The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Custom cabinetry makes this marble topped vanity a standout piece. Paired with unique lighting features and hardware. Jim Brady Architectural Photography

Dry stacked retaining walls are being used to terrace this front yard. We installed a paver front walkway as well through the new shade tolerant landscape plantings.

The classic elegance and intricate detail of small stones combined with the simplicity of a panel system give this stone the appearance of a precision hand-laid dry-stack set. Stones 4″ high and 8″, 12″ and 20″ long makes installation easy for expansive walls and column fascias alike. Stone: Stacked Stone - Chapel Hill Get a Sample of Stacked Stone: https://shop.eldoradostone.com/products/stacked-stone-sample

When our clients moved into their already built home they decided to live in it for a while before making any changes. Once they were settled they decided to hire us as their interior designers to renovate and redesign various spaces of their home. As they selected the spaces to be renovated they expressed a strong need for storage and customization. They allowed us to design every detail as well as oversee the entire construction process directing our team of skilled craftsmen. The home is a traditional home so it was important for us to retain some of the traditional elements while incorporating our clients style preferences. Custom designed by Hartley and Hill Design All materials and furnishings in this space are available through Hartley and Hill Design. www.hartleyandhilldesign.com 888-639-0639 Neil Landino Photography

BLC
Photo of a large rustic partial sun hillside stone garden path in Boston for summer.

Yorkville Hill Landscaping, Inc.
Mid-sized elegant backyard brick patio photo in Chicago with a pergola

We plastered the walls and ceilings throughout this expansive Hill Country home for Baxter Design Group. The plastering and the custom stained beams and woodwork throughout give this home an authentic Old World vibe. Guest Bath featuring encaustic cement tile with plaster walls.

Three retaining walls...actually two retaining walls and a seat wall create usable space for this couple to entertain. Quite a drop from the top!
Photo of a traditional landscaping in Minneapolis.

Front entryway was created to control change a small sloping front yard to a landscaped entryway using retaining walls for planters and flowing stairway to front door. Raised patio by house was added for a front sitting area. Product used - Allan Block - AB Europa Collection. Photo by Allan Block Retaining Walls

Retaining wall
Inspiration for a mid-sized partial sun side yard retaining wall landscape in Birmingham.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

For homes and yards on steep hills, tiered retaining walls can bring a beautiful look to an otherwise awkward space. Here you will see a 3-tier retaining wall to a home in Summit we did. New mulch and fresh plantings deliver the finishing touches.

Multiple tiers are created using natural stripstone retaining walls. This allows for practical, level areas that were previously not useful. Multiple levels create areas of interest as the eye travels from tier to tier.

Define your backyard with the distinct edge of our Pisa2 walls. It has a split face look that creates a clean, classic appearance and a tapered design that allows versatility for straight or curved walls. It allows for gravity walls up to 4 feet in height and engineered walls upwards of 30 feet high. Photo: Barkman Concrete Ltd.