Search results for "Setbacks" in Home Design Ideas

This project started as a repair to a severely age degraded basement wall. With a bit of creative thinking it became an opportunity for creating a daylight basement.
See Project Video:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/xaDcO0X1wOI
Part 2: https://youtu.be/9nGNaCc6Fpw
The basement wall repair solution is a new below grade window wall and covered entry door area. The plan for this daylight basement project was to terrace the adjacent grade, allowing for a wall of lower level windows and a set of steps dropping down to a new exterior entry door. We had just enough room in the side yard setback to fit it all in. A daylight basement project such as this is no small matter regarding safety issues. I have a lot of respect for the fearless yet professional manner that Jason Smith of Ozz Construction showed to execute this difficult project. The temporary support shoring allowed the crew enough working room to put in the structural steel and wall framing that holds up the entire south side of the building. The completed daylight basement transforms the feel and functionality of this formally dark and dreary area. This new natural light will be a great improvement to this future finished apartment space.

Sleek black and white palette with unexpected blue hexagon floor. Bedrosians Cloe wall tile provides a stunning backdrop of interesting variations in hue and tone, complimented by Cal Faucets Tamalpais plumbing fixtures and Hubbardton Forge Vela light fixtures.
Find the right local pro for your project

Framed by mature trees and nestled within Sarasota’s historic McClellan Park, Sunset Place is a home shaped by a deep understanding of, and sensibility for, its setting—reflecting the charm of the neighborhood, the rhythm of downtown living, and the client’s vision of entertaining, connection, and family life. Every decision—from site strategy to spatial flow—was made with intention: to support a lifestyle centered on warmth, community, and a strong sense of place.
At its core, the project is a masterclass in leveraging zoning and code to unlock the full potential of a complex site. Though landlocked, the home lives like waterfront—offering openness, privacy, and expansive sunset views. Placing the pool in the front yard, within the 25-foot setback, redefines the entry experience. It captures the western light and sets a relaxed, resort-like tone from the very first step inside the gate. Paired with a rear-loaded garage, accessed discreetly via the side setback, the layout transforms the site’s limitations into its greatest assets. Architecture and landscape take center stage, while the full buildable envelope is maximized without compromise.
A natural rise of eight feet from front to back—rare in Sarasota—was embraced as an opportunity. Site walls function as both retaining structures and architectural elements, elevating the pool terrace and entry by over four feet to align with the main interior floor level. The result is a fluid connection between indoors and out: kitchen, dining, and living spaces unfold onto the terrace, blurring boundaries and enhancing everyday rituals as well as social gatherings.
Architecturally, the home is coastal contemporary: open yet composed, airy yet grounded. Clarity in the massing tells a story of the inhabitants from the first glance, while the interior planning offers spatial generosity and ease. The interiors echo this sensibility with a palette that is soft, natural, and tactile—serene without being neutral. The landscape design provides a lush tropical frame, softening edges and reinforcing privacy through layered plantings rather than enclosure.
Ultimately, Sunset Place is not defined by any single gesture, but by the way the home reflects its owners. Their gracious, family-centered nature informed every layer of design—resulting in a space that feels deeply personal, tailored for connection and ease, and perfectly suited for gathering, unwinding, and watching the sun slip behind the trees from the comfort of home.

Inspiration for a timeless white tile corner shower remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, white cabinets, marble countertops, an undermount tub, a two-piece toilet and recessed-panel cabinets

Photography by William Psolka, psolka-photo.com
Mid-sized transitional underground carpeted basement photo in New York with no fireplace
Mid-sized transitional underground carpeted basement photo in New York with no fireplace

Three structures are located on a 6,500 sqft, sloped lot. The main house is squeezed between front setbacks, a drainage easements through the middle, an access easement to the north and a 30’ topography following height limit. The street level contains an office, a bedroom, an entry and a garage. The lower level contains indoor /outdoor living spaces separated by a glass wall. Sharing this glass wall is the master bedroom. The Studio 420 is located to the west of the drainage easement and contains the parts and tools needed to repair their grown up toys (a dune buggy, motor cycles, an antique sports car, and a three wheeled vehicle). The Studio 120 became the third structure. This structure is a utility room that blocks the neighbor’s views into their backyard and is as backdrop for outdoor dining. The home’s form is a reaction to being pinched between site constraints and the need to live an outdoor life while being indoors.

Glass sliding doors bring natural light to the home.
New hardwood floors throughout home.
Example of a large farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, no island, a farmhouse sink, quartz countertops, porcelain backsplash, white backsplash and gray countertops
Example of a large farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, no island, a farmhouse sink, quartz countertops, porcelain backsplash, white backsplash and gray countertops

Zoomworks
Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage backyard patio remodel in Atlanta with no cover
Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage backyard patio remodel in Atlanta with no cover

Geometric Pool with Spa:
-Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle)
-Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer
-Extra-large top step / sun-shelf
-Dark Grey imported Granite coping
-Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot)
-Limestone Patio

Located along a country road, a half mile from the clear waters of Lake Michigan, we were hired to re-conceptualize an existing weekend cabin to allow long views of the adjacent farm field and create a separate area for the owners to escape their high school age children and many visitors!
The site had tight building setbacks which limited expansion options, and to further our challenge, a 200 year old pin oak tree stood in the available building location.
We designed a bedroom wing addition to the side of the cabin which freed up the existing cabin to become a great room with a wall of glass which looks out to the farm field and accesses a newly designed pea-gravel outdoor dining room. The addition steps around the existing tree, sitting on a specialized foundation we designed to minimize impact to the tree. The master suite is kept separate with ‘the pass’- a low ceiling link back to the main house.
Painted board and batten siding, ribbons of windows, a low one-story metal roof with vaulted ceiling and no-nonsense detailing fits this modern cabin to the Michigan country-side.
A great place to vacation. The perfect place to retire someday.

Geometric Pool with Spa:
-Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle)
-Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer
-Extra-large top step / sun-shelf
-Dark Grey imported Granite coping
-Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot)
-Limestone Patio

This project started as a repair to a severely age degraded basement wall. With a bit of creative thinking it became an opportunity for creating a daylight basement.
See Project Video:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/xaDcO0X1wOI
Part 2: https://youtu.be/9nGNaCc6Fpw
The basement wall repair solution is a new below grade window wall and covered entry door area. The plan for this daylight basement project was to terrace the adjacent grade, allowing for a wall of lower level windows and a set of steps dropping down to a new exterior entry door. We had just enough room in the side yard setback to fit it all in. A daylight basement project such as this is no small matter regarding safety issues. I have a lot of respect for the fearless yet professional manner that Jason Smith of Ozz Construction showed to execute this difficult project. The temporary support shoring allowed the crew enough working room to put in the structural steel and wall framing that holds up the entire south side of the building. The completed daylight basement transforms the feel and functionality of this formally dark and dreary area. This new natural light will be a great improvement to this future finished apartment space.

Geometric Pool with Spa:
-Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle)
-Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer
-Extra-large top step / sun-shelf
-Dark Grey imported Granite coping
-Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot)
-Limestone Patio

This august negative edge pool was built between a rock and a hard place. We built the pool on a steep topographical slope. I decided to build a radius footing under the radius weir wall prior to building the pool. We installed vertical rebar precisely where we would build the radius weir wall so that we could secure the weir wall to the footing. We used all indigenous stone on the veneers. The excavation required a fair amount of rock hammering. Every bit of rock was used on site. If you note the rim, it is composed of a field stone that was chiseled on site to produce a smooth, level and even spill. From downhill, the pool is equally spectacular in that all the walls are finished with indigenous field stone. This project was designed in house. Because of the topographical slope, the landscape begged for a negative edge. The home owner wanted a naturalistic setting. The indigenous veneer stone was used on all walls and rim coping. The patio is composed of Norwegian Buff stone, which is a natural cleft green, gold, brown hard stone but soft in color. The coping was bull nosed in order to soften the long lines. This pool is harmonious with the whole mature landscape. The vista from the pool was focused on the landscape afar and the reservoir. The home owner said to me that the project was dead if we had to cut down trees. I was forced to work around run of the mill evergreens. We were facing a wetland setback to one side, a rear yard setback to another side and a customer who insisted that we not cut down trees. I personally appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals to argue the case that we needed relief because of constraints some real and imposed. I positioned and designed the pool on a steep slope because there were no trees. Once I committed the design to the steep slope, I incorporated all of the natural landscape settings into the poolscape.The pool is detached from the home. We build numerous natural steps to transition from house elevation to pool elevation. From the house the steps are less formal. As the walkway meanders through the wooded tree setting, the pathway was designed to be casual and inviting in order to create a garden space that was independent of the poolscape below but tangent. As you approach the pool, we built a structured all natural stone and Norwegian Buff grand stair with piers and lights that opens up to the poolscape. We incorporated a simple cabana and outdoor kitchen. We built wing walls on the far side to accentuate the rim of the negative edge and to provide a safety barrier between the patio and the elevation below. In the wing walls, there are fountains that are cascading opposite to the negative edge. The catch pool is 5 above grade and finished in indigenous stone. We specifically designed the catch pool walls to satisfy the barrier requirement into the catch pool.

Framed by mature trees and nestled within Sarasota’s historic McClellan Park, Sunset Place is a home shaped by a deep understanding of, and sensibility for, its setting—reflecting the charm of the neighborhood, the rhythm of downtown living, and the client’s vision of entertaining, connection, and family life. Every decision—from site strategy to spatial flow—was made with intention: to support a lifestyle centered on warmth, community, and a strong sense of place.
At its core, the project is a masterclass in leveraging zoning and code to unlock the full potential of a complex site. Though landlocked, the home lives like waterfront—offering openness, privacy, and expansive sunset views. Placing the pool in the front yard, within the 25-foot setback, redefines the entry experience. It captures the western light and sets a relaxed, resort-like tone from the very first step inside the gate. Paired with a rear-loaded garage, accessed discreetly via the side setback, the layout transforms the site’s limitations into its greatest assets. Architecture and landscape take center stage, while the full buildable envelope is maximized without compromise.
A natural rise of eight feet from front to back—rare in Sarasota—was embraced as an opportunity. Site walls function as both retaining structures and architectural elements, elevating the pool terrace and entry by over four feet to align with the main interior floor level. The result is a fluid connection between indoors and out: kitchen, dining, and living spaces unfold onto the terrace, blurring boundaries and enhancing everyday rituals as well as social gatherings.
Architecturally, the home is coastal contemporary: open yet composed, airy yet grounded. Clarity in the massing tells a story of the inhabitants from the first glance, while the interior planning offers spatial generosity and ease. The interiors echo this sensibility with a palette that is soft, natural, and tactile—serene without being neutral. The landscape design provides a lush tropical frame, softening edges and reinforcing privacy through layered plantings rather than enclosure.
Ultimately, Sunset Place is not defined by any single gesture, but by the way the home reflects its owners. Their gracious, family-centered nature informed every layer of design—resulting in a space that feels deeply personal, tailored for connection and ease, and perfectly suited for gathering, unwinding, and watching the sun slip behind the trees from the comfort of home.

Geometric Pool with Spa:
-Customized “design” to comply with setbacks to well/septic (initially client wanted a true rectangle)
-Raised Spa with Blue Ridge & Tower Hill Granite veneer
-Extra-large top step / sun-shelf
-Dark Grey imported Granite coping
-Paramount PV-R in-floor cleaning system (pool is 99% vacuum free without the need of any type robot)
-Limestone Patio

The homeowners were building a new home and wanted to incorporate a beautiful lakeside landscape design. The design was constrained by several factors, including lakeshore setbacks that limited development towards the lake and impacted sideyards, as well as strict impervious surface restrictions that limited installation options. To address these challenges, steppers and 3-foot pathways with planting beds were used to create connection spaces without affecting lot coverage.
Despite these restrictions, the goals for the project were clear: create an open yard that maintains views of the lake, develop connected and versatile entertaining spaces, and use materials and colors that blend seamlessly with the house. The design also aimed to provide ample space for family and friends and incorporate a firepit area, hot tub, cooking area, longue beds, and dining area.
45


