Front facade design
Mid-sized trendy deck photo in Los Angeles

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Staircase - 1960s wooden straight open staircase idea in DC Metro

Front courtyard features natural wreaths on the front doors. Tre Dunham with Fine Focus Photography
Example of a cottage stone exterior home design in Austin

A view of the living room and foyer beyond. The bold orange entry door is a pleasant surprise one only sees after winding around a tall brick wall. Within the entry is a wall of walnut paneling with a hidden door leading to a large closet. The stairs lead up to a second floor landing with a glass railing that opens onto a double height space capped with a series of five over-scaled skylights.

Contemporary front entrance with natural elements of wood and stone. Full width entry steps access both the front and side entrance points. Linear parking pad with black polished river stone accents the homes euro flair exterior. Melanie Rekola Landscape Design photo by Techo Bloc

For this couple, planning to move back to their rambler home in Arlington after living overseas for few years, they were ready to get rid of clutter, clean up their grown-up kids’ boxes, and transform their home into their dream home for their golden years. The old home included a box-like 8 feet x 10 feet kitchen, no family room, three small bedrooms and two back to back small bathrooms. The laundry room was located in a small dark space of the unfinished basement. This home is located in a cul-de-sac, on an uphill lot, of a very secluded neighborhood with lots of new homes just being built around them. The couple consulted an architectural firm in past but never were satisfied with the final plans. They approached Michael Nash Custom Kitchens hoping for fresh ideas. The backyard and side yard are wooded and the existing structure was too close to building restriction lines. We developed design plans and applied for special permits to achieve our client’s goals. The remodel includes a family room, sunroom, breakfast area, home office, large master bedroom suite, large walk-in closet, main level laundry room, lots of windows, front porch, back deck, and most important than all an elevator from lower to upper level given them and their close relative a necessary easier access. The new plan added extra dimensions to this rambler on all four sides. Starting from the front, we excavated to allow a first level entrance, storage, and elevator room. Building just above it, is a 12 feet x 30 feet covered porch with a leading brick staircase. A contemporary cedar rail with horizontal stainless steel cable rail system on both the front porch and the back deck sets off this project from any others in area. A new foyer with double frosted stainless-steel door was added which contains the elevator. The garage door was widened and a solid cedar door was installed to compliment the cedar siding. The left side of this rambler was excavated to allow a storage off the garage and extension of one of the old bedrooms to be converted to a large master bedroom suite, master bathroom suite and walk-in closet. We installed matching brick for a seam-less exterior look. The entire house was furnished with new Italian imported highly custom stainless-steel windows and doors. We removed several brick and block structure walls to put doors and floor to ceiling windows. A full walk in shower with barn style frameless glass doors, double vanities covered with selective stone, floor to ceiling porcelain tile make the master bathroom highly accessible. The other two bedrooms were reconfigured with new closets, wider doorways, new wood floors and wider windows. Just outside of the bedroom, a new laundry room closet was a major upgrade. A second HVAC system was added in the attic for all new areas. The back side of the master bedroom was covered with floor to ceiling windows and a door to step into a new deck covered in trex and cable railing. This addition provides a view to wooded area of the home. By excavating and leveling the backyard, we constructed a two story 15’x 40’ addition that provided the tall ceiling for the family room just adjacent to new deck, a breakfast area a few steps away from the remodeled kitchen. Upscale stainless-steel appliances, floor to ceiling white custom cabinetry and quartz counter top, and fun lighting improved this back section of the house with its increased lighting and available work space. Just below this addition, there is extra space for exercise and storage room. This room has a pair of sliding doors allowing more light inside. The right elevation has a trapezoid shape addition with floor to ceiling windows and space used as a sunroom/in-home office. Wide plank wood floors were installed throughout the main level for continuity. The hall bathroom was gutted and expanded to allow a new soaking tub and large vanity. The basement half bathroom was converted to a full bathroom, new flooring and lighting in the entire basement changed the purpose of the basement for entertainment and spending time with grandkids. Off white and soft tone were used inside and out as the color schemes to make this rambler spacious and illuminated. Final grade and landscaping, by adding a few trees, trimming the old cherry and walnut trees in backyard, saddling the yard, and a new concrete driveway and walkway made this home a unique and charming gem in the neighborhood.

Rachael Boling
Example of a mountain style entryway design in Other with a dark wood front door

The goal of this project was to provide a lush and vast garden for the new owners of this recently remodeled brick Georgian. Located in Wheaton this acre plus property is surrounded by beautiful Oaks. Preserving the Oaks became a particular challenge with the ample front walk and generous entertaining spaces the client desired. Under most of the Oaks the turf was in very poor condition, and most of the property was covered with undesirable overgrown underbrush such as Garlic Mustard weed and Buckthorn. With a recently completed addition, the garages were pushed farther from the front door leaving a large distance between the drive and entry to the home. This prompted the addition of a secondary door off the kitchen. A meandering walk curves past the secondary entry and leads guests through the front garden to the main entry. Off the secondary door a “kitchen patio” complete with a custom gate and Green Mountain Boxwood hedge give the clients a quaint space to enjoy a morning cup of joe. Stepping stone pathways lead around the home and weave through multiple pocket gardens within the vast backyard. The paths extend deep into the property leading to individual and unique gardens with a variety of plantings that are tied together with rustic stonewalls and sinuous turf areas. Closer to the home a large paver patio opens up to the backyard gardens. New stoops were constructed and existing stoops were covered in bluestone and mortared stonewalls were added, complimenting the classic Georgian architecture. The completed project accomplished all the goals of creating a lush and vast garden that fit the remodeled home and lifestyle of its new owners. Through careful planning, all mature Oaks were preserved, undesirables removed and numerous new plantings along with detailed stonework helped to define the new landscape.

Stone steps, interlocking stone front landing, front entry, interlocking walkway, stone garden bed, Tough Oaks Landscaping Company Barrie. Ralph J. Young Natural Stone. Colour banding, front entrance, front porch steps & landing redo, remodel, steps renovation.

The art of placement rooted in feng shui and the practical demands of nature both played intricate roles in this home’s design evolution. Project Style: Contemporary Size: 5 bedrooms; 5 bathrooms; 2 half baths; Living area - 6,200 sq. ft.; Total under roof - 8,200 sq. ft. Home Story: The inspiration for many of the design elements in this waterfront residence came from years of travel by the homeowner. Tucking away wide-ranging ideas - a hotel lobby's suspended fireplace, a restaurant's pivoting front door, a serene reflecting pool - that fused together seamlessly in a meticulous, well-thought-out manner. This home accommodates a large, very active family while serving as a backdrop for elegant art as well as nature's show-stopping displays. Challenges & Points of Interest: Potential for high waves and wind dictated specific aspects of this home's design. Careful planning avoided the need and expense of driving 30-foot deep piles. Suspending a 6' wide, 1,200-pound marble fireplace proved a gravity-defying engineering challenge. The tons of behind-the-scene steel and framing allow the fireplace effortlessly float as the home's centerpiece. The stunning, 900-pound sapele wood, custom front door opens with a finger touch thanks to its unique pivot design. Linear-patterned waterfall granite, ceiling-supplied water for tub bathing, Murphy bed, cantilevered 4-foot stair treads with stainless steel airline-cabled railing, 4-sided infinity-edge hot tub, living wall, zen garden and an intimate reflection pool with stepping stones are a few more of the design inspirations-turned reality in this highly-efficient Smart home.

Deck - coastal deck idea in New York

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Spiced Rum – a warm, earthy umber featuring subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense, tropical hues that will retain its lush looks for decades and Trex Transcend decking in Vintage Lantern – a deep-burnished bronze with Old World elegance. Additional Trex products featured include Trex Transcend railing and Trex Outdoor Lighting – recessed deck lights.

Here is a Beautiful Deck that was built in Downingtown, PA. It was built with TimberTech Slate Evolutions decking and White Vinyl Railing with Black Aluminum Balusters. The Front of the deck was built in a curve as requested from the home owner. Wrap around Steps were installed on one side of the deck going down to ground level, closing off the bottom of the deck. A lighting package was installed including post lights and step lights. This Project also features a Custom White Vinyl Pergola. Photo By: Keystone Custom Decks

A rejuvenation project of the entire first floor of approx. 1700sq. The kitchen was completely redone and redesigned with relocation of all major appliances, construction of a new functioning island and creating a more open and airy feeling in the space. A "window" was opened from the kitchen to the living space to create a connection and practical work area between the kitchen and the new home bar lounge that was constructed in the living space. New dramatic color scheme was used to create a "grandness" felling when you walk in through the front door and accent wall to be designated as the TV wall. The stairs were completely redesigned from wood banisters and carpeted steps to a minimalistic iron design combining the mid-century idea with a bit of a modern Scandinavian look. The old family room was repurposed to be the new official dinning area with a grand buffet cabinet line, dramatic light fixture and a new minimalistic look for the fireplace with 3d white tiles.

Modern Landscaping, front door steps, exterior stairs with a bistro sized patio for entertaining friends, Oaks Interlock, by Brampton Brick, Neuva, Milano, Ridgefield Smooth, Sleek Modern Aesthetic by TOUGH OAKS LANDSCAPING in Barrie, Barrie Landscaping, Tough Oaks, Ralph J Young team for Simcoe County, Ontario.

custom decking, outdoor living space, outdoor seating, iron rails
Inspiration for a timeless deck remodel in Portland with no cover

Entryway - coastal entryway idea in Other

Deck - mid-sized backyard deck idea in New York with no cover

Photography by Morgan Howarth
Elegant brick exterior home photo in DC Metro