When this homeowner’s neighbor removed two, two- story-high Ficus trees, her side-yard became baron and sunbaked. Concrete covers virtually the whole area from the house to the property line, but because the side-yard has a lot of foot traffic and serves as a sitting area to the basement apartment, the owner did not want to remove any of the concrete. The solution was to put up fencing to block the view of the neighbor’s house, then upcycle wine barrels and 55-gallon drums into huge planters. The drums are large enough to accommodate a full-sized tree and provide the added advantage of giving height to smaller trees to provide further screening of the neighbor’s house. Everything was painted in bright colors to give the space a cheery Caribbean feel. The neighbor’s tree removal ended up as a blessing in disguise, because what had been a drab trough-way was transformed into a happy patio.

The owners of a Bethesda home purchased the property next door with the intent to combine the two lots and build an addition to their existing house. They wanted a swimming pool with an outdoor living area, a two-car garage, family room, kitchenette, and guest suite. The client wanted a place to park two sports cars. The new garage is 625 sq.ft. We installed a heavy-duty elastomeric-coated floor that has a high polish. Our team reviewed the site and what it would look like once the neighboring house was demolished. One of the crucial goals of the designers was to locate the pool behind the addition and keep the massing of the addition down to retain sunlight to the pool in the summer without the new structure or existing house shading the pool. Framing. We ordered pre-built trusses for the roof of the addition. Pre-built trusses are more common in new house construction, but it was the most efficient way to frame the structure. The trusses were delivered to the jobsite and we hired a crane and operator to lift them onto the structure where our crew fit them in place. Though there is currently no connection between the second floor of the main house and the second floor of the addition, the trusses were designed to allow for a future connection, should the clients want. For the two openings that connect the main floor of the house to the main floor of the addition, we waited until we had almost completed the framing before we cut through the back wall of the house. Exterior Finishes. For the siding, we used real stucco to match the stucco on the existing home. We added Hardipanel with a stucco pattern as an accent. We also matched the existing home’s roofing for the addition. Upper level. The second floor of the addition is 632 sq.f.t and has a sitting area/exercise space, a full bath, bedroom and a storage closet. The trusses were designed so the clients can eventually connect the addition through the second floor of the main house. The railings on the stairs to this level match the railing in the main house. Michael K. Wilkinson

Example of a minimalist home design design in Burlington

Notice how the flat lawn area was created by steepening the slope up to the road. Compare with the photo of the house during construction. The steepened slope is then obscurred by intensive plantings which call attention to themselves rather than the slope.

Copyright Andrew McGibbon 2018 All Rights Reserved
Bedroom - cottage bedroom idea in New York

Design: Charlie & Co. Design | Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Interiors & Photo Styling: Lucy Interior Design | Susan Gilmore Photography
Trendy open concept dark wood floor living room photo in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and white walls

Entryway - small modern concrete floor entryway idea in Burlington with white walls

When this homeowner’s neighbor removed two, two- story-high Ficus trees, her side-yard became baron and sunbaked. Concrete covers virtually the whole area from the house to the property line, but because the side-yard has a lot of foot traffic and serves as a sitting area to the basement apartment, the owner did not want to remove any of the concrete. The solution was to put up fencing to block the view of the neighbor’s house, then upcycle wine barrels and 55-gallon drums into huge planters. The drums are large enough to accommodate a full-sized tree and provide the added advantage of giving height to smaller trees to provide further screening of the neighbor’s house. Everything was painted in bright colors to give the space a cheery Caribbean feel. The neighbor’s tree removal ended up as a blessing in disguise, because what had been a drab trough-way was transformed into a happy patio.

Living room - small modern light wood floor and wood ceiling living room idea in Burlington

When this homeowner’s neighbor removed two, two- story-high Ficus trees, her side-yard became baron and sunbaked. Concrete covers virtually the whole area from the house to the property line, but because the side-yard has a lot of foot traffic and serves as a sitting area to the basement apartment, the owner did not want to remove any of the concrete. The solution was to put up fencing to block the view of the neighbor’s house, then upcycle wine barrels and 55-gallon drums into huge planters. The drums are large enough to accommodate a full-sized tree and provide the added advantage of giving height to smaller trees to provide further screening of the neighbor’s house. Everything was painted in bright colors to give the space a cheery Caribbean feel. The neighbor’s tree removal ended up as a blessing in disguise, because what had been a drab trough-way was transformed into a happy patio.

Copyright Andrew McGibbon 2018 All Rights Reserved
Dining room - cottage dining room idea in New York

Inspiration for a modern exterior home remodel in Burlington

Patio fountain - mid-sized contemporary backyard stone patio fountain idea in Other with no cover

Inspiration for a modern dining room remodel in Burlington

Patrick Reynolds
Trendy black two-story wood gable roof photo in Auckland

Minimalist staircase photo in Burlington

Minimalist staircase photo in Burlington

Summer 2023 Boston Globe Magazine Cover
Living room - small modern open concept concrete floor, wood ceiling and wood wall living room idea in Burlington with white walls

A lovely yard that started as a long bowling alley of lawn. We wanted to create a more human scale in the lounge area without building too many visual barriers. The overall effect is splashes of woodland across a contemporary canvas.