In a wooded area of Lafayette, a mid-century home was re-imagined for a graphic designer and kindergarten teacher couple and their three children. A major new design feature is a high ceiling great room that wraps from the front to the back yard, turning a corner at the kitchen and ending at the family room fireplace. This room was designed with a high flat roof to work in conjunction with existing roof forms to create a unified whole, and raise interior ceiling heights from eight to over ten feet. All new lighting and large floor to ceiling Fleetwood aluminum windows expand views of the trees beyond. The existing home was enlarged by 700 square feet with a small exterior addition enlarging the kitchen over an existing deck, and a larger amount by excavating out crawlspace at the garage level to create a new home office with full bath, and separate laundry utility room. The remodeled residence became 3,847 square feet in total area including the garage. Exterior curb appeal was improved with all new Fleetwood windows, stained wood siding and stucco. New steel railing and concrete steps lead up to the front entry. Front and rear yard new landscape design by Huettl Landscape Architecture dramatically alters the site. New planting was added at the front yard with landscape lighting and modern concrete pavers and the rear yard has multiple decks for family gatherings with the focal point a concrete conversation circle with central fire feature. Everything revolves around the corner kitchen, large windows to the backyard, quartz countertops and cabinetry in painted and walnut finishes. The homeowners enjoyed the process of selecting Heath Tile for the kitchen backsplash and white oval tiles at the family room fireplace. Black brick tiles by Fireclay were used on the living room hearth. The kitchen flows into the family room all with views to the beautifully landscaped yards. The primary suite has a built-in window seat with large windows overlooking the garden, walnut cabinetry in a skylit walk-in closet, and a large dramatic skylight bouncing light into the shower. The kid’s bath also has a skylight slot with light angling downward over double sinks. More colorful tile shows up in these spaces, as does a geometric patterned tile in the downstairs office bath shower. The large yard is taken full advantage of with concrete paved walkways, stairs and firepit circle. New retaining walls in the rear yard helped to add more level usable outdoor space, with wood slats to visually blend them into the overall design. The end result is a beautiful transformation of a mid-century home, that both captures the client’s personalities and elevates the house into the modern age.

Florida front yard garden design landscape design
This is an example of a tropical front yard landscaping in Miami.

A French-Normandy style home surrounded by traditional gardens and modern amenities, this was a restoration planned to match the home. The gardens are formal, with straight lines and perfect hedges, with a fountain as a focal point in the most formal garden. Expansive lawns on different levels are also prevalent. Spaces are connected with paths: some formal, some rustic, and some covered. And of course there is a living room with fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, a pool with a pergola for shade, and a vegetable garden as part of the design. With the extensive space still available there will be additions to the design in the future. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

This garden space emphasizes plant textures, colorful foliage and quirky decorative elements. The heart of the garden is the elevated deck that perches over a rain garden, where stormwater from the roof is allowed to collect during the rainy months. Curvilinear paver pathways were installed to gently contrast against the soft plant textures. A sturdy structure was built to protect firewood and showcase quirky travel souvenirs.

Main entry through the garden, an outdoor room that is an integral part of the overall house design. Project Size: 2,800 SF Contractor: Kraft Custom Construction Photographer: Greg Kozawa

photo by Jorge Gonzales-Guillot
This is an example of a farmhouse landscaping in New York.

Small elegant backyard brick patio photo in Portland with no cover

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2016 Houzz
This is an example of a landscaping in San Francisco.

This beautiful beach villa is built on Kauai's south shore. It's a modern twist on traditional tropical with white board and batten walls, teak paneling, and a modern kitchen in a more traditional great room. The mix of white paneling and teak doors is a warm and elegant take on beach style design. The vaulted ceiling and pocketing sliding doors give this home a light and airy indoor-outdoor feel. The entrance is a cozy courtyard filled with lush tropical landscaping with a natural lava rock stepping stone path lead into the home.

A French-Normandy style home surrounded by traditional gardens and modern amenities, this was a restoration planned to match the home. The gardens are formal, with straight lines and perfect hedges, with a fountain as a focal point in the most formal garden. Expansive lawns on different levels are also prevalent. Spaces are connected with paths, some formal, some rustic, and some covered. And of course there is a living room with fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, a pool with a pergola for shade, and a vegetable garden as part of the design. With the extensive space still available there will be additions to the design in the future. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in New York.

Photos By Shawn Lortie Photography
Inspiration for a large contemporary brown two-story mixed siding exterior home remodel in DC Metro

Rodney Rose Autumn Skies Landscapes
This is an example of a modern landscaping in San Francisco.

This is an example of a small mediterranean drought-tolerant and full sun backyard gravel landscaping in Kansas City for summer.

2010 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER Project Scope: Transform a little-used room in the client’s lower level into an entertainment center, featuring a 1,500-bottle refrigerated wine cabinet, a wet bar, a custom-made bookshelves surround for existing hearth, and television hanging built-ins. Challenges: Primary technical challenge was to find a way to unobtrusively install a large “split system” chilling unit to service the wine cooler. Solutions The contractor started with a rectangular space that was appreciably stripped down, except for the fireplace at the far end. An adjacent room housed a professional pool table. The client’s primary concern was how to situate the custom-built wine rack were to specify and fabricate. Although there was plenty of space in niche to the left of the stairway, there was no obvious way to locate the wine rack’s chilling unit for ducting and chiller unit. Both client and contractor agreed that the logical setting for the rack would be along the short wall adjacent to the room’s entrance. But the short wall afforded no room for the chiller, a “split system” unit that needed adequate “breathing room” to avoid overheating After many design sketches, the contractor had a tentative solution: house the chilling unit in a utility room behind the stairs leading to the basement. This would keep the unit out of sight and muffle the sound of the compressor. Then question was how to “circumnavigate” the stairwell and run plumbing lines from the utility room – which was about 20 feet away — to the rack. A floor-level path would be exposed to possible damage and aesthetically unpleasing. Installing the line in the concrete slab flooring would be difficult and expensive – and any repairs to the line would mean tearing up the floor.The only alternative, the contractor suggested, would be to route the lines overhead – run them straight up from the chilling unit, over the joists above, and around the back of the stair case. Once past the staircase, it was straight shot above the joists to the short wall; the lines would then run behind the wall to the wine cooler resting on the floor. This highly creative solution pleased the client greatly: it not only isolated the chilling unit, but allowed it to be easily serviced; the lines were protected and out of sight; and the wine rack – situated as it was in the room – seemed like it was part of the original house design. At that point, the contractor needed a wine rack design that seemed equally “original” to the home – and here, too, the challenge was met. Custom-built cabinetry span the length of the wall, with two floor-level cabinets flanking the wine cooler. Above, twin glass-facing walnut displays – lighted and rising nearly to the ceiling – rest on a black marble countertop, showcasing the client’s impressive wine collection. On the long wall perpendicular to the rack, a widescreen television hangs between two built-in bookcases designed by the contractor. The firm also fabricated the two bookcases now flanking the original fireplace in the far end wall – as well as the glass-faced hanging cabinets which are lighted above the newly installed wet bar.

A French-Normandy style home surrounded by traditional gardens and modern amenities, this was a restoration planned to match the home. The gardens are formal, with straight lines and perfect hedges, with a fountain as a focal point in the most formal garden. Expansive lawns on different levels are also prevalent. Spaces are connected with paths: some formal, some rustic, and some covered. And of course there is a living room with fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, a pool with a pergola for shade, and a vegetable garden as part of the design. With the extensive space still available there will be additions to the design in the future. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

A French-Normandy style home surrounded by traditional gardens and modern amenities, this was a restoration planned to match the home. The gardens are formal, with straight lines and perfect hedges, with a fountain as a focal point in the most formal garden. Expansive lawns on different levels are also prevalent. Spaces are connected with paths: some formal, some rustic, and some covered. And of course there is a living room with fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, a pool with a pergola for shade, and a vegetable garden as part of the design. With the extensive space still available there will be additions to the design in the future. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

A straight line might be the fastest path, but this curving bluestone walkway proves that taking your time to take to stroll through nature is always the preferred path. Design by Charles J. Stick. Photography by Michael K. Breen.

2010 NARI CAPITAL COTY FINALIST AWARD WINNER Project Scope: Transform a little-used room in the client’s lower level into an entertainment center, featuring a 1,500-bottle refrigerated wine cabinet, a wet bar, a custom-made bookshelves surround for existing hearth, and television hanging built-ins. Challenges: Primary technical challenge was to find a way to unobtrusively install a large “split system” chilling unit to service the wine cooler. Solutions The contractor started with a rectangular space that was appreciably stripped down, except for the fireplace at the far end. An adjacent room housed a professional pool table. The client’s primary concern was how to situate the custom-built wine rack were to specify and fabricate. Although there was plenty of space in niche to the left of the stairway, there was no obvious way to locate the wine rack’s chilling unit for ducting and chiller unit. Both client and contractor agreed that the logical setting for the rack would be along the short wall adjacent to the room’s entrance. But the short wall afforded no room for the chiller, a “split system” unit that needed adequate “breathing room” to avoid overheating After many design sketches, the contractor had a tentative solution: house the chilling unit in a utility room behind the stairs leading to the basement. This would keep the unit out of sight and muffle the sound of the compressor. Then question was how to “circumnavigate” the stairwell and run plumbing lines from the utility room – which was about 20 feet away — to the rack. A floor-level path would be exposed to possible damage and aesthetically unpleasing. Installing the line in the concrete slab flooring would be difficult and expensive – and any repairs to the line would mean tearing up the floor.The only alternative, the contractor suggested, would be to route the lines overhead – run them straight up from the chilling unit, over the joists above, and around the back of the stair case. Once past the staircase, it was straight shot above the joists to the short wall; the lines would then run behind the wall to the wine cooler resting on the floor. This highly creative solution pleased the client greatly: it not only isolated the chilling unit, but allowed it to be easily serviced; the lines were protected and out of sight; and the wine rack – situated as it was in the room – seemed like it was part of the original house design. At that point, the contractor needed a wine rack design that seemed equally “original” to the home – and here, too, the challenge was met. Custom-built cabinetry span the length of the wall, with two floor-level cabinets flanking the wine cooler. Above, twin glass-facing walnut displays – lighted and rising nearly to the ceiling – rest on a black marble countertop, showcasing the client’s impressive wine collection. On the long wall perpendicular to the rack, a widescreen television hangs between two built-in bookcases designed by the contractor. The firm also fabricated the two bookcases now flanking the original fireplace in the far end wall – as well as the glass-faced hanging cabinets which are lighted above the newly installed wet bar.