You don't have to own a big celebrity mansion to have a beautifully appointed house finished with unique and special materials. When my clients bought an average condo kitted out with all the average builder-grade things that average builders stuff into spaces like that, they longed to make it theirs. Being collectors of colorful Fiesta tableware and lovers of extravagant stone, we set about infusing the space with a dose of their fun personality. There wasn’t a corner of the house that went untouched in this extensive renovation. The ground floor got a complete make-over with a new Calacatta Gold tile floor, and I designed a very special border of Lunada Bay glass mosaic tiles that outlines the edge of every room. We ripped out a solid walled staircase and replaced it with a visually lighter cable rail system, and a custom hanging chandelier now shines over the living room. The kitchen was redesigned to take advantage of a wall that was previously just shallow pantry storage. By opening it up and installing cabinetry, we doubled the counter space and made the kitchen much more spacious and usable. We also removed a low hanging set of upper cabinets that cut off the kitchen from the rest of the ground floor spaces. Acquarella Fantasy quartzite graces the counter surfaces and continues down in a waterfall feature in order to enjoy as much of this stone’s natural beauty as possible. One of my favorite spaces turned out to be the primary bathroom. The scheme for this room took shape when we were at a slab warehouse shopping for material. We stumbled across a packet of a stunning quartzite called Fusion Wow Dark and immediately fell in love. We snatched up a pair of slabs for the counter as well as the back wall of the shower. My clients were eager to be rid of a tub-shower alcove and create a spacious curbless shower, which meant a full piece of stone on the entire long wall would be stunning. To compliment it, I found a neutral, sandstone-like tile for the return walls of the shower and brought it around the remaining walls of the space, capped with a coordinating chair rail. But my client's love of gold and all things sparkly led us to a wonderful mosaic. Composed of shifting hues of honey and gold, I envisioned the mosaic on the vanity wall and as a backing for the niche in the shower. We chose a dark slate tile to ground the room, and designed a luxurious, glass French door shower enclosure. Little touches like a motion-detected toe kick night light at the vanity, oversized LED mirrors, and ultra-modern plumbing fixtures elevate this previously simple bathroom. And I designed a watery-themed guest bathroom with a deep blue vanity, a large LED mirror, toe kick lights, and customized handmade porcelain tiles illustrating marshland scenes and herons. All photos by Bernardo Grijalva

A new covered porch to use the space even more in the summer time
Example of a mid-sized arts and crafts backyard tile patio design in Atlanta with a roof extension

Cool, Contemporary, Curb appeal now feels like home!!! This complete exterior home renovation & curb appeal now makes sense with the interior remodel our client had installed prior to us gettting started!!! The modifications made to this home, along with premium materials makes this home feel cozy, cool & comfortable. Its as though the home has come alive, making this same space more functional & feel so much better, a new found energy. The existing traditional missized semi-circle driveway that took up the entire frontyard was removed. This allowed us to design & install a new more functional driveway as well as create a huge courtyard that not only adds privacy and protection, it looks and feels incredible. Now our client can actually use the front yard for more than just parking cars. The modification addition of 5 stucco columns creates the feeling of a much larger space than what was there prior...who know that these cosmectic columns would actually feel like arms that wrap around the new curb appeal...almost like a vibe of protection. The contrasting paint colors add more movement and depth continuing the feeling of this great space! The new smooth limestone courtyard and custom iron "x" designed fence & gates create a weight type feeling that not only adds privacy, it just feels & looks solid. Its as if its a silent barrier between the homeowners inside and the rest of the world. Our clients now feel comfortable in there new found outdoor living spaces behind the courtyard walls. A place for family, friends and neighbors can easliy conversate & relax. Whether hanging out with the kids or just watching the kids play around in the frontyard, the courtyard was critical to adding a much needed play space. Art is brought into the picture with 2 stone wall monuments...one adding the address numbers with low voltage ligthing to one side of the yard and another that adds balance to the opposite side with custom cut in light fixtures that says... this... is... thee, house! Drystack 8" bed rough chop buff leuders stone planters & short walls outline and accentuate the forever lawn turf as well as the new plant life & lighting. The limestone serves as a grade wall for leveling, as well as the walls are completely permeable for long life and function. Something every parapet home should have, we've added custom down spouts tied to an under ground drainage system. Another way we add longevity to each project. Lastly...lighting is the icing on the cake. Wall lights, path light, down lights, up lights & step lights are all to important along with every light location is considerd as to add a breath taking ambiance of envy. No airplane runway or helicopter landing lights here. We cant wait for summer as the landscape is sure to fill up with color in every corner of this beautiful new outdoor space.

Mid-sized elegant l-shaped travertine floor and beige floor kitchen photo in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The bathtub wall features an Arabesque Blended Mosaic in the color Tuileries from Bedrosians, and continues to the top of the window to enhance the height of the ceilings. Blast 12x24 tile in Calacatta from Happy Floors outlines the remainder of the walls surrounding the bathtub, and was used in the shower walls as well.

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

This gorgeous bath features WWWoods cabinetry with a maple wood and inset construction, Aspen door style, and a Silas stain with Graphite glaze finish. The eased edge countertops are Caesarstone’s 3cm Frosty Carrina complete with a splashette. In the shower you will see various Interceramic tiles which include: Brites White Glossy 4-1/4x8-1/2 in a horizontal straight lay on the walls, the shower floor and accent in a Penny Round in Urban Blend finish, and the main floor features a brick lay of 12x24 Interceramic Versailles Chateaux in Ivoire Matte finish. Various bathroom fixtures include: Faucet – Hansgrohe Metric C Widespread in Chrome, Rain Shower Head – Hansgrohe Croma AIR Jet in Chrome, Shower Arm- Hansgrohe Radiance in Chrome, Control Valve- Hansgrohe Ecostat Thermostatic Trim in Chrome, Handheld Showerhead- Hansgrohe Croma in Chrome, Showerhead Holder- Hansgrohe Techniflex, Toilet- Toto Drake two-piece in Cotton, Lavatories- Toto Dartmouth in Cotton, Shower Bench- Mr. Steam MS Wallseat in Teak. Other fixtures include: toilet paper holder, towel rings, towel bars from Hansgrohe in Chrome, Granby Chrome Three-Light vanity sconces from Kichler, and Ringed Knobs from Top Knobs in a Polished Chrome finish.

Brick used to outline a plant to add some interest and finish to it.
Inspiration for a small modern side yard landscaping in Kansas City.

Inspiration for an exterior home remodel in Orlando

These homeowners purchased a lovely Melrose corner-lot home in desperate need of a landscape refresh. In addition to the Techo-Bloc patio & walkway, LCM PLUS replaced the aging back steps and reconfigured the layout. Using matching natural flat fieldstone LCM PLUS build a small garden wall to match the new front steps, and used landscape lighting to highlight the natural features. Final touches including replacing the fence and & lawn mask the extensive underground drainage & electrical work also completed which means this creative outdoor living space will serve well for many years to come.

Practicality Meets Superior Style Match any type of décor with Graber LightWeaves® Roller Shades. These elegant shades are easy to operate and add sophisticated flair to any room. Choose from designer-inspired fabrics in a multitude of hues, patterns, and possibilities, including jacquards, stripes, and delicate woven textures. For a finishing touch, add embellishments like a scalloped hem and beaded or gimp trim.In addition to hue and pattern, choose the weight and opacity of your roller shades according to how you would like to regulate the light. Sheer fabrics are airy and translucent. Light filtering fabric provides a soft outline of the outdoors. Room darkening fabric dims the room significantly. Blackout fabric completely blocks light for ultimate privacy. Many of our exceptional roller fabrics are also available in Graber Roman Shades and Panel Accents™ Sliding Panels for a coordinated look throughout your home.

Elegant Oasis: Maximizing Entertaining Space In reimagining this 14,233 sqft lot, the goal was to create a high-impact, space-efficient outdoor environment, where space meets sophistication for unrivaled outdoor entertaining. This presentation outlines the thoughtfully designed elements which were meticulously integrated to maximize entertaining space within the constraints of the property. The project commenced with relocating the pool to the furthest reaches of the property, respecting property line setbacks to amplify the area available for entertainment. Adjacent to the back door, a covered built-in kitchen and intimate seating area offer protection from both bugs and the scorching afternoon sun, thanks to a convenient drop-down screen. The 18'x36' pool serves as the focal point, backed by an 18" masonry wall adorned with LED lighting accents. Behind this backdrop, a hedge of long-blooming hydrangeas and espalier-shaped European hornbeams complements the formal design, infusing the space with timeless elegance. The pool deck features a sturdy 5" rebar-reinforced concrete overlay with Valders Dove White and gray stone laid in a herringbone pattern (5'x18" pieces). To address stormwater retention, a large drywell behind the pool was repurposed as the base for a putting green, encircled by permeable gravel and stone coping. Landscape lighting makes it perfect for endless fun, day and night. To minimize the “fence feeling” and to distinguish the detached garage driveway, a grand outdoor fireplace and wall were constructed. This space also includes an outdoor TV and speaker system. A pergola, built from large steel I-beams and cedar, provides respite from the summer sun. For continuity and aesthetic impact, the hydrangea hedge extends the entire length of the property, maximizing the use of the narrow 36" side. The front of the property is equally striking. A heated concrete driveway, saw-cut into 5'x5' squares, provides a grand entrance. The front porch and walkway feature heated, randomly patterned bluestone, expertly set on a concrete sub-base. Two sets of garden walls enclose the front yard, with the closest to the front door boasting three water scuppers and a pondless waterfall system, creating a captivating ambiance for arriving guests. The property's front and rear areas are adorned with various planting beds and containers, which are seasonally adapted to ensure a vibrant landscape year-round. Formal, columnar trees, such as slender silhouette sweetgum, columnar tulip trees, sheared European hornbeams, and shaped tricolor beech, were chosen to harmonize with the property's architecture. Crushed blue granite gravel was used to cover all planting beds, maintaining a clean and low-maintenance appearance. In conclusion, our project has not only met but exceeded our client's expectations by delivering a low-maintenance, high-impact, and space-efficient outdoor haven.

Located on a flat, square, corner plot in a dense neighborhood comprised of small homes, this project was a blank canvas to create a landscape that is both an opportunity for community engagement as well as a peaceful space to recreate and entertain, while also expanding the living space on the property. The client is an avid surfer does volunteer work for the Surfrider Foundation, and he was inspire to build a landscape that fulfils Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. We combined a mix of California natives with edible plants such as herbs and fruit trees. We created curvilinear beds outlined with rock and pebbles of ascending size to mimic the rock outcroppings of the local coastline. The veggie beds are made of rammed earth—a tradition natural building technique that uses, mud, sand and a small amount of cement. With fruits and flowers hanging into the sidewalk, this garden allows for friendly neighborhood interaction as well as a more-intimate area for this client to relax and entertain in. *Images captured at 1-year and 3-years after

Project involved total demo of a condo in Boca and redesigning the space to an open look for entertaining. Wood laminate flooring adds warmth and durability without fear of warping. Ceiling customized with stepping outlines the spaces and provides for lighting where concrete ceilings would not allow lighting. Woven custom shades and sheer panels create a light air look to the space with views out to the intercoastal. Kitchen is all white, counter top for island is Calacutta white, back splash is white glass installed as three horizontal continuous rows. All doors are customized in espresso wood finish and opague glass centers. Master Bedroom wall is expanded by sliding wood and Lumicor panels of reeds to create a beautiful back drop to the bed. Design by Karla Trincanello. Photo by Jason Juliano

Urban Loop Studio
Example of a mid-sized minimalist master black and white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and white floor bathroom design in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and black countertops

Janet Pozzuoli-Vallin
This is an example of a mediterranean landscaping in San Diego.

Kitchen photo in New York

This bathroom at the end of the long hall used to be called, “the haunted bathroom,” and if you saw the before pictures you’d understand why, but they’re too scary so we can’t show them! This bathroom went through a complete metamorphosis. We swapped the location of the shower and vanity, removed the radiator and replaced it with a heated floor, removed a vent duct to keep the ceiling high, and removed very old and heavy plaster walls. Even the window is new. Because it’s a small bathroom with a shower that won’t be used often we opted for a wet room style shower. The custom built floating vanity by Leah of Saving Face Cabinetry is made of teak and coated in a marine grade finish. It boasts a utility sink and large amounts of storage, and it’s the treasure chest at the bottom of our sea of hand made ceramic tiles from Poland. Each tile is unique and makes the bathroom feel like a natural jewel at the end of the hallway. Like the booty in a treasure chest, we stuck with a brushed gold finish for all the bathroom’s accessories and plumbing fixtures. Once the bathroom renovation was complete, we set to work designing and actually painting the mural on the ceiling. We wanted it to have an antique fresco quality so the faded colors and the choppy blue outlines help it look like it’s been there for over a hundred years. It also made Anna feel like her back was 100 years old, but it was worth it!!

LOS ANGELES, CA / SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL The commission for this 4,300-square-foot residence came with significant challenges for the architects – a house had once existed on the lot but had burned down and the attempt to replace the house had stalled, leading to an abatement order and a lapse of permits. Our first challenge was to revive the lapsed construction permit by proposing to “modify” the existing structure. The practical effect this had was to fix the footprint of the new home to the existing structure’s plan outline. Having thereby inherited the large, dense block of the original house, the new strategy became one of substituting selective areas of indoor space for outdoor courtyard. This strategy of trading indoor space for outdoor courtyard allowed an erosion of the formerly monolithic structure into a series of distinct volumetric elements, and further suggested that the architectural pieces could cohere as a “village.” The main level is further eroded by large, glazed planes, merging indoor with outdoor, and virtually stretching the landscape across interior space. Moving the detached garage from the rear yard to beneath the new living space allowed for a 75-meter lap pool and a shaded olive garden. The gardens include built-in seating, extensive use of ornamental grasses and Zen-like interior courtyards. A material palette of fossilized stone, bonderized-galvanized metal, and natural Douglas fir allows for the warmth desired by the wife, while providing the modernity required by the husband. Programmatically, her music room borrows from the calm and protected olive court in the rear, while his office becomes a pavilion set in the landscape, which both addresses the street and acts as a sheltering monument for the terraced entry garden.