Custom Home Built for Real Life Our clients came to us with a clear vision: a home that could adapt to their lifestyle and growing family. They needed a home built with intention, designed with the future in mind, and built around the routines they loved and the people they loved more. Open-Concept Living With Hosting in Mind Our clients hosted often and lived actively, so the main level had to be flexible for all of life’s moments. The goal was a space that felt grand without losing its warmth. Cooking together as a family mattered to our clients – the Wolf range, farmhouse sink, integrated appliances, and large island gave them a kitchen that flowed effortlessly while looking beautiful. This space also served as the bridge between other parts of the main level so that they would stay in view of the next. This created the perfect environment for gathering where everyone had their own spot without ever feeling apart from the whole group. For the living room, our clients wanted space that felt open without losing its warmth. Soaring ceilings created that sense of scale, while warm tones and materials, like the wood coffered ceiling and fireplace wall, kept it grounded. That same warmth carried outside, where an outdoor lounge with a fireplace and dining area made sure guests felt welcomed the moment they stepped out. A Backyard Built for Real Rest Every corner of the backyard was designed with one goal: to be the ultimate outdoor retreat. The elevated, white-brick-framed pool and integrated spa hot tub gave them a place to truly exhale. As the sun set, the fire pit lounge next to the pool became the hangout spot when they hosted their youth groups and family gatherings. Room to Grow With kids in the house, “custom” had to also mean flexible. Our clients had 2 young sons and needed their rooms to grow with them through the years. The two bedrooms and a full bath sat beside a loft that served as both their hangout-and-homework spot. The guest suite sat on the same level where a four-poster bed, floor-to-ceiling wood-look tile, and a frameless glass shower welcomed their guests from day one. A Retreat That’s Actually Theirs Between hosting and raising kids, this couple needed a suite that felt like a true escape. The wood-planked tray ceiling and French doors grounded the room in warmth the moment you walked in, while the ensuite bathroom carried a spa-like feeling with a freestanding soaking tub, custom double vanity, and a glass-enclosed shower. This Is What Approachable Luxury Looks Like The approachable luxury experience meant starting with conversations about how they wanted their space to live with them – how they hosted, how their kids played, how they wanted to feel walking through their own front door, and how we took their goals and experience and used it as the foundation of every decision that was made from start to finish. We wanted our clients to feel taken care of through the process and, most importantly, feel heard.

With 10 above ground features for the center of the 3 different size platforms there are many combinations. The mobile characters you have 4 to choose from. If you are thinking of a side business that no one has then think about starting up a portable splash pad rental company. Between birthday parties, holidays and wanting something different, you will not have to worry about keeping busy.

Inspiration for a coastal carpeted and gray floor family room remodel in New York with white walls

We had a several challenges to face with this project. Not only did we need to update a dated landscape to accommodate two seemingly different design tastes (modern & minimalistic vs natural english garden), we were tasked with improving the property’s drainage, improving the driveway access, reducing water usage and plant maintenance, and fixing a crumbling wall. To marry the two design tastes, we started with the more modern elements of metal planters and softened the landscape with mass plantings of ornamental grasses and native sedge. These grasses act as a turf replacement that do not need to be mowed and require less regular watering. On each side of the yard we constructed new cedar fences to provide updated and additional privacy. In addition, we poured a new concrete wall to replace the existing retaining wall and play off the new modern vibe.

This project started Early 2024 and completed in summer 2025 in the Douglas Park neighbourhood of Vancouver. This project was built for Calumma Creative Landscapes. This corner lot project artfully blends hardscaping and planting using a variety of permeable materials and playful shapes. This project features a pool with a hidden drain strip, two fire pits, circular stepping stones, steel raised planters for trees, permeable bonded gravel pathways and seating area. I will briefly describe our most recent project in Vancouver. This corner-lot project in the Douglas park neighbourhood built for Calumma Creative Landscapes brings together refined hardscape detailing and and plantings to create a playful modern outdoor space. Our team installed elements that include a pool with a concealed drain channel, two fire features, circular stepping stone pathways, steel-edged raised planters for specimen trees, and permeable bonded-gravel patios and walkways. Throughout the project, precision was essential from executing a true architectural circle for the stepping pads to shaping slopes around the pool to manage drainage and movement without compromising aesthetics. Our equipment and expertise in the field helped us create a highly accurate and efficient projects

A transitional townhouse for a family with a touch of modern design and blue accents. When I start a project, I always ask a client to describe three words that they want to describe their home. In this instance, the owner asked for a modern, clean, and functional aesthetic that would be family-friendly, while also allowing him to entertain. We worked around the owner's artwork by Ryan Fugate in order to choose a neutral but also sophisticated palette of blues, greys, and green for the entire home. Metallic accents create a more modern feel that plays off of the hardware already in the home. The result is a comfortable and bright home where everyone can relax at the end of a long day. Photography by Reagen Taylor Photography Collaboration with lead designer Travis Michael Interiors

Better Homes and Gardens taught readers how to add color in stages with this bright living room. The shades featured here are Laura Ashley Woven Wood Shades in Tortoise Brick. The right mix of color can create a vibrant personality for your living room . But you also want color to be livable. So, what's the secret to success? Before you even start to think about playing with colors, take a long hard look at what you won't change. Watch the video to see this room in action: http://blnds.cm/1m1NKbw

We had a several challenges to face with this project. Not only did we need to update a dated landscape to accommodate two seemingly different design tastes (modern & minimalistic vs natural english garden), we were tasked with improving the property’s drainage, improving the driveway access, reducing water usage and plant maintenance, and fixing a crumbling wall. To marry the two design tastes, we started with the more modern elements of metal planters and softened the landscape with mass plantings of ornamental grasses and native sedge. These grasses act as a turf replacement that do not need to be mowed and require less regular watering. On each side of the yard we constructed new cedar fences to provide updated and additional privacy. In addition, we poured a new concrete wall to replace the existing retaining wall and play off the new modern vibe.

This arbor walkway was inspired by the classic brick home, Gary Duff Designs used natural and timeless elements in this landscape design. Starting at the front entrance and driveway, visitors are welcomed with stacked bluestone decorative retaining walls, Belgian block curbing and inlays, and bluestone walkways. The same bluestone is used in some of the patios along with Unilock Stonehenge Coffee Creek. In the swimming pool area, the first waterfall is incorporated into the pool with a fire feature built on top of it. Nearby, the functional fire pit provides a wonderful gathering place in the evenings. Away from this main space, a very discreet outdoor spa and a separate waterfall retreat area offer secluded spaces. As the finishing touch, all of the plantings were chosen for privacy and their naturalistic character.

We designed our pool specifically for kids. The beach entry is 9" deep. We picked that depth to accommodate babies. We sat our friends daughter in the pool and 9" was just above her waist. The "beach entry" has a full set of steps that wrap around the edge. The "sun shelf" is very popular, but we since we wanted babies to be able to hang out here the concept of a "shelf" with a 3' drop was not what we wanted. The step is a great place for moms to hang out with the babies. Unlike most pools that start a gradual decent from one end to the next, we had the first 10' of the pool and a flat 3'6" depth. And we are so glad we did! Almost everyone hangs out in the shallow end and plays! There is a sharper drop then usual to the deep end, but the kids figured it out very quickly. On our new pool (new house in progress) we will do an even larger shallow area.

Trendy formal living room photo in New York with blue walls

A contemporary Polynesian hut: that was the idea our clients brought us when they asked Charles Rose Architects to do a second project on their expansive property on the Charles River, southwest of Boston. All agreed that the new pool house should be wood construction—in part, to create a similar look and feel to the first project we designed there, a “play barn” with two large rooms, separated by an outdoor space that frames views of an adjacent pond. Our clients had won approval from a local conservation commission for a rectangular structure. We started by carving out a corner, creating a spacious covered outdoor sitting area. The heavy timber frame supports a modified gabled roof; the peak is pulled off-center so that the pool house subtly connects with the geometry of the play barn. Red cedar was used throughout, creating rich, warm hues from exposed beams, custom doors and millwork. Photo Credit: John Linden

Award winning hillside renovation with concrete walls and informal 'bocce court' Design constraints: Full sun and steep hillside Planting design: This yard started as a blank hillside that had a steep slope. BKLD provided consultation and design work to develop the hillside with a series of terraced walls to create a bocce court. The bocce court was done in an informal fashion with artificial turf so the client could entertain with the space and have the 'look' of green. This turned out to be a great low maintenance and drought tolerant way to add useable space as well as a softer view from the upper deck. Existing Oaks were all kept and designed around carefully with composite decking. The Oaks make for some great shadow play and is quite the dynamic space as the sun angles move thru out the day.

This home was a total renovation overhaul! I started working with this wonderful family a couple of years ago on the exterior and it grew from there! Exterior, full main floor, full upper floor and bonus room all renovated by the time we were done. The addition of wood beams, hardwood flooring and brick bring depth and warmth to the house. We added a lot of different lighting throughout the house. Lighting for art, accent and task lighting - there is no shortage now. Herringbone and diagonal tile bring character along with varied finishes throughout the house. We played with different light fixtures, metals and textures and we believe the result is truly amazing! Basement next?

A transitional townhouse for a family with a touch of modern design and blue accents. When I start a project, I always ask a client to describe three words that they want to describe their home. In this instance, the owner asked for a modern, clean, and functional aesthetic that would be family-friendly, while also allowing him to entertain. We worked around the owner's artwork by Ryan Fugate in order to choose a neutral but also sophisticated palette of blues, greys, and green for the entire home. Metallic accents create a more modern feel that plays off of the hardware already in the home. The result is a comfortable and bright home where everyone can relax at the end of a long day. Photography by Reagen Taylor Photography Collaboration with lead designer Travis Michael Interiors

We had a several challenges to face with this project. Not only did we need to update a dated landscape to accommodate two seemingly different design tastes (modern & minimalistic vs natural english garden), we were tasked with improving the property’s drainage, improving the driveway access, reducing water usage and plant maintenance, and fixing a crumbling wall. To marry the two design tastes, we started with the more modern elements of metal planters and softened the landscape with mass plantings of ornamental grasses and native sedge. These grasses act as a turf replacement that do not need to be mowed and require less regular watering. On each side of the yard we constructed new cedar fences to provide updated and additional privacy. In addition, we poured a new concrete wall to replace the existing retaining wall and play off the new modern vibe.

Photo: Alexandra Crafton © 2016 Houzz
Eclectic home office photo in Boston

A happy east coast family gets their perfect second home on the west coast. This family of 6 was a true joy to work with from start to finish. They were very excited to have a home reflecting the true west coast sensibility: ocean tones mixed with neutrals, modern art and playful elements, and of course durability and comfort for all the kids and guests. The pool area and kitchen got total overhauls (thanks to Jeff with Black Cat Construction) and we added a fun wine closet below the staircase. They trusted the vision of the design and made few requests for changes. And the end result was even better than they expected.