This is the view most closely related to the before shots. Landscape design by John Algozzini. Photography courtesy of Mike Crews.
Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard brick patio container garden design in Chicago with no cover

This property came with a house which proved ill-matched to our clients’ needs but which nestled neatly amid beautiful live oaks. In choosing to commission a new home, they asked that it also tuck under the limbs of the oaks and maintain a subdued presence to the street. Extraordinary efforts such as cantilevered floors and even bridging over critical root zones allow the design to be truly fitted to the site and to co-exist with the trees, the grandest of which is the focal point of the entry courtyard. Of equal importance to the trees and view was to provide, conversely, for walls to display 35 paintings and numerous books. From form to smallest detail, the house is quiet and subtle.

The goal of this project was to provide a lush and vast garden for the new owners of this recently remodeled brick Georgian. Located in Wheaton this acre plus property is surrounded by beautiful Oaks. Preserving the Oaks became a particular challenge with the ample front walk and generous entertaining spaces the client desired. Under most of the Oaks the turf was in very poor condition, and most of the property was covered with undesirable overgrown underbrush such as Garlic Mustard weed and Buckthorn. With a recently completed addition, the garages were pushed farther from the front door leaving a large distance between the drive and entry to the home. This prompted the addition of a secondary door off the kitchen. A meandering walk curves past the secondary entry and leads guests through the front garden to the main entry. Off the secondary door a “kitchen patio” complete with a custom gate and Green Mountain Boxwood hedge give the clients a quaint space to enjoy a morning cup of joe. Stepping stone pathways lead around the home and weave through multiple pocket gardens within the vast backyard. The paths extend deep into the property leading to individual and unique gardens with a variety of plantings that are tied together with rustic stonewalls and sinuous turf areas. Closer to the home a large paver patio opens up to the backyard gardens. New stoops were constructed and existing stoops were covered in bluestone and mortared stonewalls were added, complimenting the classic Georgian architecture. The completed project accomplished all the goals of creating a lush and vast garden that fit the remodeled home and lifestyle of its new owners. Through careful planning, all mature Oaks were preserved, undesirables removed and numerous new plantings along with detailed stonework helped to define the new landscape.

After the devastating Tubbs fire, Craig reimagined this Calistoga property into a wine country retreat for the owners' family as well as corporate/wellness guests. He approached the design by studying the natural elements of the site including trees, views and light, the vernacular design of the area and the clients’ personality. Craig designed a barn and the house – made up of a one-story and a two-story building – connected by a stunning 20-foot steel and glass breezeway. Expansive doors and windows create seamless indoor/outdoor flow and numerous patios and the pool area provide comfortable outdoor spaces. The modern and warm interior is bright, luxurious and comfortable.

Situated on the west slope of Mt. Baker Ridge, this remodel takes a contemporary view on traditional elements to maximize space, lightness and spectacular views of downtown Seattle and Puget Sound. We were approached by Vertical Construction Group to help a client bring their 1906 craftsman into the 21st century. The original home had many redeeming qualities that were unfortunately compromised by an early 2000’s renovation. This left the new homeowners with awkward and unusable spaces. After studying numerous space plans and roofline modifications, we were able to create quality interior and exterior spaces that reflected our client’s needs and design sensibilities. The resulting master suite, living space, roof deck(s) and re-invented kitchen are great examples of a successful collaboration between homeowner and design and build teams.

Renovation of abandoned concrete building into Condominiums. Photography by Manolo Langis and developed by 9Mile.
Staircase - scandinavian staircase idea in Los Angeles

GREAT INITIAL VISUAL AS YOU ENTER KITCHEN!.....COLOR COORDINATION IS BEAUTIFUL.....NOTE INTERESTING COUNTER-TOP OVERHANG WITH RADIUS, LOTS OF CHARACTER!.....HOW ABOUT BACKSPLASH TILE PATTERN CARRIED OVER WINDOW!!

The land parcel that our client purchased for his home is unique in numerous ways. Located in the desert country of Southwest Colorado in the historically and archaeologically significant McElmo Canyon, it encompasses 20 acres of seasonally irrigated ranch land along the banks of McElmo Creek. The richly colored sandstone canyon walls that rise on the other side of the creek are included in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Mantell-Hecathorn Builders oriented the house on the property with great care. The goals included: Maximizing solar exposure for photovoltaic panels and passive solar benefits Retaining the irrigated acreage for continued agricultural hay production Avoiding encroachment into the natural riparian zone located along McElmo Creek, which has year around water flow (rare in the desert ecosystem) Locating and designing the home to stay above a potential floodplain level (more as a precaution due to lack of historical evidence flooding) Focusing on the beautiful views to the north of the sandstone canyon walls and Sleeping Ute Mountain to the south, while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of the setting This home won the Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award in 2016 for its efficiency, comfort, and design making this Net Zero home truly in a league of its own.

The land parcel that our client purchased for his home is unique in numerous ways. Located in the desert country of Southwest Colorado in the historically and archaeologically significant McElmo Canyon, it encompasses 20 acres of seasonally irrigated ranch land along the banks of McElmo Creek. The richly colored sandstone canyon walls that rise on the other side of the creek are included in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Mantell-Hecathorn Builders oriented the house on the property with great care. The goals included: Maximizing solar exposure for photovoltaic panels and passive solar benefits Retaining the irrigated acreage for continued agricultural hay production Avoiding encroachment into the natural riparian zone located along McElmo Creek, which has year around water flow (rare in the desert ecosystem) Locating and designing the home to stay above a potential floodplain level (more as a precaution due to lack of historical evidence flooding) Focusing on the beautiful views to the north of the sandstone canyon walls and Sleeping Ute Mountain to the south, while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of the setting This home won the Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award in 2016 for its efficiency, comfort, and design making this Net Zero home truly in a league of its own.

Gliders are sensible, simple and reliable. Their easy-to-operate design, functionality and energy efficiency make them a great choice for numerous locations throughout a home. A Glider is defined by its sash, which glides horizontally on the window sill. Due to its compact design, Marvin Gliders are perfect for areas where a swinging sash may get in the way or areas where you need to conserve space.

The goal of this project was to provide a lush and vast garden for the new owners of this recently remodeled brick Georgian. Located in Wheaton this acre plus property is surrounded by beautiful Oaks. Preserving the Oaks became a particular challenge with the ample front walk and generous entertaining spaces the client desired. Under most of the Oaks the turf was in very poor condition, and most of the property was covered with undesirable overgrown underbrush such as Garlic Mustard weed and Buckthorn. With a recently completed addition, the garages were pushed farther from the front door leaving a large distance between the drive and entry to the home. This prompted the addition of a secondary door off the kitchen. A meandering walk curves past the secondary entry and leads guests through the front garden to the main entry. Off the secondary door a “kitchen patio” complete with a custom gate and Green Mountain Boxwood hedge give the clients a quaint space to enjoy a morning cup of joe. Stepping stone pathways lead around the home and weave through multiple pocket gardens within the vast backyard. The paths extend deep into the property leading to individual and unique gardens with a variety of plantings that are tied together with rustic stonewalls and sinuous turf areas. Closer to the home a large paver patio opens up to the backyard gardens. New stoops were constructed and existing stoops were covered in bluestone and mortared stonewalls were added, complimenting the classic Georgian architecture. The completed project accomplished all the goals of creating a lush and vast garden that fit the remodeled home and lifestyle of its new owners. Through careful planning, all mature Oaks were preserved, undesirables removed and numerous new plantings along with detailed stonework helped to define the new landscape.

Located near the base of Scottsdale landmark Pinnacle Peak, the Desert Prairie is surrounded by distant peaks as well as boulder conservation easements. This 30,710 square foot site was unique in terrain and shape and was in close proximity to adjacent properties. These unique challenges initiated a truly unique piece of architecture. Planning of this residence was very complex as it weaved among the boulders. The owners were agnostic regarding style, yet wanted a warm palate with clean lines. The arrival point of the design journey was a desert interpretation of a prairie-styled home. The materials meet the surrounding desert with great harmony. Copper, undulating limestone, and Madre Perla quartzite all blend into a low-slung and highly protected home. Located in Estancia Golf Club, the 5,325 square foot (conditioned) residence has been featured in Luxe Interiors + Design’s September/October 2018 issue. Additionally, the home has received numerous design awards. Desert Prairie // Project Details Architecture: Drewett Works Builder: Argue Custom Homes Interior Design: Lindsey Schultz Design Interior Furnishings: Ownby Design Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Photography: Werner Segarra

This residential pool has the amenities of a resort. An elevated spa with glass tile spillover to the pool, and numerous water features that includes arcing laminar jets and bubbers and an awesome sunledge lounge area with a rainfall backdrop. This backyard resort really comes to life at dusk when the fire bowls are ignited and LED lights come on in an array of colors, all controlled by Jandy iAqualink automation. The interior finish is PBI’s exclusive Bimini Blue DiamondBrite, a custom blend jointly developed by the PBI and SGM teams to commemorate Pool Builders’ 50th anniversary.

The land parcel that our client purchased for his home is unique in numerous ways. Located in the desert country of Southwest Colorado in the historically and archaeologically significant McElmo Canyon, it encompasses 20 acres of seasonally irrigated ranch land along the banks of McElmo Creek. The richly colored sandstone canyon walls that rise on the other side of the creek are included in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Mantell-Hecathorn Builders oriented the house on the property with great care. The goals included: Maximizing solar exposure for photovoltaic panels and passive solar benefits Retaining the irrigated acreage for continued agricultural hay production Avoiding encroachment into the natural riparian zone located along McElmo Creek, which has year around water flow (rare in the desert ecosystem) Locating and designing the home to stay above a potential floodplain level (more as a precaution due to lack of historical evidence flooding) Focusing on the beautiful views to the north of the sandstone canyon walls and Sleeping Ute Mountain to the south, while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of the setting This home won the Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award in 2016 for its efficiency, comfort, and design making this Net Zero home truly in a league of its own.

The client had Oak cabinets, circa 1990 with a raised panel cathedral arch style of door. The cabinets were refinished in a dark stain 5 years ago, which was done professionally. Unfortunately, the finish did not last and was peeling and flaking in numerous locations on the doors and cabinetry. The owners chose to have their existing cabinets refaced with Maple plywood veneer in a CC Café stain. The matching color solid maple doors selected were in a shaker style with a beveled edge detail; the drawer fronts were a solid maple slab type. New base shoe moldings were also added to complete the project. New Blum hinges were installed using Blumotion soft-close hinges. Amerock Antique Silver pulls were chosen to compliment the cabinet refacing project.

The land parcel that our client purchased for his home is unique in numerous ways. Located in the desert country of Southwest Colorado in the historically and archaeologically significant McElmo Canyon, it encompasses 20 acres of seasonally irrigated ranch land along the banks of McElmo Creek. The richly colored sandstone canyon walls that rise on the other side of the creek are included in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Mantell-Hecathorn Builders oriented the house on the property with great care. The goals included: Maximizing solar exposure for photovoltaic panels and passive solar benefits Retaining the irrigated acreage for continued agricultural hay production Avoiding encroachment into the natural riparian zone located along McElmo Creek, which has year around water flow (rare in the desert ecosystem) Locating and designing the home to stay above a potential floodplain level (more as a precaution due to lack of historical evidence flooding) Focusing on the beautiful views to the north of the sandstone canyon walls and Sleeping Ute Mountain to the south, while maintaining the privacy and seclusion of the setting This home won the Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award in 2016 for its efficiency, comfort, and design making this Net Zero home truly in a league of its own.

Every inch is dedicated to storage. It was common back in the 1920’s to have cutting boards built-in to the millwork. Preparing food is easier with these installed in numerous locations throughout the kitchen thus keeping countertops clear of added clutter.

Hand Painted kitchen and ceiling height cabinetry by Woodale.
Kitchen - transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Dublin with recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets and an island

The original kitchen in this condominium was renovated arising from the need to replace Kitec plumbing. The work triangle remained generally the same, but numerous changes were made to improve the kitchen’s functionality, aesthetics, and lighting. Automation was also introduced. The goal was to design and build a modern contemporary functional kitchen with inspiring colours accented with textured wood features. The functionality was improved with the addition of an under counter microwave, which freed up countertop space. Additional and improved storage was also created by incorporating under cabinet drawers throughout the kitchen, a bar area with open glass shelving above, and open shelving to the right of the seating area. Upper cabinet storage was as well increased with storage above the fridge. Numerous lighting improvements were made including the addition of potlights. This was done by dropping the ceiling in the kitchen, which also created a visual division with the dining area. Automation was introduced as well into the space with HUE under cabinet lighting, and a touch faucet. The under cabinet lights are controlled by the Phillips Hue App that programs routines, scenes, and other settings. The kitchen features painted Shaker cabinets accented by textured wood shelving. The countertop surfaces are quartz with waterfalls on both sides of the island, which is a focal point. Shapes are also strongly identified in the design with the use of triangular tiles in the backsplash along with rectangular upper cabinets, and appliance doors and drawers. The kitchen is made most unique though with the uplifting use of colour in the cabinets that make this a bright and cheerful space. Aristea Photography