Landscape Designer Eileen Kelly replaced the patchy lawn with decomposed granite, new planting beds filled with low-water plants and a creative cauldron retrofitted into a gas fire pit. Photo: Eileen Kelly © Dig Your Garden Landscape Design http://www.digyourgarden.com/portfolio/kentfieldreplacedlawn.html

Nat Rea Photography
Patio - transitional backyard patio idea in Boston

What better way to enjoy the best feature of a lake house – the lake – than spending an evening sitting around a fire? Roast marshmallows or have a heart-to-heart – the fire is the perfect setting for connecting with loved ones.

Located in the idyllic town of Darien, Connecticut, this rustic barn-style home is outfitted with a luxury Kalamazoo outdoor kitchen. Compact in size, the outdoor kitchen is ideal for entertaining family and friends. The Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Built-in Grill features three seriously powerful gas burners totaling 82,500 BTUs and a generous 726 square inches of primary grilling surface. The Hybrid Grill is not only the “best gas grill” there is – it also cooks with wood and charcoal. This means any grilling technique is at the homeowner’s disposal – from searing and indirect grilling, to rotisserie roasting over a live wood fire. This all stainless-steel grill is hand-crafted in the U.S.A. to the highest quality standards so that it can withstand even the harshest east coast winters. A Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Built-in Cooktop Cabinet flanks the grill and expands the kitchens cooking capabilities, offering two gas burners. Stainless steel outdoor cabinetry was incorporated into the outdoor kitchen design for ample storage. All Kalamazoo cabinetry is weather-tight, meaning dishes, cooks tools and non-perishable food items can be stored outdoors all year long without moisture or debris seeping in. The outdoor kitchen provides a place from the homeowner’s to grill, entertain and enjoy their picturesque surrounds.

A description of the homeowners and space from Linnzy, the Presidential Pools, Spas & Patio designer who worked on this project: "The homeowners can be described as an active family of three boys. They tend to host family and friends and wanted a space that could fill their large backyard and yet be functional for the kids and adults. The contemporary straight lines of the pool match the interior of the house giving them a resort feel in the very own backyard! The large pergola is a perfect area to cool off in the shade while enjoying a large outdoor kitchen as well as an oversized fire pit for the cooler nights and roasting marshmallows. They wanted a wow factor as the pool is the main focal point from the living room, and the oversized wall and rain sheer did the trick!"

Freshly dug garlic bulbs on a table, shot by Barbara Pintozzi
Design ideas for a landscaping in Chicago.

Miele Ranges at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302 Phone 818.880.0011 Fax 818.880.0411 12050 Ventura Blvd.,Studio City, CA 91604 Phone 818.755.1111 Fax 818.755.9111 www.uakc.com Miele focuses on delivering precise, reliable, gourmet cooking results – compromise is simply not an option when it comes to performance. Miele ranges offering different size configurations (30", 36" and 48") and power configurations (dual fuel, gas, electric and induction). All aligning perfectly with Miele Generation 6000 built-in appliances in terms of design, function and user interface. Key Features of Miele ranges: M Touch Miele's new M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection. Whether choosing an automatic Chicken program or calling up one of your Favorites, the screen with provide a pleasing visual with easy to read touch controls. M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System The M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System enables each of the burners on a Miele Range or Rangetop to both simmer and sear. Regular burners reaching up to 19,000 BTUs and the True Simmer burner reaching a maximum of 12,000 BTU, offers a wide range of precision temperatures for any recipe. Moisture Plus Increasing the humidity in the oven optimizes the cooking of a variety of foods: soft bread with a shiny, appetizing crust; dinner rolls and croissants as if from the local baker; succulent, tender meat with a nicely browned crust, perfect casseroles, delicious pastries and so much more. MasterChef and MasterChef Plus Both found in the Gourmet Center, MasterChef allows you to choose from over 100 easy-to-use programs for items such as baked goods, pizza, turkey and much more making preparation a breeze. Miele will deliver menu options that guide you step by step to the desired oven mode and temperature to create the perfect dish. MasterChef Plus Programs feature 15 Automatic bread programs bake as if from a bakery, guiding you to the correct mode, temperature, time and integration of Moisture Plus to create the perfect bread. Wireless Roast Probe Enjoy individualized and accurate roasting of meat, fish and poultry with the wireless roast probe, which measures the core temperature and displays the time remaining. No need to monitor the cooking process. Easy to use - and great for poultry, fish and roasts.

Miele Ranges at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302 Phone 818.880.0011 Fax 818.880.0411 12050 Ventura Blvd.,Studio City, CA 91604 Phone 818.755.1111 Fax 818.755.9111 www.uakc.com Miele focuses on delivering precise, reliable, gourmet cooking results – compromise is simply not an option when it comes to performance. Miele ranges offering different size configurations (30", 36" and 48") and power configurations (dual fuel, gas, electric and induction). All aligning perfectly with Miele Generation 6000 built-in appliances in terms of design, function and user interface. Key Features of Miele ranges: M Touch Miele's new M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection. Whether choosing an automatic Chicken program or calling up one of your Favorites, the screen with provide a pleasing visual with easy to read touch controls. M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System The M Pro Dual Stacked Burner System enables each of the burners on a Miele Range or Rangetop to both simmer and sear. Regular burners reaching up to 19,000 BTUs and the True Simmer burner reaching a maximum of 12,000 BTU, offers a wide range of precision temperatures for any recipe. Moisture Plus Increasing the humidity in the oven optimizes the cooking of a variety of foods: soft bread with a shiny, appetizing crust; dinner rolls and croissants as if from the local baker; succulent, tender meat with a nicely browned crust, perfect casseroles, delicious pastries and so much more. MasterChef and MasterChef Plus Both found in the Gourmet Center, MasterChef allows you to choose from over 100 easy-to-use programs for items such as baked goods, pizza, turkey and much more making preparation a breeze. Miele will deliver menu options that guide you step by step to the desired oven mode and temperature to create the perfect dish. MasterChef Plus Programs feature 15 Automatic bread programs bake as if from a bakery, guiding you to the correct mode, temperature, time and integration of Moisture Plus to create the perfect bread. Wireless Roast Probe Enjoy individualized and accurate roasting of meat, fish and poultry with the wireless roast probe, which measures the core temperature and displays the time remaining. No need to monitor the cooking process. Easy to use - and great for poultry, fish and roasts.

A description of the homeowners and space from Linnzy, the Presidential Pools, Spas & Patio designer who worked on this project: "The homeowners can be described as an active family of three boys. They tend to host family and friends and wanted a space that could fill their large backyard and yet be functional for the kids and adults. The contemporary straight lines of the pool match the interior of the house giving them a resort feel in the very own backyard! The large pergola is a perfect area to cool off in the shade while enjoying a large outdoor kitchen as well as an oversized fire pit for the cooler nights and roasting marshmallows. They wanted a wow factor as the pool is the main focal point from the living room, and the oversized wall and rain sheer did the trick!"

We created an invitingly rustic space for these NoVa homeowners to enjoy nature in the comfort of their screened porch, year round. The porch leads to a flagstone patio featuring a fire pit perfect for roasting marshmallows and stargazing. Photo: Tom Kumpf

We created an invitingly rustic space for these NoVa homeowners to enjoy nature in the comfort of their screened porch, year round. The porch leads to a flagstone patio featuring a fire pit perfect for roasting marshmallows and stargazing. Photo: Tom Kumpf

Michael J. Lee
Elegant slate floor and gray floor kitchen photo in Boston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

We created an invitingly rustic space for these NoVa homeowners to enjoy nature in the comfort of their screened porch, year round. The porch leads to a flagstone patio featuring a fire pit perfect for roasting marshmallows and stargazing. Photo: Tom Kumpf

We created an invitingly rustic space for these NoVa homeowners to enjoy nature in the comfort of their screened porch, year round. The porch leads to a flagstone patio featuring a fire pit perfect for roasting marshmallows and stargazing. Photo: Tom Kumpf

1960s medium tone wood floor living room photo in Boston with a hanging fireplace

Miele 30" Double Convection Oven Stainless Steel | H6780BP2 Available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center | uakc.com Features: M Touch controls are both easy-to-operate and navigate. An intuitive swipe of the screen will quickly lead you to your desired selection Self Clean Oven 19 Operating Modes including Moisture Plus (plumbed only) — through increasing the humidity in the oven you can perfect your results e.g. crusty, glossy breads, juicy meats MasterChef Plus - fully functional automatic programs to create 14 different types of bread at home MasterChef menu offers over 100 food types to cook to perfection Wireless Roast Probe for safe. easy handling and perfect roasting results Favorites - up to 20 recipes Sabbath Program CleanGlass Door TwinPower Fans provide optimum and even distribution of hot air Soft Open and Soft Close for an easier handling ComfortSwivel Handle moves with the motion of your wrist, creating a more ergonomic feel when opening and closing the oven door Model Overview: Width: 30" Design: ContourLine Finish: Clean Touch Steel Dimensions: 29 13/16"W x 50 13/16"H x 23 3/4"D

Example of a huge cottage backyard patio design in Denver with a fire pit

Country Home. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Elegant bedroom photo in New York with a stone fireplace and a standard fireplace

With a fully loaded outdoor kitchen, sleek spa with a cozy patio and linear gas fire pit, raised garden, and an industrial corten steel fire pit big enough for hog roasts, this yard has it all! The homeowners wanted a space where they can entertain all of their friends, so we gave them a large outdoor kitchen made entirely of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) including the "wood" posts. There is space to sit and share a meal, a Perlick kegerator, an oversized Lynx grill adjacent to a Big Green Egg, a trash chute, and a sink. Peacock Pavers stepping stones lead to a patio with a custom GFRC spa surround framed by a minimalist wood pergola. The homeowners can relax on the double lounge chair while enjoying the warm glow of the wood-look GFRC fire pit. A gravel patio makes the perfect space for a large custom fabricated corten fire pit, complete with a removable grilling surface to easily switch from enjoying a bonfire to roasting dinner. The space is finished off by low maintenance landscaping. Photo by Craig O'Neal