This cozy backyard retreat looks like something out of a fairytale. With its natural stone pathway surrounds, lush vegetation, custom natural stone water feature, and Anchor Weston freestanding wall, the contractor paid special attention to creating a relaxing hideaway that looks like it has not yet been discovered.

The back of the home faces Skaneateles Lake and has a raised deck constructed with DuraLife decking and glass panels to optimize the view. Building code requires that deck rails be at eye level when a person is seated. Since solid rails would obstruct the view for a person seated in a wheelchair, a special impact resistant safety glass railing was used with the glass panels. There is a lower level exit from the home to a pathway that leads to the dock. Windows and glass doors were strategically installed to provide a view of the lake from the interior.

This cozy backyard retreat looks like something out of a fairytale. With its natural stone pathway surrounds, lush vegetation, custom natural stone water feature, and Anchor Weston freestanding wall, the contractor paid special attention to creating a relaxing hideaway that looks like it has not yet been discovered.

Elizabeth 'Libby' Marshall, MLA

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2017 Houzz
This is an example of a traditional porch design in New York.

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

Kitchen - large traditional galley porcelain tile and brown floor kitchen idea in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Modern concrete steps leading up to covered terrace. building Lab is a design build firm specialized in modern architecture.
Inspiration for a large modern drought-tolerant and full sun front yard concrete paver garden path in San Francisco for spring.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional side yard brick landscaping in Tampa.

We were asked to create something really special for one of our most admired clients. This home has been a labor of love for both of us as we finally made it exactly what she wanted it to be. After many concept ideas we landed on a design that is stunning! All of the elements on her wish list are incorporated in this challenging, multi-level landscape: A front yard to match the modern traditional-style home while creating privacy from the street; a side yard that proudly connects the front and back; and a lower level with plantings in lush greens, whites, purples and pinks and plentiful lawn space for kids and dogs. Her outdoor living space includes an outdoor kitchen with bar, outdoor living room with fireplace, dining patio, a bedroom-adjacent lounging patio with modern fountain, enclosed vegetable garden, rose garden walk with European-style fountain and meditation bench, and a fire pit with sitting area on the upper level to take in the panoramic views of the sunset over the wooded ridge. Outdoor lighting brings it alive at night, and for parties you can’t beat the killer sound system!

This is the sheltered pathway leading to the front door on the left and the courtyard on the right. “Even the realtor was impressed. She said, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this!’ We knew right away there was something special about this home. I like how clean it is. It’s an impressive house without being pretentious. It has all these surprises like the different stepped levels. It’s not just a flat thing, it has layers. It’s the unusual features that you don’t see anywhere else but it’s also practical. It’s not clever for the sake of being clever.” – Homeowner

Zagreb tickseed Le jardinet
Design ideas for a rustic landscaping in Seattle.

Neolithic Materials specializes in rare reclaimed and newly quarried limestone architectural elements sourced from across the Mediterranean. Our Southern California collection includes fireplaces, fountains, flooring, pavers, sinks, tubs, benches, antique tiles, wall cladding, and custom-made stone pieces. For inquiries, contact us at (310) 289-0414 or info@neolithicmaterials.com

Large elegant galley porcelain tile and brown floor kitchen photo in Austin with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Landscape Artisan's
Inspiration for a craftsman home design remodel in San Francisco

A pathway to the master ensuite and WIC was restricted by too many doors, and an awkward layout of linen closets. A simple re-layout of the storage spaces allowed for more function within the master ensuite, and removal of the vestibule door created a more fluid access to the ensuite and WIC. Walking the line between traditional and transitional, the balance comes with the finish details and hardware. Square, sharp lines modernize an overall traditional palette, but special attention to craftsmanship expresses a nod to traditional design.

The yoga studio was conceived as a modern interpretation of a Japanese Tea House perched at the edge of a dry pond amidst a traditional walking garden. Many of the design and construction elements abstractly reference traditional Japanese woodworking and construction techniques. The studio is lifted above the ground by two large carrying beams providing the sense that the structure is floating at the edge of the stone pond. The studio itself is designed as a glass lantern, wrapped by a wooden screen. The sliding glass doors extend the studio space onto a deck proportioned for yoga mats. The glass windows wrap the corners of the studio allowing uninterrupted views into the garden and highlight special existing trees at the periphery. The lantern effect is most evident at the rear of the studio where the Ipe screen passes in front of two operable windows that provide ventilation, and illuminate from within at night. The proportions of the wood screen itself change shape to allow more air and light into the rear of the studio. The western red cedar ceiling of the studio creates a plane that extends from the exterior to the interior of the glass wall. As the ceiling plane translates from the exterior to the interior, passing the glass wall, the plane shifts above the structure exposing the cedar joists and allowing us to install indirect lighting within the studio. The design of the gardens was carefully crafted and installed by Land Design Associates and the Owners to create this spectacular backyard oasis in the center of sub-urban Newton, Massachusetts.