Full service residential and light commercial building, remodeling and design contractor MJH Construction is committed to providing our customers with exceptional customer service, sound design, extreme craftsmanship, and the highest quality products to complete their projects and exceed expectations. Owner and Founder, Michael J. Harkowa is a graduate of New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture. He has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry and has been a licensed contractor since 1989. He established MJH Construction in 1993 in Brentwood, NY, providing customers with remodeling and design services. In 1997, Mike moved to Maryland to pursue new opportunities in the remodeling and new construction markets as a founding member of Needwood Construction, LLC. He held the position of Senior Member/Partner of Needwood Construction, LLC for 15 years, as well as Vice President and later, President of Needwood Homes, Inc. for 9 years. In 2012, Mike re-established MJH Construction, LLC; providing building, remodeling & design services.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard brick landscaping in San Diego for spring.

When new homes are put up in an older neighborhood, thoughtful landscape design can provide a more established feel. Our clients wanted beautiful plantings and aesthetically pleasing access to the garage behind the home. D. A. Dunlevy installed a heated parking area that leads to the subtle driveway. A stunning entry gate is trellised for ivy to eventually cover it, which will create a secret garden feel to an otherwise everyday feature. A unique trellised hydrangea curtain lines the drive and will add lush and shady beauty as the plants mature. More custom touches include a traditionally-stacked stone wall, porthole trellis screens that reflect the home’s architecture, and a cedar trellis with espaliered pyracantha. Every detail of this project served to create a well-established, inviting, and old-world feel to a new build.

When new homes are put up in an older neighborhood, thoughtful landscape design can provide a more established feel. Our clients wanted beautiful plantings and aesthetically pleasing access to the garage behind the home. D. A. Dunlevy installed a heated parking area that leads to the subtle driveway. A stunning entry gate is trellised for ivy to eventually cover it, which will create a secret garden feel to an otherwise everyday feature. A unique trellised hydrangea curtain lines the drive and will add lush and shady beauty as the plants mature. More custom touches include a traditionally-stacked stone wall, porthole trellis screens that reflect the home’s architecture, and a cedar trellis with espaliered pyracantha. Every detail of this project served to create a well-established, inviting, and old-world feel to a new build.

When new homes are put up in an older neighborhood, thoughtful landscape design can provide a more established feel. Our clients wanted beautiful plantings and aesthetically pleasing access to the garage behind the home. D. A. Dunlevy installed a heated parking area that leads to the subtle driveway. A stunning entry gate is trellised for ivy to eventually cover it, which will create a secret garden feel to an otherwise everyday feature. A unique trellised hydrangea curtain lines the drive and will add lush and shady beauty as the plants mature. More custom touches include a traditionally-stacked stone wall, porthole trellis screens that reflect the home’s architecture, and a cedar trellis with espaliered pyracantha. Every detail of this project served to create a well-established, inviting, and old-world feel to a new build.

Pasadena, CA - Complete Bathroom Addition to an Existing House For this Master Bathroom Addition to an Existing Home, we first framed out the home extension, and established a water line for Bathroom. Following the framing process, we then installed the drywall, insulation, windows and rough plumbing and rough electrical. After the room had been established, we then installed all of the tile; shower enclosure, backsplash and flooring. Upon the finishing of the tile installation, we then installed all of the sliding barn door, all fixtures, vanity, toilet, lighting and all other needed requirements per the Bathroom Addition.

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom remodel in New York

Nestled amidst a neighborhood of single story bungalows in Venice, California, the Solar Umbrella Residence boldly establishes a precedent for the next generation of California modernist architecture. Located on a 41’ wide x 100’-0” long through lot, the Solar Umbrella addition transforms the architects’ existing 650 square foot bungalow into a 1900 square foot residence equipped for responsible living in the twenty-first century. Inspired by Paul Rudolph’s Umbrella House of 1953, the Solar Umbrella provides a contemporary reinvention of the solar canopy—a strategy that provides thermal protection in climates with intense exposures. In establishing the program for their residence, which accommodates the couple and their one child chose to integrate into the design, principles of sustainability that they strive to achieve in their own practice. The architects carefully considered the entire site, taking advantage of as many opportunities for sustainable living as possible. Passive and active solar design strategies render the residence 100% energy neutral. Recycled, renewable, and high performance materials and products are specified throughout. Hardscape and landscape treatments are considered for their aesthetic and actual impact on the land. The Brooks Scarpa Residence elegantly crafts each of these strategies and materials, exploiting the potential for performance and sensibility while achieving a rich and interesting sensory and aesthetic experience.

The proposal analyzes the site as a series of existing flows or “routes” across the landscape. The negotiation of both constructed and natural systems establishes the logic of the site plan and the orientation and organization of the new home. Conceptually, the project becomes a highly choreographed knot at the center of these routes, drawing strands in, engaging them with others, and propelling them back out again. The project’s intent is to capture and harness the physical and ephemeral sense of these latent natural movements as a way to promote in the architecture the wanderlust the surrounding landscape inspires. At heart, the client’s initial family agenda--a home as antidote to the city and basecamp for exploration--establishes the ethos and design objectives of the work. Photography - Bruce Damonte

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

Instead of turf here we have a very low light plant- Lilyturf or Liriope. It establishes in about 3 years to form a weed-proof soft textured ground cover requiring no supplemental water once established. Gil Schieber

Pasadena, CA - Complete Bathroom Addition to an Existing House For this Master Bathroom Addition to an Existing Home, we first framed out the home extension, and established a water line for Bathroom. Following the framing process, we then installed the drywall, insulation, windows and rough plumbing and rough electrical. After the room had been established, we then installed all of the tile; shower enclosure, backsplash and flooring. Upon the finishing of the tile installation, we then installed all of the sliding barn door, all fixtures, vanity, toilet, lighting and all other needed requirements per the Bathroom Addition.

The proposal analyzes the site as a series of existing flows or “routes” across the landscape. The negotiation of both constructed and natural systems establishes the logic of the site plan and the orientation and organization of the new home. Conceptually, the project becomes a highly choreographed knot at the center of these routes, drawing strands in, engaging them with others, and propelling them back out again. The project’s intent is to capture and harness the physical and ephemeral sense of these latent natural movements as a way to promote in the architecture the wanderlust the surrounding landscape inspires. At heart, the client’s initial family agenda--a home as antidote to the city and basecamp for exploration--establishes the ethos and design objectives of the work. Photography - Bruce Damonte

Photo credit: Elaine Evans

When new homes are put up in an older neighborhood, thoughtful landscape design can provide a more established feel. Our clients wanted beautiful plantings and aesthetically pleasing access to the garage behind the home. D. A. Dunlevy installed a heated parking area that leads to the subtle driveway. A stunning entry gate is trellised for ivy to eventually cover it, which will create a secret garden feel to an otherwise everyday feature. A unique trellised hydrangea curtain lines the drive and will add lush and shady beauty as the plants mature. More custom touches include a traditionally-stacked stone wall, porthole trellis screens that reflect the home’s architecture, and a cedar trellis with espaliered pyracantha. Every detail of this project served to create a well-established, inviting, and old-world feel to a new build.

Royal's Factory and its review: The business that Royal now runs in Shanghai was originally established by his father in Hong Kong. The legacy of this workmanship lies with Royal's father. At age 20, he was apprenticed to a traditional Chinese carpenter in Shanghai and learnt the long-established customs of furniture manufacture and furniture upholstery. After moving to Hong Kong, he was fortunate to study and work with a master craftsman from France, who specialized in furnitures. This experience allowed him to integrate his knowledge of both Eastern and Western practices, catering to both local and international clients. When Royal and his family moved to Shanghai seven years ago, the family business came full circle, opening Little Dragon in the city where Royal's father had first learnt the craft of furniture making. Royal has a special affinity for furniture making, having studied classic and modern techniques under father's direction from the age of 16 years. He is genuinely passionate about furniture making (especially furnitures). Over the last 8 years, our business has grown significantly, due mainly to the glowing referrals we receive from our loyal customers, who enjoy our personalized service and attention to detail. "You can't get a better marketing strategy than word-of-mouth," says owner Royal Wong, who believes the success of our family business is based on the quality of the craftsmanship and service our staff provide. We also believe that detailed hand-finished work provides its own quality assurance and our confidence in this craftsmanship is reflected in our lifetime service guarantee. All tastes and styles are catered to, as the store offers more than 5,000 quality samples and fabric swatches. An enormous array of options await - smooth leather, luxurious velvet, magnificent satin tapestry designs and comfortable modern fabrics such as cotton-linen blends and ultra-suede. As upholstery support and padding is dictated by individual taste, customers can choose from a diverse range of filling materials, which are assembled by hand. Specialized workshop processes ensure the quality and quantity of these materials, as they are individually weighed then encased in a special lining fabric. Customers that choose a made-to-order furniture know just what they want, and that's usually a furniture that will retain its original size, shape and support over the years. Changes in style and taste are easily accommodated with interchangeable and replaceable furniture covers. Our custom-made furnitures and chairs, of unique design and style, are vivid reflections of the personality and taste of their owners. Like tailor-made clothing, the quality of the design and materials are specifically suited to the end user. Over the last seven years, we've collected an interesting range of anecdotes from our customers, some of whom will go to great lengths to get a Little Dragon furniture into their home. One client, whose custom-made furniture was too large to fit through his front door, hoisted it through a third floor window via a pulley. Another, having relocated his Little Dragon furniture from Shanghai, to the United States, to Singapore, visited China especially to pick up some soft furnishings from our store. Amongst our high profile customers over the years are some of Hong Kong's premier five-star hotel presidents, business titans, film stars and Shanghai's consul-generals. Perhaps one of our most faithful customers is the legendary Hong Kong actor, Andy Lau, who asked his interior decorator to work directly with us to complete the design of his entire mansion in Hong Kong. The repair and restoration of antique furniture is a unique skill that we offer our customers. Our European clients, in particular, have strong recollections of furniture handed down through the ages and appreciate the opportunity to put some life back into family heirlooms which hold such fond memories of those now departed. One French customer, referred by a friend, entrusted us with a armoire that had been in the family for three generations. Our company's objective is the same as its clients - to retain the integrity of the original craftsmanship and refresh the unique traits of an individual furniture piece. For this reason, Royal's customers can be considered a rather special community as they are willing to come from far and wide to benefit from his unique skill set. The company's integrity and heritage are much like that of the pieces they work on – handed down from father to son and continued throughout the generations. It is no wonder that the business has an international reputation which draws clients from all corners of the globe to Shanghai.

Refined Continuity: Bridging Classical Architecture and Modern Living This comprehensive remodel of a grand Cow Hollow residence reimagines a historically expressive envelope through a lens of contemporary livability, precision detailing, and material restraint. The design approach carefully balances the home’s classical proportions and ornamental heritage with a refined, modern sensibility—evident in the disciplined palette of warm neutrals, soft plasters, pale oak flooring, and tailored millwork. Circulation has been clarified and subtly expanded to enhance spatial flow, while openings are leveraged to capture light, garden outlooks, and distant water views. Throughout, architectural interventions are executed with a high level of craft, ensuring that new insertions—whether cabinetry, railings, or apertures—read as seamless continuations of the original structure rather than applied elements. The kitchen serves as the operational and visual anchor of the home, conceived as a sculptural yet highly functional environment. Custom rift-cut cabinetry, softened through a desaturated finish, is paired with honed stone surfaces and integrated brass hardware to create a quiet, tactile richness. A monolithic island establishes a central gathering point, while perimeter work zones are carefully layered with concealed storage, integrated appliances, and open, backlit shelving that elevates everyday objects into curated displays. The adjacent bar and entertaining areas extend this language, reinforcing a cohesive hospitality-driven program. In parallel, the primary bathroom is designed as a serene, spa-like retreat, where bookmatched stone, frameless glass enclosures, and finely detailed metalwork converge. The composition prioritizes symmetry, clarity, and light—balancing generous volumes with intimate moments through integrated lighting, custom vanities, and a restrained material hierarchy. The library and ancillary living spaces introduce a more intimate scale, anchored by bespoke built-ins that combine closed storage with illuminated display niches, creating depth and rhythm along the walls. Here, material transitions and furniture integration are handled with particular nuance, allowing the architecture to support both quiet retreat and social gathering. A continuous language of custom railings—executed in refined metal profiles—threads through the interior and extends outward, where the exterior gate and garden elements have been reinterpreted to align with the home’s renewed identity. The entry sequence is now defined by a calibrated interplay of solidity and transparency, with sculptural metalwork and landscape integration establishing a sense of arrival that is both secure and elegant. Collectively, the project reflects a holistic transformation—one that elevates performance, livability, and aesthetic clarity while preserving the inherent dignity of the original architecture.

Nestled in an exclusive Scottsdale enclave, this garden amendment and redesign captures the charm of both the home and the homeowner. A garden of softness, texture, and ever-changing color was the understanding throughout the design process. Creating interest and establishing pattern were cornerstones in the linear spaces, curvilinear walkways and paths guide visitors through their outdoor living space. Establishing an enjoyable entertaining space and bringing the outdoors “in” were paramount when constructing this scaled botanical garden.

Example of a beach style exterior home design in San Diego