Lara Swimmer
Trendy patio photo in Seattle

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2016 Houzz
Inspiration for a large farmhouse partial sun side yard gravel garden path in Seattle.

Example of a small arts and crafts side yard concrete patio design in San Diego with no cover

Seahorse birdbath with succulents
Inspiration for a contemporary courtyard water fountain landscape in Orange County.

Cape Courtyard is a vacation house in the Greek Revival tradition so richly characteristic of Cape Cod. A temple-like entry portico in an enigmatic shingled wall is one’s first view on approaching the house. The view of the water is to the north, but there was a desire for a sunny, wind-sheltered southern courtyard. The house looks inward to the courtyard and outward to the bay. Set behind dunes, preserving indigenous plantings, the house is approached from the south. The wall with the entry portico screens the courtyard from the driveway. Only after passing through the portico does one discover the courtyard. The house is arrayed around the court like a village of small Greek Revival houses, connected by an intimately-scaled colonnade. The main block of the house is two stories, one room wide, running east–west, open both to the north water view and the southern courtyard. A wing containing service functions and garage defines the east side of the courtyard. The shape of the compact lot gave rise to the angled plan and dynamic courtyard geometry. Photography by Robert Benson

The wall of south facing windows lights up the beautiful Sepeli wood floor. The cabinets have a platnium glaze over a white cabinet, beautiful.
Elegant kitchen photo in Wilmington

Peter Ogilvie Photography www.ogilviephoto.com
Inspiration for a mediterranean side yard gravel patio remodel in Burlington with no cover

California Spanish Colonial motor court entry and gated driveway with sport court was designed in 2007. We pay meticulous attention to details during construction. The main courtyard entry allows guests to be let off at the front door and the cars valeted for parties. The grass insets soften and warm the homes grand entrance. American Gas lamps adorn the columns and front entry. The paving is natural cobble banding with Santa Barbara stone curbing. The motor court pads and driveway are sand finished colored concrete. The grand staircase to the main front door is cut limestone paving. Mature Olive trees frame the entrance and a two sided weeping wall water feature adds a focal point from inside the courtyard, as well as, from the street view. Two full grown California Live Oaks were craned in to frame each corner of the house. The main driveway to the garages has double Custom Wood gates with a side pedestrian entrance, all connected to the security system and cameras. The safe gated driveway also doubles as a bike/trike area for the children and is adjacent to the half-court Sport Court and in-ground trampoline for family fun. Photos by: Ken Palmer

Elegant exterior home photo in Wilmington

After photo. There is a marked difference in this small side garden now! What was once a rather nondescript area with "filler" greenery has now become an inviting walk through a lush tropical setting. Adding more to this small space actually gives the impression that the area is much larger than before. Natural Blue stone pavers from Stone Garden, NC. Photo credit: Matthew Erwin

Cape Courtyard is a vacation house in the Greek Revival tradition so richly characteristic of Cape Cod. A temple-like entry portico in an enigmatic shingled wall is one’s first view on approaching the house. The view of the water is to the north, but there was a desire for a sunny, wind-sheltered southern courtyard. The house looks inward to the courtyard and outward to the bay. Set behind dunes, preserving indigenous plantings, the house is approached from the south. The wall with the entry portico screens the courtyard from the driveway. Only after passing through the portico does one discover the courtyard. The house is arrayed around the court like a village of small Greek Revival houses, connected by an intimately-scaled colonnade. The main block of the house is two stories, one room wide, running east–west, open both to the north water view and the southern courtyard. A wing containing service functions and garage defines the east side of the courtyard. The shape of the compact lot gave rise to the angled plan and dynamic courtyard geometry. Photography by Robert Benson

A small courtyard garden in San Francisco. • Creative use of space in the dense, urban fabric of hilly SF. • For the last several years the clients had carved out a make shift courtyard garden at the top of their driveway. It was one of the few flat spaces in their yard where they could sit in the sun and enjoy a cup of coffee. We turned the top of a steep driveway into a courtyard garden. • The actual courtyard design was planned for the maximum dimensions possible to host a dining table and a seating area. The space is conveniently located outside their kitchen and home offices. However we needed to save driveway space for parking the cars and getting in and out. • The design, fabrication and installation team was comprised of people we knew. I was an acquaintance to the clients having met them through good friends. The landscape contractor, Boaz Mor, http://www.boazmor.com/, is their neighbor and someone I worked with before. The metal fabricator is Murray Sandford of Moz Designs, https://mozdesigns.com/, https://www.instagram.com/moz_designs/ . Both contractors have long histories of working in the Bay Area on a variety of complex designs. • The size of this garden belies the complexity of the design. We did not want to remove any of the concrete driveway which was 12” or more in thickness, except for the area where the large planter was going. The driveway sloped in two directions. In order to get a “level”, properly, draining patio, we had to start it at around 21” tall at the outside and end it flush by the garage doors. • The fence is the artful element in the garden. It is made of power-coated aluminum. The panels match the house color; and posts match the house trim. The effect is quiet, blending into the overall property. The panels are dramatic. Each fence panel is a different size with a unique pattern. • The exterior panels that you see from the street are an abstract riff on the seasons of the Persian walnut tree in their front yard. The cut-outs illustrate spring bloom when the walnut leafs out to autumn when the nuts drop to the ground and the squirrels eats them, leaving a mess of shells everywhere. Even the pesky squirrel appears on one of the panels. • The interior panels, lining the entry into the courtyard, are an abstraction of the entire walnut tree. • Although the panel design is made of perforations, the openings are designed to retain privacy when you are inside the courtyard. • There is a large planter on one side of the courtyard, big enough for a tree to soften a harsh expanse of a neighboring wall. Light through the branches cast playful shadows on the wall behind. • The lighting, mounted on the house is a nod to the client’s love of New Orleans gas lights. • The paving is black stone from India, dark enough to absorb the warmth of the sun on a cool, summer San Francisco day.

This is a very small space that measures approximately 20x14 feet and gets very little sunlight. The client is from New Orleans where they still maintain a house and wanted something that would remind them of home so we went with a contemporary take on the New Orleans-style courtyard. This space was unused and the landscape died as a result of poor soil conditions, poor drainage and heavy shade long before we took on the project. Our mission was to 1) Invite the homeowner into a space they were familiar and comfortable with, and 2) Involve all of their senses (aesthetics for the eyes, water fountain for the ears, fragrant flowers and herbs for the nose). This picture is the left side of this outdoor living space which features a refurbished fountain. The client had this fountain laying in the corner of the courtyard, broken and forgotten. We had a specialist restore it and give it the patina that creates the sort of character you would expect from a New Orleans style courtyard. Again, this is a very small area that was unused and is now a permanent and regular part of this client's daily living.

A small courtyard garden in San Francisco. • Creative use of space in the dense, urban fabric of hilly SF. • For the last several years the clients had carved out a make shift courtyard garden at the top of their driveway. It was one of the few flat spaces in their yard where they could sit in the sun and enjoy a cup of coffee. We turned the top of a steep driveway into a courtyard garden. • The actual courtyard design was planned for the maximum dimensions possible to host a dining table and a seating area. The space is conveniently located outside their kitchen and home offices. However we needed to save driveway space for parking the cars and getting in and out. • The design, fabrication and installation team was comprised of people we knew. I was an acquaintance to the clients having met them through good friends. The landscape contractor, Boaz Mor, http://www.boazmor.com/, is their neighbor and someone I worked with before. The metal fabricator is Murray Sandford of Moz Designs, https://mozdesigns.com/, https://www.instagram.com/moz_designs/ . Both contractors have long histories of working in the Bay Area on a variety of complex designs. • The size of this garden belies the complexity of the design. We did not want to remove any of the concrete driveway which was 12” or more in thickness, except for the area where the large planter was going. The driveway sloped in two directions. In order to get a “level”, properly, draining patio, we had to start it at around 21” tall at the outside and end it flush by the garage doors. • The fence is the artful element in the garden. It is made of power-coated aluminum. The panels match the house color; and posts match the house trim. The effect is quiet, blending into the overall property. The panels are dramatic. Each fence panel is a different size with a unique pattern. • The exterior panels that you see from the street are an abstract riff on the seasons of the Persian walnut tree in their front yard. The cut-outs illustrate spring bloom when the walnut leafs out to autumn when the nuts drop to the ground and the squirrels eats them, leaving a mess of shells everywhere. Even the pesky squirrel appears on one of the panels. • The interior panels, lining the entry into the courtyard, are an abstraction of the entire walnut tree. • Although the panel design is made of perforations, the openings are designed to retain privacy when you are inside the courtyard. • There is a large planter on one side of the courtyard, big enough for a tree to soften a harsh expanse of a neighboring wall. Light through the branches cast playful shadows on the wall behind. • The lighting, mounted on the house is a nod to the client’s love of New Orleans gas lights. • The paving is black stone from India, dark enough to absorb the warmth of the sun on a cool, summer San Francisco day.

Product: Authentic Limestone for Exterior Living Spaces. Ancient Surfaces Contacts: (212) 461-0245 Email: Sales@ancientsurfaces.com Website: www.AncientSurfaces.com The design of external living spaces is known as the 'Al Fresco' design style as it is called in Italian. 'Al Fresco' translates into 'the open' or 'the cool/fresh exterior'. Customizing a fully functional outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, BBQ, fireplace or Jacuzzi pool spa all out of old reclaimed Mediterranean stone pieces is no easy task and shouldn’t be created out of the lowest common denominator of building materials such as concrete, Indian slates or Turkish travertine. The one thing you can bet the farmhouse on is that when the entire process unravels and when your outdoor living space materializes from the architects rendering to real life, you will be guaranteed a true Mediterranean living experience if your choice of construction material was as authentic and possible to the Southern Mediterranean regions. We believe that the coziness of your surroundings brought about by the creative usage of our antique stone elements will only amplify that authenticity. whether you are enjoying a relaxing time soaking the sun inside one of our Jacuzzi spa stone fountains or sharing unforgettable memories with family and friends while baking your own pizzas in one of our outdoor BBQ pizza ovens, our stone designs will always evoke in most a feeling of euphoria and exultation that one only gets while being on vacation is some exotic European island surrounded with the pristine beauty of indigenous nature and ancient architecture...

The Kipling house is a new addition to the Montrose neighborhood. Designed for a family of five, it allows for generous open family zones oriented to large glass walls facing the street and courtyard pool. The courtyard also creates a buffer between the master suite and the children's play and bedroom zones. The master suite echoes the first floor connection to the exterior, with large glass walls facing balconies to the courtyard and street. Fixed wood screens provide privacy on the first floor while a large sliding second floor panel allows the street balcony to exchange privacy control with the study. Material changes on the exterior articulate the zones of the house and negotiate structural loads.

This duplex has a very modern aesthetic with focuses on clean lines and metal accents. However, the front courtyard was undeveloped and uninviting. We worked with the client to tie the courtyard and the property together by adding clean, monochromatic details with a heavy focus on texture. The main goal of this project was to add a low-maintenance outdoor living space that was an extension of the home. The small space and harsh sun exposure limited the plant pallet, but we were able to use lush plant material to maximize the space. A monochromatic pallet makes for a perfect backdrop for focal points and key pieces. The circular fire-pit was used to break up the 90 degree angles of the space, and also played off the round pottery.

A small courtyard garden in San Francisco. • Creative use of space in the dense, urban fabric of hilly SF. • For the last several years the clients had carved out a make shift courtyard garden at the top of their driveway. It was one of the few flat spaces in their yard where they could sit in the sun and enjoy a cup of coffee. We turned the top of a steep driveway into a courtyard garden. • The actual courtyard design was planned for the maximum dimensions possible to host a dining table and a seating area. The space is conveniently located outside their kitchen and home offices. However we needed to save driveway space for parking the cars and getting in and out. • The design, fabrication and installation team was comprised of people we knew. I was an acquaintance to the clients having met them through good friends. The landscape contractor, Boaz Mor, http://www.boazmor.com/, is their neighbor and someone I worked with before. The metal fabricator is Murray Sandford of Moz Designs, https://mozdesigns.com/, https://www.instagram.com/moz_designs/ . Both contractors have long histories of working in the Bay Area on a variety of complex designs. • The size of this garden belies the complexity of the design. We did not want to remove any of the concrete driveway which was 12” or more in thickness, except for the area where the large planter was going. The driveway sloped in two directions. In order to get a “level”, properly, draining patio, we had to start it at around 21” tall at the outside and end it flush by the garage doors. • The fence is the artful element in the garden. It is made of power-coated aluminum. The panels match the house color; and posts match the house trim. The effect is quiet, blending into the overall property. The panels are dramatic. Each fence panel is a different size with a unique pattern. • The exterior panels that you see from the street are an abstract riff on the seasons of the Persian walnut tree in their front yard. The cut-outs illustrate spring bloom when the walnut leafs out to autumn when the nuts drop to the ground and the squirrels eats them, leaving a mess of shells everywhere. Even the pesky squirrel appears on one of the panels. • The interior panels, lining the entry into the courtyard, are an abstraction of the entire walnut tree. • Although the panel design is made of perforations, the openings are designed to retain privacy when you are inside the courtyard. • There is a large planter on one side of the courtyard, big enough for a tree to soften a harsh expanse of a neighboring wall. Light through the branches cast playful shadows on the wall behind. • The lighting, mounted on the house is a nod to the client’s love of New Orleans gas lights. • The paving is black stone from India, dark enough to absorb the warmth of the sun on a cool, summer San Francisco day.

This inner-city garden was designed to meet the needs of a young family who like to entertain but still required solutions for storage and off street parking. Key to the design was connecting the two different areas of the lower courtyard with the upper carstand area. A solution was obtained through constructing an intermediate landing with built in seating and a new gas BBQ. An open style steel balustrade allows for safety between the two areas and visually takes full advantage of the depth of the property. All-weather protection provided by retractable awnings to both upper and lower areas ensures year round enjoyment. Sliding doors in the garage help the generous storage recede into the design. Spotted gum hardwood timber decking extends the internal areas outside and the wrap around steps further connect the spaces by providing an inviting entry to the BBQ area. A large floating timber bench seat is both practical and breaks up the large retaining wall to the upper carport. A grey and white colour palette provides a sophisticated look whilst highlighting punctuations of playful colour and contemporary styling to link the children’s play areas with the home.