Our homeowners were struggling with persistent woodpecker damage to their old siding, causing both frustration and costly repairs. To solve the problem and provide lasting protection, we replaced the damaged exterior with James Hardie fiber cement lap siding. This durable, low-maintenance siding offers superior resistance to pests and the elements, giving our homeowners peace of mind and long-term protection they can count on for years to come.

Our clients were persistent with keeping the original feel, style, color, and design as when the home was originally built. We still increased the size of this kitchen by removing load bearing walls and moving windows around. Finally we achieved this classic design keeping all the original features of the cabinetry, flooring, and marble backsplash, but using modern construction techniques for a lasting product.

Drainage Solutions & Curb Appeal Transformation This project focused on solving a persistent drainage issue that was impacting both the usability and appearance of the property. Standing water and poor grading were creating functional problems while diminishing the home’s overall curb appeal—an issue many homeowners face when water isn’t properly directed away from the home. Fowler Outdoor Co. approached the project with a design-build mindset, addressing the root cause of the drainage problem through proper grading, water management, and structural solutions. By integrating effective drainage systems with thoughtfully designed hardscape elements, the team was able to redirect water flow, protect the property, and create a more stable foundation for the landscape. Beyond functionality, the transformation elevated the front yard’s appearance with clean lines, intentional materials, and a cohesive layout that complements the home. The result is a space that not only performs better during heavy rain but also delivers a polished, welcoming first impression. This project is a great example of how solving underlying issues like drainage can completely transform both the look and long-term performance of an outdoor space.

Our clients were persistent with keeping the original feel, style, color, and design as when the home was originally built. We still increased the size of this kitchen by removing load bearing walls and moving windows around. Finally we achieved this classic design keeping all the original features of the cabinetry, flooring, and marble backsplash, but using modern construction techniques for a lasting product.

Set on a narrow hillside lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay in Point Richmond, California, Bay Heirloom is a Mid-Century Modern family home restored, modernized and adapted for contemporary living. Oriented south-southwest toward the Marin Headlands, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the residence captures shifting Bay light throughout the day, from fog-muted mornings to vivid, glowing sunsets. The home was built by Karlyn Neel’s grandfather, the owner of the construction company Flo-Crete, one of the Bay Area’s early concrete pumping firms. Flo-Crete completed the foundation and structural concrete work, with family photographs documenting the original cinderblock walls and pours. The firm also contributed to major regional infrastructure projects, including the Transbay BART tube and Candlestick Park, situating the house within a broader legacy of Bay Area construction. Growing up, Neel spent considerable time in the home, developing an early appreciation for mid-century modern principles. Instead of parting with this family heirloom, she purchased the home from her grandfather’s estate. While her grandfather continued to live in the Point Richmond house, Neel purchased a Mid-Century Modern residence in Palm Desert. In contrast to the Bay Area’s cool temperatures, salt air, and persistent winds, the desert home is shaped by heat and sun and requires a different material response. A substantial renovation she led there emphasized thermal performance, filtered light, and restrained detailing. The experience later informed the restoration of her Bay Area family home. What began as a modest Mid-Century Modern update expanded when decades of exposure to marine conditions revealed leaks and significant structural and seismic deficiencies. Neel was determined to honor her grandfather’s perseverance and without hesitation pivoted to a much more intensive project. Addressing these challenges required close coordination between Neel, Klopf Architecture and Kasten Builders, with architectural restraint and construction precision guiding each intervention. Rather than alter the home’s defining features, the project focused on reinforcing the structure from within. Discreet beams were embedded along the rear facade and in an upstairs wall, strengthening the building while maximizing the wall of glass facing the Bay and opening the wall between the kitchen and the living space. These structural interventions allowed the space to open fully to the Bay without visual interruption, with the kitchen repositioned as the social and functional core of an open, continuous living space. The building envelope was updated using weather- and corrosion-resistant materials appropriate to the marine environment. The house unfolds vertically from the street, beginning with a modest garage level and workshop, with the main living spaces located below. Original slate flooring at the entry was preserved, along with select furnishings and artwork collected by Neel’s grandfather, anchoring the restored interior in its past. A restrained palette of black accents and pale, natural finishes replaces darker wood tones, reinforcing openness and calm. A naturally illuminated stair connects to the lowest level, where a former basement was transformed into a guest suite and family room opening onto a deck. From there, steps lead directly to a small concrete boat ramp at the water’s edge. Throughout the project, decisions were guided by continuity rather than transformation for its own sake. Lessons drawn from both desert and coastal climates informed a material strategy rooted in performance and restraint. Bay Heirloom stands as a measured evolution of a family house, structurally renewed and carefully modernized, grounded in the discipline and care that first shaped it. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova and Fernanda Bernardes Landscape Architect: Huettl Landscape Architecture General Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022 Location: Point Richmond, CA

Set on a narrow hillside lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay in Point Richmond, California, Bay Heirloom is a Mid-Century Modern family home restored, modernized and adapted for contemporary living. Oriented south-southwest toward the Marin Headlands, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the residence captures shifting Bay light throughout the day, from fog-muted mornings to vivid, glowing sunsets. The home was built by Karlyn Neel’s grandfather, the owner of the construction company Flo-Crete, one of the Bay Area’s early concrete pumping firms. Flo-Crete completed the foundation and structural concrete work, with family photographs documenting the original cinderblock walls and pours. The firm also contributed to major regional infrastructure projects, including the Transbay BART tube and Candlestick Park, situating the house within a broader legacy of Bay Area construction. Growing up, Neel spent considerable time in the home, developing an early appreciation for mid-century modern principles. Instead of parting with this family heirloom, she purchased the home from her grandfather’s estate. While her grandfather continued to live in the Point Richmond house, Neel purchased a Mid-Century Modern residence in Palm Desert. In contrast to the Bay Area’s cool temperatures, salt air, and persistent winds, the desert home is shaped by heat and sun and requires a different material response. A substantial renovation she led there emphasized thermal performance, filtered light, and restrained detailing. The experience later informed the restoration of her Bay Area family home. What began as a modest Mid-Century Modern update expanded when decades of exposure to marine conditions revealed leaks and significant structural and seismic deficiencies. Neel was determined to honor her grandfather’s perseverance and without hesitation pivoted to a much more intensive project. Addressing these challenges required close coordination between Neel, Klopf Architecture and Kasten Builders, with architectural restraint and construction precision guiding each intervention. Rather than alter the home’s defining features, the project focused on reinforcing the structure from within. Discreet beams were embedded along the rear facade and in an upstairs wall, strengthening the building while maximizing the wall of glass facing the Bay and opening the wall between the kitchen and the living space. These structural interventions allowed the space to open fully to the Bay without visual interruption, with the kitchen repositioned as the social and functional core of an open, continuous living space. The building envelope was updated using weather- and corrosion-resistant materials appropriate to the marine environment. The house unfolds vertically from the street, beginning with a modest garage level and workshop, with the main living spaces located below. Original slate flooring at the entry was preserved, along with select furnishings and artwork collected by Neel’s grandfather, anchoring the restored interior in its past. A restrained palette of black accents and pale, natural finishes replaces darker wood tones, reinforcing openness and calm. A naturally illuminated stair connects to the lowest level, where a former basement was transformed into a guest suite and family room opening onto a deck. From there, steps lead directly to a small concrete boat ramp at the water’s edge. Throughout the project, decisions were guided by continuity rather than transformation for its own sake. Lessons drawn from both desert and coastal climates informed a material strategy rooted in performance and restraint. Bay Heirloom stands as a measured evolution of a family house, structurally renewed and carefully modernized, grounded in the discipline and care that first shaped it. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova and Fernanda Bernardes Landscape Architect: Huettl Landscape Architecture General Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022 Location: Point Richmond, CA

Octobery Glory Maple planted in a backyard by Treeland Nursery. In the fall October Glory Maples produce a deep orange to red fall color that persists well into November. Visit our website to learn more. https://www.tree-land.com/tree-finder/tree/october-glory-maple/?

Scott & Catherine Buley, HTT&T. High Tech Turf & Trees, LandscapeMakeover.biz, Rain Garden Nursery. Photo again, in November 2016, showing how Fall colors persist.

Ron Rosenzweig
Inspiration for a contemporary home design remodel in Miami

Ron Rosenzweig
Example of a trendy home design design in Miami

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

The backyard had persistent drainage issues, so Betz resolved the problem by adjusting the levels and slopes on all new surfaces. Another challenge was the overgrown hedge and shrubs which used up valuable space. They were removed from across the back and a portion of one side, then replaced with new fencing.

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

Stilul contemporan de amenajare adoptat evidențează clădirea prin formele geometrice propuse. Prin aceste forme s-au creat spații variante pentru activități de relaxare. Plantele alese sunt plante de umbră și semiumbră. Acestea oferă decor prin port, ramuri, foliaj, flori și fructe. În perioada iernii vor decora exemplarele de mahonie cu foliaj persistent și exemplarele de iederă, dar vor exista și pete de culoare oferite de ramurile de culoare roșie ale exemplarelor de corn variegat. Întreaga amenajare oferă un loc ideal de relaxare pentru angajați. Băncile sinuoase sunt integrate în jardinierele de corten oferind numeroase spații de relaxare și dihnă. Formele sinuoase adoptate oferă posibilitatea de a explora locul și de a reduce efectul de claustrofobie oferit de clădire.

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

Villa Suksan® is inspired by the simple desire to eliminate all the superfluous, achieving natural order, calm and tranquility. A few magic essential elements help to make you live in harmony with the tropical environment. Generous windows and abundance of glass ensure you to experience the pleasure of feeling at one with the tropical surroundings. A beautiful swimming pool interconnects the pavilions, reflecting its light on the spacious sundeck and interiors. A perfect garden, no matter what its size is, showcases exotic plants and foliage that persists throughout the year. The villas have been designed and built to provide an extraordinarily beautiful look. The spacious and elegantly designed swimming pool is the focal point of the property, finished in the traditional Andaman dark blue ceramic tiles, with underwater lighting providing an elegant and romantic atmosphere in the evening. All Villas come with exceptional standard features like vaulted ceiling lined with Teak wood plus Tabek solid wood floors in the Master Bedroom, luxurious half mood bathtub in the ensuite and infinity edge swimming pool. Living room, dining room, second bedroom & passage floors are designed with simple yet clean flowing ceramic tiles with an option to have Tabek wood throughout.

We are here to tackle the most cluttered spaces in your house! Whether it’s a closet in the basement where things have been accumulating for years or your entire house has been overrun with clutter, we can help! In addition to getting you on track, we are available for ongoing maintenance to make sure that your new organizing strategies persist over time. Price $75 per hour or prepaid 6 hours for $400