Backyard Spa with water feature. Stone Veneer with Concrete caps.
Hot tub - large mediterranean backyard custom-shaped and concrete paver hot tub idea in Orange County

Have the salt air of the sea without going to the beach! We can custom build your sauna with a salt wall using real blocks of salt. The steam releases the salt into the air to give a revitalizing breath to open up the lungs and further relax the body. This type of design is recommended for those with allergy issues. Featured in this photo are also our adjustable Serenity benches that act like recliners. The lower benches are curved. The floors have cedar tiles. We can design any of our traditional saunas to include any of the features pictured here.

Elliott Johnson Photography
Example of a country drought-tolerant patio design in San Luis Obispo

mid-modern urban home. Steel Catwalk
Example of a large 1950s black two-story mixed siding gable roof design in Seattle

Hydropool Swim Spas are the latest trend in the pool and spa industry. Hydropool has the smoothest and most powerful adjustable current stream of any swim spa on the market. You can say goodbye to the weekly maintenance that a regular pool requires, because Hyrdropool swim spas are self-cleaning. Whether you are a serious swimmer looking to train in the comfort of your backyard or the casual swimmer who wants to enjoy the relaxation of a pool, Hydropool is the ultimate swim spa, hot tub, and aquatic gym all-in-one.

Rather than placing the dining room table traditionally into the center of the room, the Mohrman's opted to push it to one side. While this orientation allows for direct passage into the kitchen and rooms beyond, it also increases the spaciousness of the dining room overall. The house originally sported popcorn-textured ceilings until recently when Kiel designed and constructed the beams and paneling for the ceiling. "It was the best way we could think to deal with wiring issues in the ceiling", explains Chelsea. "The new wiring runs through the beams, and it all adds to the charm of the home." The same ceiling treatment runs throughout other rooms downstairs, unifying the first floor. Dining Table, MidWest Woods Furniture Co. Photo: Adrienne DeRosa Photography © 2014 Houzz

It was pretty much a blank area but with some elevation issues. A rustic inlay design was incorporated into the natural cleft bluestone patio. The seating wall served 2 purposes as a seating space but also to retain some of the patio. Natural fieldstone steppers lead from the driveway area to the patio. An assortment of perennials and plantings soften the hardscape project. Serviceberry, hybrid dogwood, and a large dwarf pine are the anchor plants. We also created a raised vegetable garden space off the patio too. Marc Depoto (Hillside Nurseries Inc.)

After the mud room addition, the dogs have their own personal bowls and a customized washing area for when they come in from outside. Plato Prelude cabinets provide plenty of cabinet space for dog food and other items. One golden retriever and four flat coated retrievers = a lot of food storage needs! Porcelain fired earth ceramics 18" field tile was installed for a durable floor. An LG Hi-Macs Volcanics Solid Surface material was used on the counter tops featuring built-in food bowls. Hooks were conveniently added for hanging leashes by the door. As if this was not enough, the dogs can exit the mud room and run into the fenced backyard with their own in-ground pool! The dogs love the new amenities but the homeowners have a spectacular kitchen, improved dining/coffee experience, an efficient flow from the kitchen to the backyard, and functional designs to make their life easier.

Kitchen island
Example of a trendy light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

New raised DG sitting area and planter. This brought plants and landscape into the hard scape patio outside the back door. Photo by Ketti Kupper.
Inspiration for a small contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in Los Angeles.

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.

Jeremy Fukunaga
Freestanding bathtub - contemporary master white tile and glass tile ceramic tile freestanding bathtub idea in San Francisco with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white walls and medium tone wood cabinets

Example of a classic wooden u-shaped wood railing staircase design in Salt Lake City with painted risers

This is an example of a mid-sized modern full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in New York.

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Boston.

This garden boasts 4 beautiful custom redwood raised beds with copper bands to prevent snails from attacking the edibles. The boxes are in full sun which is ideal for growing vegetables and herbs

Living room - large country open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in New York with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

This album is to show some of the basic closet configurations, because the majority of our closets are not five figure master walk-ins. This is a 2nd bedroom walk-in. We integrated two 10" drawers for storage of smaller items, adjustable shelving, and a long wall of double hang.