The image shows the elevated garden as seen from the dining room. We installed a lot of steel in order to blow through a brick wall and fireplace and open the kitchen to this secret garden. We considered excavating the yard down to floor level, but decided that was excessive. The raised courtyard welcomes you to curl up on the window seat and nestle into the landscape.

This organic modern design is built in an area known for having notable issues with ground movement. After speaking with the developer and reviewing the soil report with our Structural Engineer, we made our recommendations to the client. Since the budget for a full-blown pier and beam structure with void boxes under the pool was well beyond the comfort level of our client, they elected to have us utilize a float shell construction method. For this, we over-excavated the hole and placed a 12" layer of gravel beneath the shell of the pool. Drain lines lead from the deepest point under the pool down into a culvert, placed off to the side of the pool. A sump pump removes any excess water from the culvert as it accumulates. For the shell of the pool, we utilized a double matt of steel and increased the wall thickness to a minimum of 12". This gave added strength to withstand the volatile soil. The elements of fire, water, wood and stone were very important in creating the organic modern feel of this design. The layered effect along the back wall creates a visual stimulation across the length of the yard, without overwhelming the senses. Rather than creating walls only of hard materials, we used Ipe wood to create horizontal screen walls of a more organic nature. At either end, the raised wall and the fire feature are finished in a large-scale porcelain tile, with the look of stained concrete. Custom stainless steel scuppers, made by a local fabricator, create a soothing sound of falling water. The low wall at the center of the project is faced in natural ledgestone, and carries a color palette that set the tone for the entire project. Behind this wall and in front of one of the Ipe screens are three Desert Steel Giant Agave sculptures. The unique fire feature isn't quite a fire place, nor is it a fire pit. It is a linear fire burner, surrounded by a 4" thick cantilevered Leuder limestone hearth, with a backdrop wall of blue glazed clay tile. Although the pool was initially planned as a plaster pool, as the project began to take shape, the client elected to go all the way and finish it in a beautiful blue glass mosaic. Custom fabricated stainless steel cannon jets send a delicate arch of water over this deep blue, and draw attention to the three square wok planters on the far side of the yard. For the decking on this project, we elected to work with Mother Nature rather than against her. Two and a half inch thick concrete pavers, set on a bed of compacted, decomposed granite allow for movement around the pool that is easily fixed. If an area of deck moves around, we can simply lift the affected areas, re-level with DG bed, and re-set the pavers.

Photo credit: Alex Parent
Walk-in shower - large contemporary master white tile and stone tile marble floor and multicolored floor walk-in shower idea in Montreal with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, an undermount sink, white walls, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Ryan Gamma Photography
Trendy deck photo in Tampa

Staircase - large traditional wooden curved wood railing staircase idea in New York with painted risers

The owners of this mid-century post-and-beam Pasadena house overlooking the Arroyo Seco asked us to add onto and adapt the house to meet their current needs. The renovation infused the home with a contemporary aesthetic while retaining the home's original character (reminiscent of Cliff May's Ranch-style houses) the project includes and extension to the master bedroom, a new outdoor living room, and updates to the pool, pool house, landscape, and hardscape. we were also asked to design and fabricate custom cabinetry for the home office and an aluminum and glass table for the dining room. PROJECT TEAM: Peter Tolkin,Angela Uriu, Dan Parks, Anthony Denzer, Leigh Jerrard,Ted Rubenstein, Christopher Girt ENGINEERS: Charles Tan + Associates (Structural) LANDSCAPE: Elysian Landscapes GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Western Installations PHOTOGRAPHER:Peter Tolkin

Sculptural agaves, succulents and California native plants punctuate the front landscape complementing the “arroyo seco” rain garden studded with boulders and branches. The rain garden catches 50% of the stormwater runoff from the roof and infiltrates it into the soil. The remaining 50% of the runoff goes to a second rain garden in the back yard.

Resort Modern in Frisco Texas Photographer - Jimi Smith
Pool - huge modern backyard rectangular pool idea in Dallas

The homeowners sought to create a modest, modern, lakeside cottage, nestled into a narrow lot in Tonka Bay. The site inspired a modified shotgun-style floor plan, with rooms laid out in succession from front to back. Simple and authentic materials provide a soft and inviting palette for this modern home. Wood finishes in both warm and soft grey tones complement a combination of clean white walls, blue glass tiles, steel frames, and concrete surfaces. Sustainable strategies were incorporated to provide healthy living and a net-positive-energy-use home. Onsite geothermal, solar panels, battery storage, insulation systems, and triple-pane windows combine to provide independence from frequent power outages and supply excess power to the electrical grid. Photos by Corey Gaffer

Marisa Bistany Perkins Ct Home for New England Home Magazine Photography by Laura Moss Photography
Inspiration for a cottage covered patio remodel in New York with a roof extension and a bbq area

A warm and inviting custom master bathroom.
Example of a mid-sized country master white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile, gray floor, double-sink and shiplap wall double shower design in Raleigh with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and gray countertops

Photo: David Tosti
Trendy wooden floating open and mixed material railing staircase photo in Orange County

Living room - mid-sized modern open concept concrete floor and gray floor living room idea in San Diego with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

This organic modern design is built in an area known for having notable issues with ground movement. After speaking with the developer and reviewing the soil report with our Structural Engineer, we made our recommendations to the client. Since the budget for a full-blown pier and beam structure with void boxes under the pool was well beyond the comfort level of our client, they elected to have us utilize a float shell construction method. For this, we over-excavated the hole and placed a 12" layer of gravel beneath the shell of the pool. Drain lines lead from the deepest point under the pool down into a culvert, placed off to the side of the pool. A sump pump removes any excess water from the culvert as it accumulates. For the shell of the pool, we utilized a double matt of steel and increased the wall thickness to a minimum of 12". This gave added strength to withstand the volatile soil. The elements of fire, water, wood and stone were very important in creating the organic modern feel of this design. The layered effect along the back wall creates a visual stimulation across the length of the yard, without overwhelming the senses. Rather than creating walls only of hard materials, we used Ipe wood to create horizontal screen walls of a more organic nature. At either end, the raised wall and the fire feature are finished in a large-scale porcelain tile, with the look of stained concrete. Custom stainless steel scuppers, made by a local fabricator, create a soothing sound of falling water. The low wall at the center of the project is faced in natural ledgestone, and carries a color palette that set the tone for the entire project. Behind this wall and in front of one of the Ipe screens are three Desert Steel Giant Agave sculptures. The unique fire feature isn't quite a fire place, nor is it a fire pit. It is a linear fire burner, surrounded by a 4" thick cantilevered Leuder limestone hearth, with a backdrop wall of blue glazed clay tile. Although the pool was initially planned as a plaster pool, as the project began to take shape, the client elected to go all the way and finish it in a beautiful blue glass mosaic. Custom fabricated stainless steel cannon jets send a delicate arch of water over this deep blue, and draw attention to the three square wok planters on the far side of the yard. For the decking on this project, we elected to work with Mother Nature rather than against her. Two and a half inch thick concrete pavers, set on a bed of compacted, decomposed granite allow for movement around the pool that is easily fixed. If an area of deck moves around, we can simply lift the affected areas, re-level with DG bed, and re-set the pavers.

Photographer: Michael Del Rossi
1960s home design photo in Boston

The homeowners sought to create a modest, modern, lakeside cottage, nestled into a narrow lot in Tonka Bay. The site inspired a modified shotgun-style floor plan, with rooms laid out in succession from front to back. Simple and authentic materials provide a soft and inviting palette for this modern home. Wood finishes in both warm and soft grey tones complement a combination of clean white walls, blue glass tiles, steel frames, and concrete surfaces. Sustainable strategies were incorporated to provide healthy living and a net-positive-energy-use home. Onsite geothermal, solar panels, battery storage, insulation systems, and triple-pane windows combine to provide independence from frequent power outages and supply excess power to the electrical grid. Photos by Corey Gaffer

Douglas VanderHorn Architects From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Inspiration for a contemporary home gym remodel in Santa Barbara

Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor kitchen remodel in Dublin with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island