The site is in very close proximity to neighbors. Plants that would conform to tight spaces and difficult light conditions had to be utilized. Carpinus 'Frans Fontaine' was ideal for this location.

Design ideas for a coastal full sun front yard stone landscaping.

This side yard landscape renovation was designed to transform an outdated and narrow walkway into a warm, functional, resort-inspired outdoor space. The project included decorative concrete walkways, custom curved retaining walls, updated planting areas, irrigation improvements, and tropical landscaping to create a more inviting and usable environment. Our team carefully reconfigured the layout around the existing trees and landscape to create a natural flowing pathway while maximizing accessibility and visual appeal throughout the property. The curved retaining walls added both structure and dimension to the space while blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. To complete the transformation, we installed lush tropical plants, fresh soil, upgraded planting beds, and landscape lighting to bring life and depth into the entire side yard area. The final result created a clean, private, and relaxing outdoor environment that combines landscape and hardscape elements into one cohesive design.

Thomas Lynch Design, Inc
Photo of an eclectic full sun landscaping in Portland Maine for summer.

Wood deck tiles, artificial grass, stream stones and concrete pavers provide a low maintenance backyard.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard concrete paver garden path in Los Angeles for spring.

D.A. Horchner / Design Workshop, Inc.
Home design - huge farmhouse gravel full sun home design idea for summer in Denver

Thomas Lynch Design, Inc
Photo of a coastal full sun backyard stone landscaping in Portland Maine.

A quiet oasis for two full time professionals to relax in when home
Photo of a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard stone landscaping in Chicago.

Prepping Dirt area for grass seed.
Photo of a traditional full sun backyard brick landscaping for summer.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Baltimore.

Butterfly / Hummingbird garden for year round interest with new stucco and wrought iron pool cover bench. Jude DiMeglio Trang
Photo of a large southwestern full sun backyard formal garden in Phoenix.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard brick landscaping in Cleveland.

Synthetic turf putting green
Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard landscaping in Orange County.

Inspiration for a large contemporary partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Baltimore.

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Cincinnati with a drop-in sink, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts needed a welcoming entry space for guests.
Design ideas for a large traditional partial sun front yard mulch driveway for summer.

Never forget to add color!! Evergreens are great for the winter, but a beautiful Japanese Maple is the way to draw attention to your landscape during the colorful summer months! Even in the fall when the weather is cooler, the leaves turn bright red for an exciting ending to the season.

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Cincinnati with a drop-in sink, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography