Here we improved this yard by adding a dry creek, a few boulders and lots of plants!
This is an example of a mid-sized drought-tolerant, rock and full sun front yard river rock landscaping in Portland for summer.

This family wanted to improve their curb appeal, especially as they also run a home-based business that welcomes clients. A minimalist planting and aesthetic was requested with a palette as closely resembling the modernist gardens of Palm Springs as possible here in the Pacific Northwest. Challenge accepted! A front path of block pavers was laid in a geometric pattern for high functionality while also feeling fresh and young. Lots of structural plant choices in blues and light greens align with the requested plant style while also providing a deer proof and drought tolerant planting.

Beautiful front walkway and steps accented by a Belvedere pillar, and gardens. Products used: -Permacon: -Esplanade Slab in Range Grey -Esplanade Step in Range Grey -Browns Concrete: -Belvedere Garden Wall in Manitou Blend Photo Credits - Cameron Maiolo

This family wanted to improve their curb appeal, especially as they also run a home-based business that welcomes clients. A minimalist planting and aesthetic was requested with a palette as closely resembling the modernist gardens of Palm Springs as possible here in the Pacific Northwest. Challenge accepted! A front path of block pavers was laid in a geometric pattern for high functionality while also feeling fresh and young. Lots of structural plant choices in blues and light greens align with the requested plant style while also providing a deer proof and drought tolerant planting.

This Manhattan Beach backyard project highlights the details that elevate a well-designed outdoor space. A clean paver walkway runs alongside the home, bordered by a narrow planting bed filled with mulch and flowering plants. Low-voltage path lights were installed at regular intervals to provide soft illumination for the walkway while highlighting the planting area and architectural wall of the home. The lighting design creates a warm evening atmosphere while improving visibility and safety along the path. The combination of simple hardscape, low-maintenance landscaping, and carefully positioned landscape lighting results in a refined coastal California backyard that is both functional and visually inviting after sunset.

New bluestone path to rebuilt front door terrace. Ornamental grasses incorporated in new front facade plantings that provide summer flowers and fall interest.

Don’t repeat the whole project story on every image. For this image (the planting bed under the tree): Example: Reshaped planting beds and layered perennial installation following full yard regrading and underground drainage correction. Designed to improve water flow while restoring structure and visual depth.

An entry garden teeming with colorful plants attracts hummingbirds, creating a lively and enchanting atmosphere. Delicate blooms and vibrant greenery welcome guests, enhancing the charm and natural beauty of the entrance.

Lawn Aeration can really turn compacted lawns around by improving soil drainage and encourages worms, microfauna and microflora which require oxygen. However, lawn aerators are pretty large. Let Weiss Earley handle the machinery and you enjoy your time!

This multi-level stone terrace addition project included new walkways, retaining walls, gas fire pit, spa, and multiple entertainment areas constructed around a pool. Exterior improvements included a new paver patio and tiered walkways attached to the existing rear entrance and professionally designed garden areas.

Before renovation: undefined circulation areas, compacted soil, and poor drainage contributed to patchy turf and underutilized space adjacent to the deck. The yard required regrading, structural bed definition, and improved water management to restore function.

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

We recently enjoyed the opportunity to remodel three floors of a nineteenth-century Cambridge home with our project partners, architect Tom Downer and designer Jayme Kennerknecht/LDa Architects. . • The owners – a family of four that includes both a teenager and a toddler - wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for family together time. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be better connected to adjoining rooms. • Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. • In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. On the same level, we created a separate guest bedroom with a new closet and a window designed to match other windows throughout the home. • The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with an integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with family and guests and have a clear view when children are playing in the yard. Photo by Shelly Harrison

Glass cabinets used for display and interest.
Inspiration for a large eclectic galley marble floor and white floor eat-in kitchen remodel in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

These homeowners came to us wanting to upgrade the curb appeal of their home and improve the layout of the interior. They hoped for an entry that would welcome guests to their home both inside and out, while also creating more defined and purposeful space within the home. The main goals of the project were to add a covered wrap around porch, add more windows for natural light, create a formal entry that housed the client’s baby grand piano, and add a home office for the clients to work from home. With a dated exterior and facade that lacked dimension, there was little charm to be had. The front door was hidden from visitors and a lack of windows made the exterior unoriginal. We approached the exterior design pulling inspiration from the farmhouse style, southern porches, and craftsman style homes. Eventually we landed on a design that added numerous windows to the front façade, reminiscent of a farmhouse, and turned a Dutch hipped roof into an extended gable roof, creating a large front porch and adding curb appeal interest. By relocating the entry door to the front of the house and adding a gable accent over this new door, it created a focal point for guests and passersby. In addition to those design elements, we incorporated some exterior shutters rated for our northwest climate that echoed the southern style homes our client loved. A greige paint color (Benjamin Moore Cape May Cobblestone) accented with a white trim (Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee) and a black front door, shutters, and window box (Sherwin Williams Black Magic) all work together to create a charming and welcoming façade. On the interior we removed a half wall and coat closet that separated the original cramped entryway from the front room. The front room was a multipurpose space that didn’t have a designated use for the family, it became a catch-all space that was easily cluttered. Through the design process we came up with a plan to split the spaces into 2 rooms, a large open semi-formal entryway and a home office. The semi-formal entryway was intentionally designed to house the homeowner’s baby grand piano – a real showstopper. The flow created by this entryway is welcoming and ushers you into a beautifully curated home. A new office now sits right off the entryway with beautiful French doors, built-in cabinetry, and an abundance of natural light – everything that one dreams of for their home office. The home office looks out to the front porch and front yard as well as the pastural side yard where the children frequently play. The office is an ideal location for a moment of inspiration, reflection, and focus. A warm white paint (Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee) combined with the newly installed light oak luxury vinyl plank flooring runs throughout the home, creating continuity and a neutral canvas. Traditional and schoolhouse style statement light fixtures coordinate with the black door hardware for an added level of contrast. There is one more improvement that made a big difference to this family. In the family room, we added a built-in window seat. This created a cozy nook that is used by all for reading and extra seating. This relatively small improvement had a big impact on how the family uses and enjoys the space.

Our clients had lovingly cared for their home for 16 years. In this small home, space was at a premium and the couple wanted to update this poorly functioning kitchen to match the rest of their Arts & Crafts style home. Key requirements of this kitchen remodel design included: - Improved lighting - Better traffic pattern - More storage - Incorporating the Pewabic tile the clients loved IMPROVED LIGHTING A new lighting plan for the kitchen included: - Three pendants over the new island - Pendant lighting over the sink - Recessed lights throughout - Under cabinet lighting BETTER TRAFFIC PATTERN The refrigerator was moved from the main walkway to a perimeter wall. Its new location creates one point in the now smaller working triangle. Prep space was previously scarce and the new island allows two to work in the kitchen without one getting trapped in the corner. MORE STORAGE A new island supplies storage that was non-existent before and it creates a place for people to sit and connect. Although we replaced a slider with a door, we added a pantry cabinet which was also new storage the kitchen did not previously have. Bulkheads were removed allowing cabinets to extend to the ceiling. INCORPORATING PEWABIC TILE Pewabic tile is handcrafted stoneware clay tile that is made in Detroit with a history dating back to 1903. Our clients fell in love with this tile years ago and used it on the landing of their staircase and wanted to incorporate it into the kitchen design. We decided to let this gorgeous tile take center stage by creating an eye-catching backsplash. The flooring also incorporates details that connect back to the Pewabic tiles used on the walls. OVERALL RESULTS The remodeled kitchen has improved the feel of the whole first floor. A clear pathway runs from the living room through the kitchen and from the kitchen into the dining room. A new island supplies much-needed storage and provides a place for people to eat casual meals and hang out. The new lighting plan brightened not only the kitchen, but also the adjacent rooms. Now, with the kitchen completed, the whole house has a cohesive Arts & Crafts aesthetic – Mission Accomplished! “The kitchen design is everything we hoped it would be. It’s a reflection of our tastes – it’s us. Our designer really understood what we liked and how to make the kitchen fit with the look of the rest of the house.” “What do we love? Lighting, lighting, lighting! The Pewabic backsplash! The storage additions. The overall look – it’s new, but it looks & feels like it could have been original to the house.” – Homeowner

Design ideas for a large traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard garden path in Orange County for summer.

We recently enjoyed the opportunity to remodel three floors of a nineteenth-century Cambridge home with our project partners, architect Tom Downer and designer Jayme Kennerknecht/LDa Architects. . • The owners – a family of four that includes both a teenager and a toddler - wanted a house better suited to entertaining but also appropriate for family together time. Specific improvements on their wish list included a playroom that could handle differing family needs, a custom bar for entertaining, a new fireplace, and an inviting kitchen that would remain distinct but be better connected to adjoining rooms. • Adding a fireplace to the living room involved rebuilding the entire back wall of the home. The fireplace mantel was custom designed to match an existing mantel in the nearby dining room, which is original to the home. • In the playroom, care was taken to create zones for three members of the family: The mother enjoys crafting and now has a station directly below existing skylights, the teenager has a semi-private nook at the back of the space for relaxing, and the youngest in the family can enjoy toys and games placed along one wall alongside a rug for playing on the floor. On the same level, we created a separate guest bedroom with a new closet and a window designed to match other windows throughout the home. • The kitchen is fully upgraded and custom designed to accommodate the mother’s cooking habits, with specific elements including a farmer’s sink in the island and a stainless steel counter with an integrated sink for food preparation placed behind it on the counter. To improve storage in the much-used room, corner drawer units were installed instead of lazy Susan cabinets. Also, the homeowners were not interested in an open floor plan, but did want to improve access to the living room and yard beyond. This was achieved by expanding the opening between the two rooms allowing the cook to engage with family and guests and have a clear view when children are playing in the yard. Photo by Shelly Harrison

Enhance your outdoor space with a vibrant landscape featuring lush, freshly installed grass and a variety of carefully selected trees and plants. This landscape design transforms the area into a green oasis, providing a peaceful and refreshing environment. The rich, healthy grass creates the perfect foundation, while the thoughtfully chosen plants and trees add depth, texture, and color to the landscape. Whether you’re looking to create a serene garden retreat or simply improve your curb appeal, this landscaping project brings natural beauty and tranquility to any outdoor space, blending greenery with functionality and style.