A rolling mound in the center of a U-shaped drive de-emphasizes the expanse of concrete and buffers the view from the street.
This is an example of a large transitional full sun front yard driveway in Cleveland for summer.

New BBQ and bar area. The outdoor kitchen nestles into the hillside and doubles as a retaining wall for the slope. Long Island Boulders continue the slope retention and tie into the rest of the site's materials. We extended the existing brick wall in front of the family room to support the custom arc-shaped bluestone bar. Photo by Susan Sotera

Intimate seating area in a South Florida backyard with stepping stone walkway and coral stone benches
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional full sun backyard gravel garden path in Miami.

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

The landscape of this home honors the formality of Spanish Colonial / Santa Barbara Style early homes in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. By re-grading the lot and allowing for terraced opportunities, we featured a variety of hardscape stone, brick, and decorative tiles that reinforce the eclectic Spanish Colonial feel. Cantera and La Negra volcanic stone, brick, natural field stone, and handcrafted Spanish decorative tiles are used to establish interest throughout the property. A front courtyard patio includes a hand painted tile fountain and sitting area near the outdoor fire place. This patio features formal Boxwood hedges, Hibiscus, and a rose garden set in pea gravel. The living room of the home opens to an outdoor living area which is raised three feet above the pool. This allowed for opportunity to feature handcrafted Spanish tiles and raised planters. The side courtyard, with stepping stones and Dichondra grass, surrounds a focal Crape Myrtle tree. One focal point of the back patio is a 24-foot hand-hammered wrought iron trellis, anchored with a stone wall water feature. We added a pizza oven and barbecue, bistro lights, and hanging flower baskets to complete the intimate outdoor dining space. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Sam Rosenbaum

Red jar fountain with stones, seating, decomposed granite and California native plantings.
Photo of a small craftsman front yard landscaping in Los Angeles.

Ocean Blue color scheme. 4 chair conversation setting for gathering and entertaining. Chairs by Hickory Chair, cocktail ottoman in Clarke & Clarke by Vanguard. Oval tables by Michael Wise, Vanguard furniture. Custom silk window treatment by Osborne & Little Photography Matt Harrer

This residence is a renovation of a traditional landscape into a contemporary garden. Custom contemporary steel planters complement the steel detailing on the home and offer an opportunity to highlight unique native plant species. A large front yard living space offers easy socialization with this active neighborhood. The spectacular salvaged 15ft Organ Pipe Cactus grabs your eye as you enter the residence and anchors the contemporary garden. The back terrace has been designed to create inviting entertainment areas that overlook the golf course as well as protected private dining areas. A large family gathering spot is nestled between the pool and centered around the concrete fire pit. The relaxing spa has a negative edge that falls as a focal point towards the master bedroom. A secluded private dining area off of the kitchen incorporates a steel louver wall that can be opened and closed providing both privacy from adjacent neighbors and protection from the wind. Masses of succulents and cacti reinforce the structure of the home. Project Details: Architect: PHX Architecture Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Art Holeman

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.

Design ideas for a modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Design and Construction by: Arrow. Land+Structures. Marco Romani, RLA Landscape Architect
Design ideas for a traditional front yard stone garden path in Chicago.

Welcome to your Southwestern Adventure. Nestled on over two acres this Incredible Horse Property is a ''Ranchers'' dream! Gated front pergola covered courtyard, 92''x48''x3'', and cedar door w/speakeasy. Stunning inlaid floor t/o with stone design in foyer and coat closet. Unique kitchen features Viking appliances, double ovens, food warmer, 6 burner gas stove top, built-in Miele coffee maker, vegetable sink, pot filler, insta hot water, breakfast nook/bar seating, pantry, skylight, and granite/glass countertops with custom cabinetry. Open concept family room to kitchen. Wood burning fireplace, large upper lit viga beams, and French door to pool. Amazing Atrium with skylight and fountain all opening up to family rm, dining rm, and game room. Pool table in game room with wood burning fireplace,built-ins, with back patio access and pool area. First bedroom offers Murphy bed and can be easily converted from office to bedroom. The 2nd bedroom with large closet and private bathroom. Guest bedroom with private bathroom and large closet. Grand master retreat with attached workout room and library. Patio access to back patio and pool area. His/Hers closets and separate dressing area. Private spa-like master en suite with large shower, steam room, wall jets, rain shower head, hydraulic skylight, and separate vanities/sinks. Laundry room with storage, utility sink, and convenient hanging rod. 3 Car garage, one extra long slot, swamp cooler, and work room with built-ins or use as an extra parking spot for a small car or motorcycle. Entertaining backyard is a must see! Colorful and fun with covered patio, built-in BBQ w/side burner, sin, refrigerator, television, gas fire pit, garden with 2'x15' raised beds and work area. Refreshing pool with water feature, Jacuzzi, and sauna. Mature fruit trees, drip system, and circular driveway. Bonus 2nd patio, extra large wood or coal burning grill/smoker, pizza oven, and lots of seating. The horses will love their 7 Stall Barn including Stud Stall and Foaling Stall. Tack Room, automatic flyer sprayer, automatic watering system, 7 stall covered mare motel. Turn out or Riding arena. Pellet silo and covered trailer parking. Security system with motion cameras.

With a sizeable backyard and a love for entertaining, these clients wanted to build a covered outdoor kitchen/bar and seating area. They had one specific area by the side of their pool, with limited space, to build the outdoor kitchen. There were immediate concerns about how to incorporate the two steps in the middle of the patio area; and they really wanted a bar that could seat at least eight people (to include an additional seating area with couches and chairs). This couple also wanted to use their outdoor living space year round. The kitchen needed ample storage and had to be easy to maintain. And last, but not least, they wanted it to look beautiful! This 16 x 26 ft clear span pavilion was a great fit for the area we had to work with. By using wrapped steel columns in the corners in 6-foot piers, carpenter-built trusses, and no ridge beams, we created good space usage underneath the pavilion. The steps were incorporated into the space to make the transition between the kitchen area and seating area, which looked like they were meant to be there. With a little additional flagstone work, we brought the curve of the step to meet the back island, which also created more floor space in the seating area. Two separate islands were created for the outdoor kitchen/bar area, built with galvanized metal studs to allow for more room inside the islands (for appliances and cabinets). We also used backer board and covered the islands with smooth finish stucco. The back island housed the BBQ, a 2-burner cooktop and sink, along with four cabinets, one of which was a pantry style cabinet with pull out shelves (air tight, dust proof and spider proof—also very important to the client). The front island housed the refrigerator, ice maker, and counter top cooler, with another set of pantry style, air tight cabinets. By curving the outside edge of the countertop we maximized the bar area and created seating for eight. In addition, we filled in the curve on the inside of the island with counter top and created two additional seats. In total, there was seating for ten people. Infrared heaters, ceiling fans and shades were added for climate control, so the outdoor living space could be used year round. A TV for sporting events and SONOS for music, were added for entertaining enjoyment. Track lighting, as well as LED tape lights under the backsplash, provided ideal lighting for after dark usage. The clients selected honed, Fantasy Brown Satin Quartzite, with a chipped edge detail for their countertop. This beautiful, linear design marble is very easy to maintain. The base of the islands were completed in stucco and painted satin gray to complement their house color. The posts were painted with Monterey Cliffs, which matched the color of the house shutter trim. The pavilion ceiling consisted of 2 x 6-T & G pine and was stained platinum gray. In the few months since the outdoor living space was built, the clients said they have used it for more than eight parties and can’t wait to use it for the holidays! They also made sure to tell us that the look, feel and maintenance of the area all are perfect!

The owners of this kitchen had spent the money to upgrade the finishes in their kitchen upon building the home 12 years ago, but after living in the space for several years they realized how nonfunctional the layout really was. The (then) two preschool aged children had grown into busy, hungry teenagers with many friends who also liked to hang out at the house. So the family needed a more functional kitchen with better traffic flow, space for daily activities revolving around the kitchen at different times of day, and a kitchen that could accommodate cooking for and serving large groups. Furthermore, the dark, traditional finishes no longer reflected the homeowners’ style. They requested a brighter, more relaxed, coastal style that reflected their love of the seaside cities they like to visit. Originally, the kitchen was U-shaped with a narrow island in the middle. The island created narrow aisles that bottle-necked at the dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooktop areas. There was a pass-through from the foyer into the kitchen, but the owners never liked that the pass-through was also located so close to the powder room. The awkward proximity was unappealing and made guests feel uncomfortable. The kitchen’s storage was made up of lots of narrow cabinets, apothecary drawers, clipped corner units, and very few drawers. It lacked useful storage for the larger items the family used on a daily basis. And the kitchen’s only pantry was small closet that had only builder-grade, narrow shelving with no illumination to be able to see the contents inside. Overall, the kitchen’s lighting plan was poorly executed. Only six recessed cans illuminated the entire kitchen and nook areas. The under cabinet lighting was not evenly distributed either. In fact, the builder had mis-placed the under cabinet lighting around the decorative pilasters which made for choppy, dark cubbies. Further, the builder didn’t include any lighting over the sink or the bar area, which meant whoever was doing the dishes was always in their own shadow. That, coupled with the steep overhang of the game room above made the bar area feel like a dim, cavernous space that wasn’t inviting or task oriented. The kitchen looked out into the main living space, but the raised bar and a narrow wall (which held the only large cabinet in the kitchen) created more of a barrier than a relationship to the living room or breakfast nook. In fact, one couldn’t even see the breakfast nook from the cooktop or sink areas due to its orientation. The raised bar top was too narrow to comfortably sit to either dine at or chat from due to the lack of knee space. The the homeowners confided that the kitchen felt more like a dark, dirty prison than place where the family, or their guests, wanted to gather and commune. The clients' needs and desires were: ➢ to create a kitchen that would be a space the family loved to be in; to relate to the adjacent spaces all around, and to have better flow for entertaining large groups ➢ to remove the walls between the breakfast nook and living area and to be able to utilize the natural light from the windows in both those areas ➢ to incorporate a functional chopping block for prepping fresh food for home cooked meals, an island with a large sink and drain board, 2 pull out trash cans, and seating for at least the 2 teens to eat or do homework ➢ to design a kitchen and breakfast nook with an airy, coastal, relaxed vibe that blended with the rest of the house's coastal theme ➢ to integrate a layered lighting plan which would include ample general illumination, specific task lighting, decorative lighting, and lots of illuminated storage ➢ to design a kitchen with not only more storage for all the husband’s kitchen gadgets and collection of oils and spices, but smart storage, including a coffee/breakfast bar and a place to store and conceal the toaster oven and microwave ➢ to find a way to utilize the large open space between the kitchen, pantry area, and breakfast nook Twelve Stones Designs achieved the owner's goals by: ➢ removing the walls between the kitchen and living room to allow the natural light to filter in from the adjacent rooms and to create a connection between the kitchen, nook, and living spaces for a sense of unity and communion ➢ removing the existing pantry and designing 3 large pantry style cabinets with LED tape lights and rollout drawers to house lots of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tons of groceries. We also took the cabinets all the way up to the 9’ ceiling for additional storage for seasonal items and bulk storage. ➢ designing 2 islands - 1 with a gorgeous black walnut chopping block that houses a drawer for chopping and carving knives and a custom double pull out trash unit for point of use utilization - and 1 that houses the dishwasher, a large Blanco Gourmet sink with integrated drain board, woven baskets for fresh root vegetables and kitchen towels, plenty of drawer storage for kitchen items, and bar seating for up to 4 diners. ➢ closing off the space between the kitchen and the powder room to create a beautiful new private alcove for the powder room as well as adding some decorative storage. This also gave us space to include more tall storage near the new range for precision placement of the husband’s extensive oil and spice collection as well as a location for a combo-steam oven the wife wanted for baking and cooking healthy meals. The project is enhanced functionally by: ➢ incorporated USB and standard receptacles for the kids’ laptops and phone charging in the large island ➢ designing the small island to include additional open shelving for items used on a daily basis such as a variety of bowls, plates, and colanders. This set up also works well for the husband who prefers to “plate” his dinners in restaurant-style fashion before presenting them to the table. ➢ the integration of specific storage units, such as double stacked cutlery drawers, a custom spice pull-out, a Kuerig coffee and tea pod drawer, and custom double stacked utensil drawers ➢ moving the refrigerator to the old oven location - this eliminated the bottle neck as well as created a better relationship to the eating table. It also utilizes the floor space between the pantry, nook, and kitchen ➢ creating a banquet style breakfast nook - this banquette seating not only doubles the amount of seating for large gatherings but it better utilizes the odd space between the kitchen and the previous nook area. It also helps to create a distinct pathway from the mudroom room through the pantry area, kitchen, nook, and living room. ➢ the coffee/breakfast bar area which includes the perfect location for the concealed microwave and toaster oven, convenient storage for the coffee pods and tea accoutrements. Roll-out drawers below also house the smoothie maker, hot water kettle, and a plethora of smoothie-making ingredients such as protein powders, smoothie additives, etc. Furthermore, the drawers below the Keurig house measuring utensil, cutlery, baking supplies and tupperware storage. ➢ incorporating lots of wide drawers and pullouts to accommodate large cookware. ➢ utilizing as much vertical space as possible by building storage to the ceiling which accommodates the family’s abundant amount of serving platters, baking sheets, bakeware, casserole dishes, and additional cutting boards. The project is enhanced aesthetically by: ➢ new 5-piece Versailles pattern porcelain tile that now seamlessly joins the entire down stairs area together creating a bright, cohesiveness feeling instead of choppy separated spaces - it also adds a coastal feeling ➢ designing a cabinet to conceal the microwave and toaster oven ➢ the coastal influenced light fixtures over the nook table and island ➢ the sandy colors of the Langdon Cambria countertops. The swirling pattern and sparkling quartz pieces remind the homeowner of black-and-tan sandy beaches ➢ the striped banquet seating whose creamy white background and blue-green stripes were the inspiration for the cabinet and wall colors. ➢ All the interior doors were painted black to coordinate with the blacks and grays in the backsplash tile and countertop. This also adds a hint of tailored formality to an otherwise casual space. ➢ the use of WAC's Oculux small aperture LED units for the overhead lighting complimented with Diode LED strips for task lighting under the cabinets and inside the pantry and glass wall cabinets. All of the lighting applications are on separate dimmer switches. Innovative uses of materials or construction methods by Realty Restoration LLC: ➢ Each 1-1/2” x 3” block of reclaimed end-grain black walnut that makes up the center island chopping block was hand milled and built in the shop. It was designed to look substantial and proportional to the surrounding elements, executed by creating the 4 inch tall top with a solid wood chamfered edge band. ➢ The metal doors on either side of the vent hood were also custom designed for this project and built in the Realty Restoration LLC shop. They are made 1x2, 11-gauge mild steel with ribbed glass. Weighing 60 lbs a piece, heavy duty cabinet hinges were added to support the weight of the door and keep them from sagging. ➢ Under-cabinet receptacles were added along the range wall in order to have a clean, uninterrupted backsplash. Design obstacles to overcome: ➢ Because we were removing the demising walls between the kitchen and living room, we had to find a way to plumb and vent the new island. We did this by tunneling through the slab (the slab had post tension cables which prevented us from just trenching) to run a new wet vent through a nearby structural wall. We pulled the existing hot and cold lines between upper floor joists and ran them down the structural wall as well and up through a conduit in the tunnel. ➢ Since we were converting from wall overs to a gas range it allowed us to utilize the 220 feed for the wall ovens to provide a new sub panel for all the new kitchen circuits ➢ Due to framing deficiencies inherited from the original build there was a 1-1/2” differential in the floor-to-ceiling height over a 20 foot span; by utilizing the process of cutting and furring coupled with the crown moulding details on the cabinet elevations we were able to mask the problem and provide seamless transitions between the cabinet components. Evidence of superior craftsmanship: ➢ uniquely designed, one-of-a-kind metal “X” end panels on the large island. The end panels were custom made in the Realty Restoration LLC shop and fitted to the exact dimensions of the island. The welding seams are completely indistinguishable - the posts look like they are cut from a single sheet of metal ➢ square metal posts on the small island were also custom made and designed to compliment and carry through the metal element s throughout the kitchen ➢ the beautiful, oversized end panels on the pantry cabinets which give the breakfast nook a tailored look ➢ integrating a large format 5 piece Versailles tile pattern to seamlessly flow from the existing spaces into the new kitchen space ➢ By constructing a custom cabinet that jogged around a corner we could not remodel (housing the entry way coat closet) we were able to camouflage the adjacent wall offset within the upper and lower cabinets. By designing around the existing jog in the structural walls we accomplished a few things: we were able to find the space to house, and hide, the microwave and toaster oven yet still have a clean cohesive appearance from the kitchen side. Additionally, the owners were able to keep their much needed coat closet and we didn’t have to increase the budget with unnecessary structural work.

Down-to-studs remodel and second floor addition. The original house was a simple plain ranch house with a layout that didn’t function well for the family. We changed the house to a contemporary Mediterranean with an eclectic mix of details. Space was limited by City Planning requirements so an important aspect of the design was to optimize every bit of space, both inside and outside. The living space extends out to functional places in the back and front yards: a private shaded back yard and a sunny seating area in the front yard off the kitchen where neighbors can easily mingle with the family. A Japanese bath off the master bedroom upstairs overlooks a private roof deck which is screened from neighbors’ views by a trellis with plants growing from planter boxes and with lanterns hanging from a trellis above. Photography by Kurt Manley. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/modern-mediterranean/

This 1600+ square foot basement was a diamond in the rough. We were tasked with keeping farmhouse elements in the design plan while implementing industrial elements. The client requested the space include a gym, ample seating and viewing area for movies, a full bar , banquette seating as well as area for their gaming tables - shuffleboard, pool table and ping pong. By shifting two support columns we were able to bury one in the powder room wall and implement two in the custom design of the bar. Custom finishes are provided throughout the space to complete this entertainers dream.

1920's Beach Bungalow was revised to provide enlarged seating at front yard, Pergola at entry, new color pallet to coordinate with existing brick, water features to mitigate traffic noise, and revised landscaping. David Patterson Photography

Located in Wrightwood Estates, Levi Construction’s latest residency is a two-story mid-century modern home that was re-imagined and extensively remodeled with a designer’s eye for detail, beauty and function. Beautifully positioned on a 9,600-square-foot lot with approximately 3,000 square feet of perfectly-lighted interior space. The open floorplan includes a great room with vaulted ceilings, gorgeous chef’s kitchen featuring Viking appliances, a smart WiFi refrigerator, and high-tech, smart home technology throughout. There are a total of 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. On the first floor there are three large bedrooms, three bathrooms and a maid’s room with separate entrance. A custom walk-in closet and amazing bathroom complete the master retreat. The second floor has another large bedroom and bathroom with gorgeous views to the valley. The backyard area is an entertainer’s dream featuring a grassy lawn, covered patio, outdoor kitchen, dining pavilion, seating area with contemporary fire pit and an elevated deck to enjoy the beautiful mountain view. Project designed and built by Levi Construction http://www.leviconstruction.com/ Levi Construction is specialized in designing and building custom homes, room additions, and complete home remodels. Contact us today for a quote.

Blending a modern sensibility with traditional architecture, this garden features a front yard meadow with native grasses (Carex praecracilis) and wildflowers. Poured-in-place concrete pavers in a meandering pattern slow the approach from the sidewalk to the entry. The modestly-sized backyard has been maximized for entertaining with outdoor dining and lounging areas and subtle landscape lighting. Native plants, herbs, and edibles share the back garden beds, and a raised pond brings the garden to life. Photo by Martin Cox Photography.