The grand living room needed large focal pieces, so our design team began by selecting the large iron chandelier to anchor the space. The black iron of the chandelier echoes the black window trim of the two story windows and fills the volume of space nicely. The plain fireplace wall was underwhelming, so our team selected four slabs of premium Calcutta gold marble and butterfly bookmatched the slabs to add a sophisticated focal point. Tall sheer drapes add height and subtle drama to the space. The comfortable sectional sofa and woven side chairs provide the perfect space for relaxing or for entertaining guests. Woven end tables, a woven table lamp, woven baskets and tall olive trees add texture and a casual touch to the space. The expansive sliding glass doors provide indoor/outdoor entertainment and ease of traffic flow when a large number of guests are gathered.

Lee Manning
Patio - traditional backyard stone patio idea in Los Angeles with no cover and a fireplace

Tony Soluri
Example of a trendy patio design in Chicago

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.

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in San Francisco.

“People tend to want to place their sofas right against the wall,” Lovett says. “I always try to float the sofa a bit and give the sofa some breathing room. Here, we didn’t have floor outlets or any eye-level lighting. Incorporating table lamps allows for mood lighting and ambiance. We placed a console behind the sofa to bring in large-scale lamps, which also helped fill in the negative space between the sofa and the bottom of the windows.” Photography: Amy Bartlam

This backyard leisure retreat is the highlight of a new retirement residence for a couple in Aurora. They pursued an outdoor living lifestyle and asked Betz to include features they could enjoy throughout the day, from morning to evening. The yard may be compact, but it is brimming with aesthetic appeal and practicality.

This San Rafael front landscape has been dramatically updated with a welcoming concrete pathway entrance, and complimented by a variety of architectural plants, hardy succulents, textural grasses and a majestic, fruitless olive tree. The dramatic transformation is enhanced by a raised corten steel planter at the pathway entrance with gravel and succulents. Two horizontal ipe wood structures provide contemporary accents. New raised concrete planters alongside the new concrete driveway define the property and showcase more colorful succulents. A beautiful gray house paint color and ipe accents complete the remodel. Drawings, Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design SEE PHOTOS AFTER 2 YEARS.

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Deck - contemporary deck idea in Los Angeles with decking and no cover

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Example of an island style backyard concrete paver and rectangular pool house design in Miami

Shade garden plantings.
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in DC Metro.

Donna Dotan Photography
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Mid-sized minimalist light wood floor foyer photo with white walls and a glass front door

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