Landscape Architect: Kettelkamp and Kettelkamp Landscape Architecture
Photo of a mid-sized traditional front yard brick landscaping in Chicago.

Paul Domzal Photographer, Barnes Coy Architects
Inspiration for a contemporary white two-story exterior home remodel in New York

The main design goal of this Northern European country style home was to use traditional, authentic materials that would have been used ages ago. ORIJIN STONE premium stone was selected as one such material, taking the main stage throughout key living areas including the custom hand carved Alder™ Limestone fireplace in the living room, as well as the master bedroom Alder fireplace surround, the Greydon™ Sandstone cobbles used for flooring in the den, porch and dining room as well as the front walk, and for the Greydon Sandstone paving & treads forming the front entrance steps and landing, throughout the garden walkways and patios and surrounding the beautiful pool. This home was designed and built to withstand both trends and time, a true & charming heirloom estate. Architecture: Rehkamp Larson Architects Builder: Kyle Hunt & Partners Landscape Design & Stone Install: Yardscapes Mason: Meyer Masonry Interior Design: Alecia Stevens Interiors Photography: Scott Amundson Photography & Spacecrafting Photography

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.

Dry set oversize limestone for walking path to front door. Old trough made into water feature.
Inspiration for a large rustic full sun front yard stone landscaping in Austin for summer.

This infinity edge spa with water feature is designed to be a visual work of art. The wall has custom Bobe water scuppers, is veneered with ledgestone and a lueders limestone cap and ends.

These floating large format tiles create contemporary design with an ancient feel and were produced from Authentic Durango Ancient Veracruz™ block at our factories,

Dino Tonn
Mid-sized tuscan backyard tile and custom-shaped pool fountain photo in Phoenix

Exterior Stone: Honed Charcoal Limestone and Nero Marble Interior Stone: Honed Nero Marble Architect: Don Goerig Photo: Warren Jordan
Modern gray two-story stone flat roof idea in Denver

This European kitchen has several different areas and functions. Each area has its own specific details but are tied together with distinctive farmhouse feel, created by combining medium wood and white cabinetry, different styles of cabinetry, mixed metals, warm, earth toned tile floors, blue granite countertops and a subtle blue and white backsplash. The hand-hammered copper counter on the peninsula ties in with the hammered copper farmhouse sink. The blue azul granite countertops have a deep layer of texture and beautifully play off the blue and white Italian tile backsplash and accent wall. The high gloss black hood was custom-made and has chrome banding. The French Lacanche stove has soft gold controls. This kitchen also has radiant heat under its earth toned limestone floors. A special feature of this kitchen is the wood burning stove. Part of the original 1904 house, we repainted it and set it on a platform. We made the platform a cohesive part of the space defining wall by using a herringbone pattern trim, fluted porcelain tile and crown moulding with roping. The office area’s built in desk and cabinets provide a convenient work and storage space. Topping the room off is a coffered ceiling. In this classic English Tudor home located in Penn Valley, PA, we renovated the kitchen, mudroom, deck, patio, and the exterior walkways and driveway. The European kitchen features high end finishes and appliances, and heated floors for year-round comfort! The outdoor areas are spacious and inviting. The open trellis over the hot tub provides just the right amount of shelter. These clients were referred to us by their architect, and we had a great time working with them to mix classic European styles in with contemporary, current spaces. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

Image provided by 'Ancient Surfaces' Product name: Antique Thick Limestone Countertops, AKA Foundation Slabs. Contacts: (212) 461-0245 Email: Sales@ancientsurfaces.com Website: www.AncientSurfaces.com Those centuries old foundation Slabs were once the thick building blocks of old villas & farmhouses. Those blocks could be found at the bottom support base of many older reclaimed structures. We are passionate about milling them down to 2.5" in thickness so they could be used on counters and pool copings. Yes counters! Those thick & massive chucks of Limestone absorb nothing and can stand up to anything you can throw at them. Virtually indestructible, they are ideal for anyone who is a great cook and who doesn’t want to worry about leaving wine rings, lime juice or oil stains on their counters while cooking or entertaining guests. If you practically live in your kitchen which is true for many of us, you have no choice but to consider incorporating the foundation slabs as your kitchen countertops. Make your kitchen fun and enjoy the best countertops available on earth by securing some of those slab cuts today.

Articulated Design Landscape Architecture
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and full sun front yard gravel landscaping in Austin.

n front of the French Villa’s exterior entrance, a herringbone brick pathway leads up to a grand double wood gate, framed by manicured hedges, mature shade trees, and stunning walkways. The formal courtyard-style entry showcases textured stone columns, natural stone garden walls, and refined brick & masonry work. A hand-carved wood bench with accent pillows provides a welcoming touch, surrounded by tiered planters and exterior furniture. Cantera stone, limestone accents, wrought-iron detailing, and pergolas bring French-inspired elegance to the space, while lantern-style lighting and exterior sconces add warmth and ambiance.

The main design goal of this Northern European country style home was to use traditional, authentic materials that would have been used ages ago. ORIJIN STONE premium stone was selected as one such material, taking the main stage throughout key living areas including the custom hand carved Alder™ Limestone fireplace in the living room, as well as the master bedroom Alder fireplace surround, the Greydon™ Sandstone cobbles used for flooring in the den, porch and dining room as well as the front walk, and for the Greydon Sandstone paving & treads forming the front entrance steps and landing, throughout the garden walkways and patios and surrounding the beautiful pool. This home was designed and built to withstand both trends and time, a true & charming heirloom estate. Architecture: Rehkamp Larson Architects Builder: Kyle Hunt & Partners Landscape Design & Stone Install: Yardscapes Mason: Meyer Masonry Interior Design: Alecia Stevens Interiors Photography: Scott Amundson Photography & Spacecrafting Photography

Our clients came to us with the thought of creating a space that could be enjoyed year-round, reinvesting in their backyard space of their forever home. We transformed the space to make it an oasis with a custom design that included a plunge pool with an auto cover and can be used year round in our Chicago climate thanks to the heating and insulation designed in the pool system. No winter outdoor space is complete without heated walkways to automatically melt snow, allowing for quick and easy access from the home to the warm waters of the pool, even in the coldest of winter months! We worked extensively with the client to maximize privacy, screening key viewpoints with a privacy wall and vegetation. Custom features of this transformation included a blend of deck space, integrated LED lighting, stone paver walkways, and natural limestone outcropping to accommodate the site’s topography.

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.

This brand new modern build required an ultra modern landscape. The backyard features architectural concrete steppingstones, walkways, patios and pool coping. The pavilion has dining and lounging areas with an outdoor TV and fireplace. A natural stone bench terminates the far end of the pool and is surrounded with Beech hedging, Japanese Maples and forest like plantings. The front has an exposed aggregate driveway and limestone steppingstones and walkways to get you to the front door. Another custom cantilevered stone bench gives us a sense of entry. A massive Red Maple was carefully preserved through the build. Gardens feature Japanese Maples, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Ferns and Japanese Forest Grasses.

This brand new modern build required an ultra modern landscape. The backyard features architectural concrete steppingstones, walkways, patios and pool coping. The pavilion has dining and lounging areas with an outdoor TV and fireplace. A natural stone bench terminates the far end of the pool and is surrounded with Beech hedging, Japanese Maples and forest like plantings. The front has an exposed aggregate driveway and limestone steppingstones and walkways to get you to the front door. Another custom cantilevered stone bench gives us a sense of entry. A massive Red Maple was carefully preserved through the build. Gardens feature Japanese Maples, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Ferns and Japanese Forest Grasses.

This brand new modern build required an ultra modern landscape. The backyard features architectural concrete steppingstones, walkways, patios and pool coping. The pavilion has dining and lounging areas with an outdoor TV and fireplace. A natural stone bench terminates the far end of the pool and is surrounded with Beech hedging, Japanese Maples and forest like plantings. The front has an exposed aggregate driveway and limestone steppingstones and walkways to get you to the front door. Another custom cantilevered stone bench gives us a sense of entry. A massive Red Maple was carefully preserved through the build. Gardens feature Japanese Maples, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Ferns and Japanese Forest Grasses.