board formed concrete wall
Photo of a large mid-century modern drought-tolerant and shade side yard gravel landscaping in San Francisco.

Tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are planted above yellow melampodium. Learn how to grow easy vegetables that look great on your patio from the book "Easy Container Combos: Vegetables & Flowers." See a free, 24 page sample of the book at www.pamela-crawford.com. in the 'Books' section. Pamela Crawford designed and photographed the planter. Pamela designs landscapes throughout Palm Beach County, FL, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, the town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Wellington.

Audrey Hall

Lynnette Bauer - 360REI
Example of a large trendy l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen design in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island, window backsplash and an undermount sink

This sloped hillside has been transformed into a beautiful tapestry of colors and textures present in every season. I specified drought tolerant plants and shrubs that are low-water, low maintenance and deer resistant. Located in Novato, CA - Marin County. Some photos were taken just after installation and others 2 couple of years later.

This is an example of a mid-century modern landscaping in San Diego.

Open concept kitchen - large transitional l-shaped marble floor, black floor and exposed beam open concept kitchen idea in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Encircling a sleek pool, this garden for a growing family offers comfortable spaces in which to play, relax and dine. New raised planters and containers overflow with citrus, herbs and colorful Mediterranean plantings. Synthetic turf provides a soft, inviting play place in a shady area of the yard. Photo by Martin Cox

Innisfree Garden, Millbrook, NY. Photo by Jay Sifford.
Photo of an eclectic landscaping in Charlotte.

Example of a mid-sized trendy brown floor powder room design in San Francisco with a vessel sink, brown walls, onyx countertops and multicolored countertops

“Greensboro’s Grandest House” was recently selected as the 2013 ShowHouse presented by the Junior League of Greensboro and national media sponsor Traditional Home. Among the local and national design talent featured in this special fundraising event was design duo Patti Allen and Stephanie James of Furnitureland South, who transformed the estate’s patio into a classic, colorful and cozy space. Built in the early 1920s, the Adamsleigh estate is more than 15,000 square feet and covers 13.5 acres that include pools, a lake, tennis courts, a stone gazebo and a five-car garage. The 30×60 patio presented a special design challenge – the space was in disrepair and sat unevenly on a downward slope. Rising to the challenge, Patti and Stephanie partnered with Outer Space Landscapes to change the elevation of the patio in order to draw attention to the focal point and inspiration of the project: a beautiful canopy sofa by Century Furniture. The addition of 6 tons of landscaping material included Pennsylvania blue stone, pebbles, sand, cherry trees, azaleas and geraniums all blooming in the colors of the latest Sunbrella fabrics featured in the outdoor furnishings: crisp, sandy white, fuchsia and tangerine. Patti and Stephanie wanted to showcase clean and classic outdoor style with an edge of color and unexpected elements. Playful ottomans by Baker float in the space for multiple functions, adding an extra pop of color to the sophisticated setting which includes a dining table by Oscar de la Renta, organic spot tables from Phillips Collection, and daybeds and seating from Century Furniture. Combining their passion for interior spaces with signature designs, Allen and James Designs gave this outdoor space the comfort, color and style it deserved. Patti and Stephanie, co-founders of Allen and James Designs, are committed to inspire and influence unique spaces for home, work, play and relaxation. With over 25 years of experience and a dedication to client relationships, their infusion of international inspiration with style, color, texture and vision make Patti and Stephanie a creative duo capable of exceeding the expectations of any client’s design project. By forming over 400 connections with key manufactures such as Henredon, Century, Lillian August, Dovetail, Maitland Smith and Huntington House, Allen and James Designs can provide a broad range of options that virtually meet any need a client has to create their dream home.

photo Benjamin Benschneider
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern open concept light wood floor living room remodel in Seattle with a standard fireplace and a media wall

Chipper Hatter
Patio - large tropical patio idea in San Diego with decking and no cover

Drama in a small space! Elegant, dimensional Walker Zanger tile creates a dramatic focal point in this sophisticated powder bath. The rough hewn European oak floating cabinetry ads warmth and layered texture to the space while the crisp matt white quartz countertop is the perfect foil for the etched stone sink. The sensuous curves of smooth carved stone reveal a patchwork of Japanese sashiko kimono pattern depicting organic elements such as waves, mountains and bamboo. The circular LED lit mirror echoes the flowing liquid lines of the tile and circular vessel sink.

Photography by John Merkl
Inspiration for a large transitional carpeted and multicolored floor dining room remodel in San Francisco with beige walls and no fireplace

Modern family loft includes an open dining area with a custom walnut table and unique lighting fixture. Photos by Eric Roth. Construction by Ralph S. Osmond Company. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design. http://www.zeroenergy.com

A young family with a wooded, triangular lot in Ipswich, Massachusetts wanted to take on a highly creative, organic, and unrushed process in designing their new home. The parents of three boys had contemporary ideas for living, including phasing the construction of different structures over time as the kids grew so they could maximize the options for use on their land. They hoped to build a net zero energy home that would be cozy on the very coldest days of winter, using cost-efficient methods of home building. The house needed to be sited to minimize impact on the land and trees, and it was critical to respect a conservation easement on the south border of the lot. Finally, the design would be contemporary in form and feel, but it would also need to fit into a classic New England context, both in terms of materials used and durability. We were asked to honor the notions of “surprise and delight,” and that inspired everything we designed for the family. The highly unique home consists of a three-story form, composed mostly of bedrooms and baths on the top two floors and a cross axis of shared living spaces on the first level. This axis extends out to an oversized covered porch, open to the south and west. The porch connects to a two-story garage with flex space above, used as a guest house, play room, and yoga studio depending on the day. A floor-to-ceiling ribbon of glass wraps the south and west walls of the lower level, bringing in an abundance of natural light and linking the entire open plan to the yard beyond. The master suite takes up the entire top floor, and includes an outdoor deck with a shower. The middle floor has extra height to accommodate a variety of multi-level play scenarios in the kids’ rooms. Many of the materials used in this house are made from recycled or environmentally friendly content, or they come from local sources. The high performance home has triple glazed windows and all materials, adhesives, and sealants are low toxicity and safe for growing kids. Photographer credit: Irvin Serrano

A balancing act of textures, combining natural walnut panels with a custom egeo marble top resting on vintage chrome metal bases.
Example of a large trendy linoleum floor and white floor great room design in Miami with white walls

Bernard Andre
Example of a tuscan natural pool design in San Francisco