This classic post-and-beam house sits on a ridge in the Riviera neighborhood of Santa Barbara, CA. With stunning views of Gibraltar Rock, Mission Canyon, and Cielito Overlook, the house’s original designers sited it perfectly and implemented an elegantly simple structural system based on a clear design vision. Unfortunately, several subsequent owners lacked that same clarity and made questionable remodeling choices based on passing style fads, effectively turning the house into something it was not and – most perplexing of all – turning their backs to the majesty of the surrounding mountains and valley. Working with the new owner, who saw through the noise of these misguided remodels, we set out to return the house to its roots and recreate its rhythmic geometry and interior flow. We added new wall-to-wall double sliding doors that open to the expansive northern views, bringing space and light to the living, dining, and kitchen areas and providing easy access to the surrounding natural environment. We also reconsidered the color palette and materials, simplified detailing and trim, and highlighted interior focal points such as the original slump block fireplace and newly remodeled kitchen. The house now entertains easily and provides a comfortable and gracious living space for its owner and guests.

Larny J. Mack
Example of a trendy medium tone wood floor hallway design in San Diego with white walls

Outdoor living fabulously designer and master outdoor kitchen builder offers much more than just grilling.Outdoor living fabulously for the stars..... That's the stars in your family. You too can feel fabulous about living beyond the walls of your own home outdoors.Outdoor Kitchen Designed and built by Michael Gotowala Outdoor Kitchen Designer and founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES Michael Gotowala and his Preferred Properties team designed and built this tremendous outdoor living fabulously space and masterful outdoor kitchen that was nationally featured on DIY Network Cool Tools. Outdoor Kitchen Designer Michael Gotowala has 14 Outdoor kitchens featured in national publications such as Hearth & Home magazine, Signature Kitchen & Baths, and hard cover book CREATIVE HOMEOWNER'S BEST SIGNATURE OUTDOOR KITCHENS. The Preferred Properties team under Michael Gotowala is the only Connecticut outdoor kitchen designer featured. Not feeling fabulous about your outdoor living space? Reconsider your outdoor living space. To feel about your outdoor living space you must feel fabulous about your design. Contact us at THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com

Main view of the master bath shows the new soaking tub and reconfiguration of the space. New linen closet is across from the vanity. Photos by Eric Roth

Photos by Eric Roth
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Cheshire, Ct. Living beyond the walls of your home fabulously was made as seamlessly as possible by Outdoor Kitchen designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES as the materials chosen were the same bricks as used on the house. Many of the rooms of this 10,000 sq ft house all point visibly to this outdoor kitchen terrace complete with outdoor grill island, warming drawer, side burner on one end of the terrace. A complete stand alone bar with top shelf and kegarator off the entry door on the other side of the terrace making a nice comforting outdoor living space for the family of eight. The black fleck granite softens the brick and makes for a great cooking, and conversing platform. The outdoor appliance line for this particular project was VIKING. See more great outdoor kitchen ideas at THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES, www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com Not so sure about your outdoor living space? you too can feel fabulously about living beyond the walls of your home outdoors. Start with reconsidering your outdoor living design. Call outdoor living fabulously designer Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES 1-855-GET OUTDOORS

Outdoor living fabulously designer and master outdoor kitchen builder offers much more than just grilling.Outdoor living fabulously for the stars..... That's the stars in your family. You too can feel fabulous about living beyond the walls of your own home outdoors.Outdoor Kitchen Designed and built by Michael Gotowala Outdoor Kitchen Designer and founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES Michael Gotowala and his Preferred Properties team designed and built this tremendous outdoor living fabulously space and masterful outdoor kitchen that was nationally featured on DIY Network Cool Tools. Outdoor Kitchen Designer Michael Gotowala has 14 Outdoor kitchens featured in national publications such as Hearth & Home magazine, Signature Kitchen & Baths, and hard cover book CREATIVE HOMEOWNER'S BEST SIGNATURE OUTDOOR KITCHENS. The Preferred Properties team under Michael Gotowala is the only Connecticut outdoor kitchen designer featured. Not feeling fabulous about your outdoor living space? Reconsider your outdoor living space. To feel about your outdoor living space you must feel fabulous about your design. Contact us at THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com

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Photos by Eric Roth
Example of a transitional dining room design in Boston

Larny J. Mack
Inspiration for a contemporary medium tone wood floor dining room remodel in San Diego with white walls

Old Lyme, CT. Prime property for good reason, beach homes beckon you outside by appealing to the senses. The lulling sounds of rolling waves, the beauty of a seemingly eternal body of water, the salty smell of evening breezes, and the tickle of changing terrain underfoot all make waterside setups particularly peaceful. So with sand and sea bumping up to their backyard, these Connecticut homeowners were ready to max out their space for maximum outdoor living. To take on the transformation, they hired designer Michael Gotowala, president of Preferred Properties Landscaping & Masonry. Multiple terraces of stone and granite patios feature a breakfast nook, seating under a sail-inspired cloth shade, fire pit, and hot tub installed in stone. The outdoor kitchen’s design is especially distinct for two reasons: One, this section is built out and fully finished with stone and granite, and two, the space is sunken into the landscape to block the wind and protect from the elements. Outfitted with all the appliances needed for gourmet grilling in the great outdoors, additional amenities such as the gas fireplace for warmth and ambiance as well as a granite surround for seating complete this Connecticut cookery for optimum outdoor living. For more Outdoor kitchen ideas go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES.. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com Are you satisfied with your outdoor beach side space? If not reconsider your design. You too can feel fabulous about living beyond the walls of your home. It begins with a fabulous design and ends with meticulous workmanship. CALL 1-855- GET OUTDOORS to get started today Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES

Larny J. Mack
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Larny J. Mack
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Central El Paso Backyard Renovation: Fifteen years is a long time for a backyard to quietly wait. At first, it was full of intention—a pool that promised summers, laughter, and long evenings. But time has a way of settling in. The water turned still, then green. Edges cracked. The space became less of a destination and more of something you looked past. Life moved forward, but the backyard stayed behind. Then came the decision: it was time. Not a patch job. Not a quick fix. A complete reset. The transformation didn’t begin beautifully—it began with demolition. The old pool was drained, exposing years of neglect etched into its surface. Crews stepped in, breaking, clearing, reshaping. What once held stagnant water became an open cavity of possibility. Steel rebar formed a new skeleton, precise and intentional. Every line measured. Every elevation reconsidered. This wasn’t just construction—it was rethinking how the space should live. The shell was rebuilt. Surfaces were refined. Plumbing, structure, and flow were corrected at their core. What had once been outdated and failing was now engineered to last. Then the shift happened. Hardscape came in—clean, warm-toned concrete replacing worn decking. Stone walls, once just boundaries, were elevated into features. Subtle textures, intentional lines. A visual language that matched the architecture of the home instead of competing with it. The pool returned—but not as it was. Now it was sharp, modern, and inviting. A long, clean body of water with a shallow tanning ledge that catches the sun just right. Stainless steel scuppers arc water into the pool—movement, sound, life. Steps are crisp, geometry is balanced, and the water reflects clarity instead of neglect. Around it, the yard found purpose. Artificial turf introduced contrast—green, controlled, low-maintenance. A pergola structure rose in the corner, creating a destination within the destination. Beneath it, a built-in outdoor kitchen turned the backyard into a place to gather, not just pass through. Lighting stitched everything together, making the space just as alive at dusk as it is under the midday sun. By the end, nothing felt accidental. What was once forgotten is now deliberate. What was once avoided is now the center of attention. Fifteen years later, the backyard didn’t just come back—it finally became what it was always supposed to be.

Larny J. Mack
Doorless shower - contemporary slate floor doorless shower idea in San Diego with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel countertops and white walls

Central El Paso Backyard Renovation: Fifteen years is a long time for a backyard to quietly wait. At first, it was full of intention—a pool that promised summers, laughter, and long evenings. But time has a way of settling in. The water turned still, then green. Edges cracked. The space became less of a destination and more of something you looked past. Life moved forward, but the backyard stayed behind. Then came the decision: it was time. Not a patch job. Not a quick fix. A complete reset. The transformation didn’t begin beautifully—it began with demolition. The old pool was drained, exposing years of neglect etched into its surface. Crews stepped in, breaking, clearing, reshaping. What once held stagnant water became an open cavity of possibility. Steel rebar formed a new skeleton, precise and intentional. Every line measured. Every elevation reconsidered. This wasn’t just construction—it was rethinking how the space should live. The shell was rebuilt. Surfaces were refined. Plumbing, structure, and flow were corrected at their core. What had once been outdated and failing was now engineered to last. Then the shift happened. Hardscape came in—clean, warm-toned concrete replacing worn decking. Stone walls, once just boundaries, were elevated into features. Subtle textures, intentional lines. A visual language that matched the architecture of the home instead of competing with it. The pool returned—but not as it was. Now it was sharp, modern, and inviting. A long, clean body of water with a shallow tanning ledge that catches the sun just right. Stainless steel scuppers arc water into the pool—movement, sound, life. Steps are crisp, geometry is balanced, and the water reflects clarity instead of neglect. Around it, the yard found purpose. Artificial turf introduced contrast—green, controlled, low-maintenance. A pergola structure rose in the corner, creating a destination within the destination. Beneath it, a built-in outdoor kitchen turned the backyard into a place to gather, not just pass through. Lighting stitched everything together, making the space just as alive at dusk as it is under the midday sun. By the end, nothing felt accidental. What was once forgotten is now deliberate. What was once avoided is now the center of attention. Fifteen years later, the backyard didn’t just come back—it finally became what it was always supposed to be.

Old Lyme, CT. Prime property for good reason, beach homes beckon you outside by appealing to the senses. The lulling sounds of rolling waves, the beauty of a seemingly eternal body of water, the salty smell of evening breezes, and the tickle of changing terrain underfoot all make waterside setups particularly peaceful. So with sand and sea bumping up to their backyard, these Connecticut homeowners were ready to max out their space for maximum outdoor living. To take on the transformation, they hired designer Michael Gotowala, president of Preferred Properties Landscaping & Masonry. Multiple terraces of stone and granite patios feature a breakfast nook, seating under a sail-inspired cloth shade, fire pit, and hot tub installed in stone. The outdoor kitchen’s design is especially distinct for two reasons: One, this section is built out and fully finished with stone and granite, and two, the space is sunken into the landscape to block the wind and protect from the elements. Outfitted with all the appliances needed for gourmet grilling in the great outdoors, additional amenities such as the gas fireplace for warmth and ambiance as well as a granite surround for seating complete this Connecticut cookery for optimum outdoor living. For more Outdoor kitchen ideas go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES.. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com Are you satisfied with your outdoor beach side space? If not reconsider your design. You too can feel fabulous about living beyond the walls of your home. It begins with a fabulous design and ends with meticulous workmanship. CALL 1-855- GET OUTDOORS to get started today Michael Gotowala founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES