Neil Michael - Axiom Photography
Inspiration for a small modern shade courtyard outdoor basketball/tennis/multi-game court in Sacramento with decking.

Photo of a mid-sized southwestern full sun backyard stone landscaping in Phoenix.

Ashley Avila
Inspiration for a rustic wet bar remodel in Grand Rapids

Location: Los Olivos, CA // Type: New Construction // Architect: Appelton & Associates // Photo: Creative Noodle
Example of a huge cottage brown two-story wood gable roof design in Santa Barbara

Example of a farmhouse red two-story gable roof design in New York

Mid-sized eclectic galley light wood floor kitchen photo in Chicago with an undermount sink, black cabinets, quartz countertops, black backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and black countertops

This newly constructed ‘farmhouse’ had an overgrown city landscape just begging to be cultivated. Today, two almond trees flank the parking strip, while plums, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, herbs and flowers overflow the courtyard garden. A split cedar fence is the perfect rustic backdrop, an inspiration that drove the client to cover every picket with an aluminum can! Raised beds built from dry-stack stone define and contain this urban farmstead, while drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting help keep the landscape watered in a low-impact way. Photos by Coreen Schmidt

Inspiration for a southwestern landscaping in Phoenix.

Bush honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera Le jardinet
Design ideas for a landscaping in Seattle.

Mahonia aquifolium / Oregon grape Photo: Tatters, via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic
Inspiration for a landscaping in Other.

. The clients brought with them a bronze statue (possibly the goddess Diana) from the wife’s family home. She has the look of something that might have been used at one of the 19th century San Francisco fairs or exhibitions. We built a raised fishpond so the lady and her goat could see their reflections. photo Chris Jacobson

Mahonia aquifolium / Oregon grape Photo by Pete Veilleux.
Inspiration for a landscaping in San Francisco.

Location: Los Olivos, CA // Type: New Construction // Architect: Appelton & Associates // Photo: Creative Noodle
Example of a huge mountain style brown two-story wood gable roof design in Santa Barbara

This newly constructed ‘farmhouse’ had an overgrown city landscape just begging to be cultivated. Today, two almond trees flank the parking strip, while plums, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, herbs and flowers overflow the courtyard garden. A split cedar fence is the perfect rustic backdrop, an inspiration that drove the client to cover every picket with an aluminum can! Raised beds built from dry-stack stone define and contain this urban farmstead, while drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting help keep the landscape watered in a low-impact way. Photos by Coreen Schmidt

Small coastal condo gets a new life! This project started as a consultation that really focused on whether or not it was feasible to maximize functionality out of a tight kitchen area in a condo on the beach. The cabinetry was sort of dated but not terrible terrible. Refresh or total gut of this small kitchen The client wanted to give it a refresh worked but we had worked with her before…so she could not quite decide how far to go. Maybe just repaint the existing cabinets? She needed some furniture. She wanted a little more ambiance and pizazz. And she wanted the Cheryl magic. Ok finally, decision made. Kitchen had to go@! Decision made- a new kitchen to go with the new living! After further review on site with her during the consult meeting, and pitching a few inquiries around for bids on cabinetry and countertops – she ultimately decided to gut and re-do the whole layout. And man-oh-man what a difference some well executed design makes!! This layout was unique and truly optimized every inch we could muster from the kitchen. (Working around that spiral staircase and navigating the soffit that wrapped the entire kitchen and adjacent living room!!) Colors needed to be bold while still feeling fresh so we paired a deep aubergine and a sort of “matte” Caribbean blue which laid the groundwork for a stunning living area palette. Tough layout to enlarge much There were a lot of other “givens” in this space that made the execution of the design a highly strategized process. We knew we had to work around the large wall space that starts the kitchen because it had the laundry room hiding on the other side… the awkward nook with windows on all sides that was a small breakfast area before the remodel… oh, and did we mention that dang spiral staircase?! Multiple site visits to plot the cabinetry and countertop curve paid off all said and done, though! Living space that work with the open floor plan kitchen Designing the furnishings then became the fun part! With a smaller living space flanked by windows and sliders – but one that needed to balance the kitchen in substance – we had to break a few preferred design rules to make up the amount of seating desired. The deep grape-y purple barrel swivels were the perfect “transition” piece by the slider offering access to the views while being versatile enough to still afford safe use of the slider and passage outside. Adding some graphic punch with the droplet shaped, stone and brass cocktail table and bold multicolored rug we love the balance of these weightier aesthetic choices with the adjacent kitchen. Signature pieces make all the difference Carrying through little pops of that blue green between the counter stools (I die! Seriously! SO GORGEOUS) and the sofa (with those brass nails!) — these colors really created a sturdy but eclectic tonal feel that the client was just over the moon for. The art and grasscloth on the walls throughout developed the architecture of the space in an overall structure that was really lacking – it feels warm, inviting, comfortable – BEAUTIFUL – but not too priss and pomp. Now if we could just keep the pup off the sofa!

Kitchen design and photography by Jennifer Hayes from Castle Kitchens and Interiors
Inspiration for a timeless u-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Denver with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Red Currant, a jewel in the garden and as a jelly it is stunning. Fire engine red, clear and very tasty. A small bush with no thorns like the gooseberry to which it's related. Fertile well drained soil and a bit of shade suit it fine. Photo by Gil Schieber at Skipley Farm

Softening the hardscape is a rich planting palette, including a grape vine trained onto the overhead beams, and a corten steel planter built into the “window” on the South side of the courtyard. Timber and steel beams an architectural contrast.

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA Located in Fallbrook neighborhood, it draws on the traditional design of the Prairie Trail Arts & Crafts. Notice the generous front porch, exposed brackets and mixture of siding styles.