Nestled into sloping topography, the design of this home allows privacy from the street while providing unique vistas throughout the house and to the surrounding hill country and downtown skyline. Layering rooms with each other as well as circulation galleries, insures seclusion while allowing stunning downtown views. The owners' goals of creating a home with a contemporary flow and finish while providing a warm setting for daily life was accomplished through mixing warm natural finishes such as stained wood with gray tones in concrete and local limestone. The home's program also hinged around using both passive and active green features. Sustainable elements include geothermal heating/cooling, rainwater harvesting, spray foam insulation, high efficiency glazing, recessing lower spaces into the hillside on the west side, and roof/overhang design to provide passive solar coverage of walls and windows. The resulting design is a sustainably balanced, visually pleasing home which reflects the lifestyle and needs of the clients. Photography by Andrew Pogue

White Residence

Goggans Architecture & Interiors

Atlantic Archives, Inc./Richard Leo Johnson Paragon Custom Construction LLC
Large beach style formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room photo in Charleston with gray walls and no tv

2013 ALE: Mechanicsburg Residence

Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association

PA Landscape Group, Inc. http://www.palandscapegroup.com/ Project Entry: Mechanicsburg Residence 2013 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential Hardscaping $60,000 & Over Award Level: Bronze Project Description: Our client was ready to replace a deteriorating wood deck at the back of their home. They wanted to create an area where his wife and two daughters could enjoy the outdoors,occasional meal off the grill, and hang out with friends. We were challenged to keep the outdoor room from sprawling over a rear yard with a consistently changing grade to the side property line and keeping some open lawn for the sports minded daughters. The area at the back property was wooded and owned by the homeowners association and not maintained. Our design goals were to create a three season area to enjoy the grill year round and social space for family and friends. Oh yes,a place to read the newspaper and watch the Philly's. The existing deck was surrounded by six foot Euonymus alatus, which we decided early on to save and transplant if possible. The Euonymus had been a part of the house since it was constructed. The Euonymus became a new screen, to separate the area from the property line. We created a landing large enough to tie the door,grill pavilion and patio areas together and the steps are good if more kids show up than expected. The dining and grilling area is under roof of a 12ft. x 18ft. pavilion. This structure provides a roofed enclosure. The interior roof is softly lighted and a fan provided to keep a comfortable breeze. The grill,table, and hardscape buffet provide all that is needed to dine and a spot to set the TV to keep up with the Philly's. After dinner the family can move down to the fireplace and hot tub area to relax and enjoy the evening. While Dad can spread out the sports page on the table and read the newspaper. Brussel Block pavers, by Unilock,were choose for the casual tumbled quality and smooth clean surface to accommodate socks and bare feet. One inlay was placed just off the landing to be a central point of the outdoor space. Darker red colored Copthorne pavers, by Unilock, are used as accents both vertically and horizontally to be contiguous with the fireplace element. We set the fireplace at a 45 degree angle and set the wood boxes parallel and perpendicular to the fire box. This creates a cozy seating area and prevents the total layout from running straight across the rear ofthe house. We also constructed a customized the hearth to provide a wider sitting area. Coming from the garage we keep the same grade to the back kitchen door, dropped down one step to the patio and pavilion and then down two steps into the fireplace and hot tub area. This also breaks up the feeling of going straight across the back of the house. The grill island houses a Lynx grill and in the end of the grill island is a refrigerator so that everyone does not have to keep going behind the counter to get drinks.At the opposite end of the pavilion a hardscape buffet was built to provide more counter space for serving food and supplied with electricity to provide power for a TV,computer etc. Low voltage pathway lighting was positioned along the walk from the drive to the back doors for security and safety along the path. Up lighting to the interior of the pavilion roof give an ambient light to the grill and dining area and minimal lighting to the fireplace which will radiate its own light. Control of the pavilion lights is located on the grill island. Low voltage lighting provides a great view along the back wood line. This light along the wood line expands visually the space allowing the backyard to become a great space for all to enjoy. Our client's expectations were surpassed in meeting the challenge of our design goals. Photo Credit: PA Landscape Group, Inc.

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

2013 ALE: The Waverly Residence

Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association

Kalinosky Landscaping Inc. http://www.kalinoskylandscapinginc.com/ Project Entry: The Waverly Residence 2013 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $60,000 & Over Award Level: Honorable Mention Project Description: The residence is located in an upscale suburban sub-division in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The home was designed by an architect from California and is decidingly modern and abstract compared to neighboring homes. The architect was direct in his charge that the landscape be bold, colorful and modern, similar to projects he has worked on in California where the climate and culture allows. The owners embraced this concept adding only that privacy was important. Our main challenge was to find ways to provide the desired spirited and colorful landscape utilizing cooler climate plantings, and to push the limits on the abstract hardscape design without alienating the conservative community. We believe we have achieved our goals as both the demanding architect and discerning homeowners are extremely pleased with the results. This modern landscape has also been embraced by the community. Relative to site problems and scope, we had extensive drainage issues and encountered solid rock near or at the surface. We hydro-hammered out layers of rock to allow the installation of several feet of topsoil and an extensive network of drain tiles to evacuate water constantly flowing from springs we encountered. The topsoil was stripped from the site prior to the start of construction and stored on an adjacent lot. We utilized a portable screening plant, processing the topsoil and adding about 1500 tons of additional purchased topsoil. We designed a modern and abstract concrete wall system to separate the public and private spaces in the front of the residence. A people court was designed again utilizing concrete walls to articulate this space and provide a private environment for our clients. This space is viewed and accessed from the bedroom and entry areas of the home. We added a simple water feature of appropriate volume to provide sound, and at night illuminated reflecting qualities to the people court. Extensive screening was utilized to softly cloister the home and screen a large solar array that provides electricity for the home. A lush, almost tropical looking planting was provided for a large sunken area to offer relief to the lower living spaces. A rear terrace was constructed of exposed aggregate concrete. Near this terrace is a bold, modem, concrete water feature and a gas fire pit. The gas fire pit was custom built by a firm in Colorado utilizing hand-hammered metal and heat induced patinas. This terrace overlooks the sloped perennial garden. We finished the rear space with a calm stone arrangement emerging from raked pea gravel dry lake. This viewed from a stone bench we constructed of thermalled bluestone. An extensive highly technical lighting system was installed utilizing bronze fixtures controlled by an array of computer linked touch pads throughout the home. An infinitely controllable irrigation system with over twenty-five zones was installed. This coupled to a dedicated deep drilled well provides stability during dry periods. Specimen trees and shrubs were brought in from nurseries throughout the country. We specified only the finest we could find. This has given the site a feel of maturity while being quite young. Photo Credit: Kalinosky Landscaping Inc.