could be installed in either a running bond formation or a random ‘Versailles’ pattern. Their durable nature makes them an excellent choice for indoor and outdoor use. They are unaffected by extreme climate and easily withstand heavy use due to the nature of their hard molecular structure.

Bring sleek, modern elegance to your estate with a seamless sand pool designed to perfectly match contemporary architecture. This minimalist oasis features a smooth, continuous deck that glides right into the shimmering turquoise water without any bulky seams or rough borders. The advanced, textured sand finish feels incredibly soft to the touch, stays cool under the sun, and easily resists fading and pool chemicals. Framed by a few striking, well-placed boulders, this clean and sophisticated pool offers a stunning, high-end look that serves as a living work of art.

This 1964 Preston Hollow home was in the perfect location and had great bones but was not perfect for this family that likes to entertain. They wanted to open up their kitchen up to the den and entry as much as possible, as it was small and completely closed off. They needed significant wine storage and they did want a bar area but not where it was currently located. They also needed a place to stage food and drinks outside of the kitchen. There was a formal living room that was not necessary and a formal dining room that they could take or leave. Those spaces were opened up, the previous formal dining became their new home office, which was previously in the master suite. The master suite was completely reconfigured, removing the old office, and giving them a larger closet and beautiful master bathroom. The game room, which was converted from the garage years ago, was updated, as well as the bathroom, that used to be the pool bath. The closet space in that room was redesigned, adding new built-ins, and giving us more space for a larger laundry room and an additional mudroom that is now accessible from both the game room and the kitchen! They desperately needed a pool bath that was easily accessible from the backyard, without having to walk through the game room, which they had to previously use. We reconfigured their living room, adding a full bathroom that is now accessible from the backyard, fixing that problem. We did a complete overhaul to their downstairs, giving them the house they had dreamt of! As far as the exterior is concerned, they wanted better curb appeal and a more inviting front entry. We changed the front door, and the walkway to the house that was previously slippery when wet and gave them a more open, yet sophisticated entry when you walk in. We created an outdoor space in their backyard that they will never want to leave! The back porch was extended, built a full masonry fireplace that is surrounded by a wonderful seating area, including a double hanging porch swing. The outdoor kitchen has everything they need, including tons of countertop space for entertaining, and they still have space for a large outdoor dining table. The wood-paneled ceiling and the mix-matched pavers add a great and unique design element to this beautiful outdoor living space. Scapes Incorporated did a fabulous job with their backyard landscaping, making it a perfect daily escape. They even decided to add turf to their entire backyard, keeping minimal maintenance for this busy family. The functionality this family now has in their home gives the true meaning to Living Better Starts Here™.

Inspiration for a mid-sized full sun front yard garden path in Other.