Vintage Tub & Bath supplied the farmhouse sink and brass bridge faucet. The window was recreated from vintage sashes found at Pasadena Architectural Salvage, which also supplied the brass cabinet hardware. Cabinets by Fernando's Building Materials in Cypress Park area of Los Angeles. Custom stain finish in Charcoal Blue.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in Milwaukee with a fire pit for summer.

Patio - mid-sized contemporary backyard concrete paver patio idea in Denver with no cover

Phillip Mueller Photography, Architect: Sharratt Design Company, Interior Design: Martha O'Hara Interiors
Example of a large transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor sunroom design in Minneapolis with a stone fireplace, a skylight and a standard fireplace

View of garden courtyard of main unit with french doors connecting interior and exterior spaces. Retractable awnings provide shade in the summer but pull back to maximize daylight during the long, dark Seattle winter. photo: Fred Kihara

Example of a mid-sized beach style master porcelain tile, gray floor, exposed beam and shiplap wall bedroom design in Hawaii with white walls

Tom Dixon copper lamps and bold patterned wallpaper provide a strong statement in this small dining room. A mix of modern chairs with an antique dining table Boston Virtual Imaging

Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen Photography by: Ron Blunt
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard gravel and wood fence landscaping in DC Metro.

The garden window allows more light to pass through and provides more free movement in the shower without adding square footage. The bathroom became brighter and now exudes an open, airy and uplifting atmosphere. It is also a space for a changing display of seasonal flora. {Photo Credit: Augie Salbosa}

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional backyard concrete pool remodel in New York

Inspired by the surrounding landscape, the Craftsman/Prairie style is one of the few truly American architectural styles. It was developed around the turn of the century by a group of Midwestern architects and continues to be among the most comfortable of all American-designed architecture more than a century later, one of the main reasons it continues to attract architects and homeowners today. Oxbridge builds on that solid reputation, drawing from Craftsman/Prairie and classic Farmhouse styles. Its handsome Shingle-clad exterior includes interesting pitched rooflines, alternating rows of cedar shake siding, stone accents in the foundation and chimney and distinctive decorative brackets. Repeating triple windows add interest to the exterior while keeping interior spaces open and bright. Inside, the floor plan is equally impressive. Columns on the porch and a custom entry door with sidelights and decorative glass leads into a spacious 2,900-square-foot main floor, including a 19 by 24-foot living room with a period-inspired built-ins and a natural fireplace. While inspired by the past, the home lives for the present, with open rooms and plenty of storage throughout. Also included is a 27-foot-wide family-style kitchen with a large island and eat-in dining and a nearby dining room with a beadboard ceiling that leads out onto a relaxing 240-square-foot screen porch that takes full advantage of the nearby outdoors and a private 16 by 20-foot master suite with a sloped ceiling and relaxing personal sitting area. The first floor also includes a large walk-in closet, a home management area and pantry to help you stay organized and a first-floor laundry area. Upstairs, another 1,500 square feet awaits, with a built-ins and a window seat at the top of the stairs that nod to the home’s historic inspiration. Opt for three family bedrooms or use one of the three as a yoga room; the upper level also includes attic access, which offers another 500 square feet, perfect for crafts or a playroom. More space awaits in the lower level, where another 1,500 square feet (and an additional 1,000) include a recreation/family room with nine-foot ceilings, a wine cellar and home office. Photographer: Jeff Garland

Urban landscape masterplan and installation. We created continuity of color, texture, and form starting at the street and front yard, and reaching to the rear yard and alleyway. Contemporary and naturalistic plantings blur the lines of rigidity and formality of this modern garden, while the structure of hardscaping holds the composition together year-round.

Inspiration for a large traditional full sun backyard stone formal garden in Philadelphia for spring.

Inspiration for a large traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard retaining wall landscape in Phoenix for spring.

Photo of a traditional backyard garden path in Charlotte for fall.

One of our more reputable achievements in recent years was a project in River Oaks that involved replacing a fountain that stood in the corner of the large brick wall. While only one of many elements that we added, this new corner fountain played a significant role in transforming the entire landscape. It introduced a new, more symmetrical geometry to the yard, and it helped provide a more noticeable, complimentary color contrast to that of the brick wall behind it. The existing corner fountain was a very old three-tiered fountain structure that was common several decades ago. This is the type of fountain you almost always see in old movies. In a way it projects a certain sentimentalism about simpler, more absolutist times. However, its power as a symbol fails to convey feeling beyond simple nostalgia, and because of this its use in landscaping has long since become cliché. The old corner fountain had many problems on a functional level as well. It had started rusting out several years past and was now constantly malfunctioning. This was primarily because the fountain pump had been installed underwater and had started to rust out. The lighting fixtures had begun to rust out as well, and the leakage that resulted caused them to intermittently fail. There was also a problem of too much space between the fountain walls and the brick wall around the home. Weeds and excessive vegetation had overgrown the back of the fountain, and they were beginning to overshadow a good portion of its structure. The time had come for a significant change. We therefore replaced not only the original corner fountain, but we also developed an entirely new fountain design. The new structure was shaped like rectangle whose right angles closely mirrored those of the wall behind it. The vertical walls of new fountain itself were made to slope upward on either side in a slight, inverted arc that leveled off at the top and intersected in the corner. To create a decorative color contrast, we covered most of the bricks in the front, as well as the limestone walls in the back, with a travertine coping. This gave the entire structure a soft cream color that proved a perfect complement to the red brick of the wall. Then, on both vertical walls, we installed three water spouts each and installed new fountain lights to illuminate the water from below as it fell into the basin. To add to the mystique of this experience, we also fitted the new corner fountain with a remote pump and an external filtration system that allowed it to run silently, leaving only the water itself to be heard. This also had the practical benefit of preserving the pump itself from the rust that had destroyed the original one. Of course, right angles create very sharp focal points that can often clash with other elements of a landscape. In order to alleviate this and create a sense of harmony and blended aesthetic, we planted several new types of vegetation around our corner fountain. We used dwarf monkey grass and Ardesia to create ground cover. Both species do very well in shady areas, and Ardesia also offers the added benefit of erosion control and a nice green color to further compliment the colors of the wall and the fountain. To add an enhanced vertical element to the scene, we planted a Japanese maple beside the corner fountain. This is a wonderful tree to use in landscaping because it provides both ideal proportions and color. It has burgundy leaves that provide a great deal of shade, but it never gets too tall. Because this property was so large, it was actually landscaped with two separate patio areas in the yard. Since each patio faced either one side of the corner fountain or the other, the illuminated waterspouts dancing against a limestone backdrop became the natural focal point that drew the eye toward itself as the center of attention regardless of one’s position in the yard.

Jed Hirsch, General Building Contractor, Inc., specializes in building, remodeling, accenting and perfecting fine homes for an array of clientele that demand only the finest in craftsmanship, materials and service. We specialize in the Santa Barbara community and are proud that our stellar reputation drives our business growth.

LA Westside's Highly Reputable Outdoor Landscape Architectural Firm | Richard Leyva | 30251 Golden Lantern, #E-350 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Photo of a large mediterranean full sun backyard concrete paver formal garden in Orange County for fall.

This project consisted of a kitchen addition and a new mahogany screened porch for the utmost in indoor/outdoor living. The new kitchen, finished with custom cabinets, soapstone counters, an island, and a coffee bar, is drenched in sunlight thanks to a wall of oversized windows. The end result feels something like a luxurious green house. The screened porch has beautiful custom mahogany screens and flooring, allowing the homeowners to enjoy indoor/outdoor living for many seasons to come. Photo by Mike Mroz of Michael Robert Construction