Beautiful natural treatment in gardens equally as attractive in winter as a vista to look at from new recent renovation.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional landscaping in Toronto.

The flooring that was originally envisioned for this house wasn't Wood Floor of the Year-caliber. When Steve Brattin, president at SVB Wood Floors in Grandview, Mo., got involved in the project, the designers were discussing a simple machine-sanded heart pine or reclaimed wood floor. But once Brattin visited the site—an old world traditional estate set on acreage with its own private lake—he knew it deserved more than a typical floor. "I chatted with the designers and said I would love to meet with the homeowners and have them in our showroom," he recalls. "I said I would really like to do something artistic with it." Brattin's mind was already envisioning the possibilities—something he says usually happens for him within a half hour of walking through a space. "I don't know how certain things come to me," he says, adding that often he draws things out and the designs don't end up being in the clients' budget. That wasn't the case here, however, and the final plans for the flooring called for five designs in various areas, including this Bordeaux parquet in the foyer. With the designs finalized, Brattin turned to Distinctive Floors' (Nashville, Tenn.) Dan Antes to create the walnut flooring, which called for hand-beveling with a circle-sawn and wire-brushed surface; in some areas the flooring was 10-inch plank. The width presented a challenge for Antes, as he had planned to contract out the circle-sawing, but the company he had in mind could handle widths only up to 81⁄2 inches. He decided he would have to do it himself. "We spent maybe $1,500 modifying $20,000 worth of equipment to end up with this awesome distressed product," he says. Due to a tight time frame to complete the job, once the flooring was milled, it was shipped to WD Flooring (Laona, Wis.) to be finished with hardwax oil—a choice Antes says he loves for its maintainability. The actual installation of all 3,000 square feet of flooring was uneventful, Brattin says, crediting his crew, experienced with high-end projects, for a great job. "They had a blast," he says. "They had so much fun out there on the project, and they do it quite frequently; it comes naturally for them at this point." Given the complexity of this job, from scribing around stone to large-scale chevron and mixed media, that's high praise. Antes, himself a Wood Floor of the Year winner and supplier to many more winning projects, sums up the scope of this job: "I think he could have entered any room in this house, really, and won."—K.M.W.

Geometric garden shaping and planting.
This is an example of a traditional front yard landscaping in Toronto.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional shade backyard stone and wood fence flower bed in Toronto for spring.

Full property, front yard, backyard, modern house number, simple, elegant, boxwood hedge, hydrangea, narrow, columnar tree, driveway banding, umbrella, modern interlock, modern, natural stone boarder, outdoor lounge set, tall fence, rolling gate, rolling door, garage, brick, retrofitting, glass railing, pressure treated, custom, bespoke

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Toronto.

Jeffrey Aron Photography
Example of a huge farmhouse light wood floor dining room design in Denver with gray walls

Design ideas for a small transitional rock and partial sun backyard river rock and wood fence landscaping in Toronto.

Use of real stone veneers adds to the contemporary detail and marrying colours.
Inspiration for a mid-sized stone landscaping in Toronto.

Mid-sized backyard ground level deck photo in Toronto with a fire pit and a pergola

Luxury vinyl flooring adds a waterproof barrier layer between indoors and out.
Home design - traditional home design idea in Denver

Photo of a traditional landscaping in Toronto.

Privacy accomplished with IPE wood fences, gates, screens and tasteful use of frosted glass.
This is an example of a contemporary backyard landscaping in Toronto.

Bill Taylor Photography
Kitchen/dining room combo - large contemporary dark wood floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in Philadelphia with gray walls and no fireplace

Design ideas for a small shade courtyard stone and wood fence raised garden bed in Toronto.

Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in Toronto.

Frederick Warren
Large rustic beige one-story stucco gable roof idea in Houston

Indiana flag stone, glass railing, outdoor fire place, terraces, pleaching, pleached, artificial lawn, jumbo flag stone, stepping stones in lawn, seeder wood, seeder, seeder fence, boxwood hedge, french provincial, french style, Italian style, townhouse, retaining wall, toronto, south hill, foresthill