Photo of a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard stone formal garden in Indianapolis for spring.

Home design - mid-century modern home design idea in San Francisco

Home theater - traditional open concept carpeted and multicolored floor home theater idea with a projector screen

Massive kitchen with two islands, a sports bar area, walnut and white cabinets, white quartzite counter tops and beautiful white herringbone backsplash tile.

The owners goal with their homes kitchen, completed in 2017, was to emphasize the beautiful lake views and have a space that was open to a large family room and casual dining area. This contemporary kitchen combines convenience and function with hidden small appliances including a coffee station, toaster oven, microwave, to avoid cluttered countertops ensuring a clean look. The cooking area features an induction cooktop, mixer and a full quartz backsplash, as well as a hidden ventilation and lighting system in the soffit. A focal point is the large island which provides ample seating while leaving plenty of room for cooking and baking. Quartz was chosen for its beauty, durability, and ease of maintenance. The cabinetry features an integrated refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher which complete the clean, uncluttered look. The kitchen also features two openings to the formal dining room providing easy flow and access for entertaining.

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

A Pennsylvania farmhouse kitchen garden, also called a potager garden, grows tomatoes, berries and beans. The garden is punctuated with weathered steel Akoris Garden Tuteurs that provide support and architectural punctuation in the garden year round.

Small elegant gray one-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Charleston

Whon Photography
Large urban underground carpeted staircase photo in Indianapolis with gray walls and no fireplace

Paul Dyer Photography
Beach style dark wood floor kitchen photo in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, an island, marble countertops and marble backsplash

Concrete can be made to look like any substance. Tile, stone, wood, brick, etc. With unlimited color options, Ky-Kan Coatings can transform any room in your home or business using lightweight, beautiful concrete.

Engineered cedar siding creates beautiful gray-blue tones at the exterior of the home, while adding a textural element to activate the simple exterior design.

Succulents, grasses and low-water shrubs with vivid foliage give this coastal garden a rich, textured look with minimal maintenance. Exterior colors and furniture selection by Julie McMahon. Photos by Daniel Bosler

After Picture; Wall placement was critical because of the septic drainfield lines. The woodchip pathways were installed from both ends of yard and provided ground level access to raised garden peninsulas from above, while homeowners could stand at lower level and work in raised garden beds. Drip system was designed for beds and garden separate. The neat thing with the Allan Block is the tab is on top, so we can use it for a border "edge" and not require a cap. A cap was installed on the 2' high seat wall in curved section next to paver patio. The mixed pattern wall is Allan Block in Europa tumbled series shown in Rocky Mountain color blend.

Spacecrafting, LLC.
Arts and crafts medium tone wood floor living room photo in Minneapolis with gray walls, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

This previously unused attic space is now a sauna/yoga room. The left sauna wall follows the attic rafters down diagonally to allow a wider space for leg room on the twin sauna benches.

Some projects arrive with pages of references, mood boards, and carefully curated inspiration folders. This wasn't one of them. The clients — a young, dynamic couple with a growing family — handed over their trust and asked for the best work possible. It's the kind of brief that raises the stakes and frees the thinking at the same time. The design is organised around the views to the west — ocean, city, and the long light of the evening sky — with the upper floor pulled into an L-shape that bridges across two lower volumes below. That move creates something most homes don't have: a generous covered entry and breezeway at ground level, a moment of arrival that feels architectural rather than incidental. Above it, the upper floor cantilevers out and frames the western outlook from the principal living spaces. Wellness was woven into the brief from the start. A hot yoga studio opens directly onto a large patio with a pool and hot tub, creating a private outdoor sanctuary that functions as a genuine extension of that space. At the rear of the property, a separate crossfit gym gives the clients a serious training facility without compromising the living areas of the home. The result is a home that reflects what's possible when a client extends full trust and a designer meets it. Of all the projects in this portfolio, this is one that stands out — not just for what it contains, but for how completely it came together.

Two Birds Photography
Kids' room - transitional kids' room idea in Chicago

Collaboration with Canonbury Homes and Frank Neely Design Associates.
Inspiration for a timeless open concept kitchen remodel in Atlanta with beaded inset cabinets and two islands