Joe Fletcher Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains of Carmel, California, an oak tree stands elevated above the fog and wrapped at its base in this ranch retreat. The weekend home’s design grew around the 100-year-old Valley Oak to form a horseshoe-shaped house that gathers ridgeline views of Oak, Madrone, and Redwood groves at its exterior and nestles around the tree at its center. The home’s orientation offers both the shade of the oak canopy in the courtyard and the sun flowing into the great room at the house’s rear façades. This modern take on a traditional ranch home offers contemporary materials and landscaping to a classic typology. From the main entry in the courtyard, one enters the home’s great room and immediately experiences the dramatic westward views across the 70 foot pool at the house’s rear. In this expansive public area, programmatic needs flow and connect - from the kitchen, whose windows face the courtyard, to the dining room, whose doors slide seamlessly into walls to create an outdoor dining pavilion. The primary circulation axes flank the internal courtyard, anchoring the house to its site and heightening the sense of scale by extending views outward at each of the corridor’s ends. Guest suites, complete with private kitchen and living room, and the garage are housed in auxiliary wings connected to the main house by covered walkways. Building materials including pre-weathered corrugated steel cladding, buff limestone walls, and large aluminum apertures, and the interior palette of cedar-clad ceilings, oil-rubbed steel, and exposed concrete floors soften the modern aesthetics into a refined but rugged ranch home.

lueders limestone pavers leading to the tigerwood playhouse in magenta designed & built by austin outdoor design photo by ryann ford
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard outdoor playset in Austin.

1916 Grove House renovation and addition. 2 story Main House with attached kitchen and converted garage with nanny flat and mud room. connection to Guest Cottage. Limestone column walkway with Cedar trellis. New steel column cladded carport. Robert Klemm

Rear view of Yard. Master bathroom with free standing tub and large glass enclosure. Raised platform for shower and toilet. Wainscot panel. 1916 Grove House renovation and addition. 2 story Main House with attached kitchen and converted garage with nanny flat and mud room. connection to Guest Cottage. Limestone column walkway with Cedar trellis. Robert Klemm

Entry foyer. 1916 Grove House renovation and addition. 2 story Main House with attached kitchen and converted garage with nanny flat and mud room. connection to Guest Cottage. Limestone column walkway with Cedar trellis. Robert Klemm

This pathway is constructed of a concrete paver meant to mimic an aged traditional clay paver. It combines a herringbone pattern with a soldier course for interest and a traditional appearance. The stairs are constructed of a bluestone paver riser topped off with a limestone stair tread. The landing combines both the paver and the stone to tie the look together.

This photo features a raised limestone planter bed beside the pool courtyard. Ground cover plants, trees, and paved walkways surround the water while apartment buildings create the backdrop. The raised wall also provides seating space and helps define different outdoor gathering areas within the shared courtyard.

A brick paver pathway meets limestone steps in the front yard.
Design ideas for an eclectic front yard brick walkway in Detroit.

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

The goal was to build an oasis for the homeowners’ young children that could be enjoyed for generations while preserving the architectural integrity and historical features of their home. We designed and built the front landscaping at the home, and did the building at the back of the home. The pool and pool cabana were already existing on site. We added multiple retaining walls, a pergola, a patio, staircases and landings, walkways, privacy walls and privacy plantings, and significant gardens to this project. We re-used existing brick from the site, as well as the existing water feature. The water feature, driveway walls, and front pillars were all made of Reclaimed Brick. Indiana Limestone was used for the water feature cap, wall copings, front walkway, and front stepping stones. The profile of the coping stone was custom-made for this project to mimic the molding details on the exterior of the home. All backyard retaining walls were made of Ebel Riada Natural Walling Stone, and Owen Sound Brown Flagstone was used for all backyard walkways, patios, and stepping stones. The joints in the flagstone pool patio were filled with artificial turf. We built a new pergola, which we installed below the Wisteria before removing the existing pergola. Lifting the plant and structure opened up the back-patio doors of the home, transforming the view inside and out.

The goal was to build an oasis for the homeowners’ young children that could be enjoyed for generations while preserving the architectural integrity and historical features of their home. We designed and built the front landscaping at the home, and did the building at the back of the home. The pool and pool cabana were already existing on site. We added multiple retaining walls, a pergola, a patio, staircases and landings, walkways, privacy walls and privacy plantings, and significant gardens to this project. We re-used existing brick from the site, as well as the existing water feature. The water feature, driveway walls, and front pillars were all made of Reclaimed Brick. Indiana Limestone was used for the water feature cap, wall copings, front walkway, and front stepping stones. The profile of the coping stone was custom-made for this project to mimic the molding details on the exterior of the home. All backyard retaining walls were made of Ebel Riada Natural Walling Stone, and Owen Sound Brown Flagstone was used for all backyard walkways, patios, and stepping stones. The joints in the flagstone pool patio were filled with artificial turf. We built a new pergola, which we installed below the Wisteria before removing the existing pergola. Lifting the plant and structure opened up the back-patio doors of the home, transforming the view inside and out.

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

Stone, Masonry, Landscape, Hardscape, Brick, Stone Repair, Brick Repair, Parging, Chimney Repair, Mason, Bricklayer, Stone siding, Brick siding, Porch repair, walkway repair, patio repair, New patio, Stone veneer, Brick veneer, Precast stone, Limestone, Window sills, New opening exterior

The goal was to build an oasis for the homeowners’ young children that could be enjoyed for generations while preserving the architectural integrity and historical features of their home. We designed and built the front landscaping at the home, and did the building at the back of the home. The pool and pool cabana were already existing on site. We added multiple retaining walls, a pergola, a patio, staircases and landings, walkways, privacy walls and privacy plantings, and significant gardens to this project. We re-used existing brick from the site, as well as the existing water feature. The water feature, driveway walls, and front pillars were all made of Reclaimed Brick. Indiana Limestone was used for the water feature cap, wall copings, front walkway, and front stepping stones. The profile of the coping stone was custom-made for this project to mimic the molding details on the exterior of the home. All backyard retaining walls were made of Ebel Riada Natural Walling Stone, and Owen Sound Brown Flagstone was used for all backyard walkways, patios, and stepping stones. The joints in the flagstone pool patio were filled with artificial turf. We built a new pergola, which we installed below the Wisteria before removing the existing pergola. Lifting the plant and structure opened up the back-patio doors of the home, transforming the view inside and out.

2-1/2" thick locally sourced Limestone coping surround the pool edge, tops the garden wall, pillar caps, and steps. Pool deck and upper dining terrace are done in Unilock Brussels Block pavingstone. Cedar hedging and Purple Beech trees line the fence right up to the cabana. Wrought iron lounge chairs and ottomans make for an inviting feel. Photo cred. to the Japanese Maple branch at the bottom right of the shot!

After . Converted Garage into a Dining Room, Mud room and 2 piece washroom. Changed Exterior from brick to Cape Cod Siding and Indiana Limestone. Replaced walkway with Slate. Dashwood Windows and Doors