Basalt flagstones connecting raised planter beds to lawn area over a dry stream bed. The Dry stream bed provides drainage to the backyard containing a french drain and decorated with river rock and small boulders. Creeping Thyme was planted between the flagstones.

A precious playhouse at the end of a running stream-bed
Design ideas for a large modern drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Los Angeles.

Becky Hulsey, Envision Virtual Tours The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity Awaits…. Have you dreamed of owning your own spectacular waterfall, a serene trout pond, or a one of a kind mountain lodge filled with high end touches, all near Lake Burton? If the answer is yes…..then “The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls” is for you! Located just off HW 76 .3 miles to Anchorage Marina, this unique 2.8 acre property borders the National Forest, boasts a fully remodeled 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2000+ square foot rock lodge that is adjacent to its own private, spectacular 60 foot waterfall all surrounded by native landscape such as rhododendron and mountain laurel. Tumbling under the 40 foot suspension bridge, the pristine, crystal clear water continues to ramble on its way to large pond ready to be stocked with trout. Picture yourself fly fishing for a trout dinner right at your front door, or delight your friends or family while entertaining on your new porch or extensive, multi-level deck that connects your new home to your own waterfall. The kids or grandkids will be entertained for hours wading in the pool at the base of the waterfall, exploring the crooks and crannies among the stream’s boulders while looking for salamanders, or panning for “fool’s gold” in the stream. Just imagine….The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls has all this and more! As you walk up the front steps to The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls, you will notice the craftsmanship of this uniquely one of a kind home made from local stone and granite from a period gone by. If you look closely at some of the stones, you will find raw garnets, some the size of a nail head. Upon opening the front door constructed of solid oak and a tasteful piece of leaded glass, you will be amazed at the spaciousness of the lodge room. Once upon a time, the 20 x 30 foot room with 10 foot ceilings was the entire home. The focal piece of the room is the new floor to ceiling field stone fireplace, hand honed solid maple mantel, rounded hearth, accentuated by a hand-cut keystone, and flanked by raw cedar columns. The new gas logs can be remotely controlled with programmable heat. A built-in floor to ceiling cherry wood wall unit, with granite serving surface, highlights a side wall and is topped off with a large piece of stained glass from an English pub. The mood lighting behind the stained glass and the antique library ladder really highlights this unique bookcase. Distinctive lighting fixtures and fans provide dining area lighting and circulation from the cool breezes off of Lake Burton. On the bottom, the solid oak 1.5 inch flooring is a remnant of the past on the top, the height of the ceilings is enhanced by double crown moldings throughout and a touch of the outdoors is brought indoors by the three new skylights. Surrounded by rustic cedar window boxes, additional ambient light streams through the four windows facing south, and the new French doors. As you open the French doors to the new porch, you are immediately struck by the sights and sound produced by the rushing water as it cascades over the spectacular multilevel waterfall. You will also notice that the mountain has literally been carved away as you view the layers and striations in the granite that surround the back of the porch. The peaked cathedral ceiling sports a glass apex and the bead board on the ceiling accentuated by the raw cedar plank framing and the five cedar trees used as cornerstones all bring the outdoors within your reach. The addition of “E-Z Breeze” vinyl windows along with the cast iron gas stove will allow you and your family to enjoy the beauty and continually changing scenery at The Lodge at Gold Mine Fall during all four seasons. Opening the Adirondack style door on the other side of the lodge room allows you to step into the Lodge’s addition built at a later date. The four foot wide hallway boasts stained glass light fixtures and an architectural feature from the new stairwell that divides the living and the bedroom spaces. Knowing that the east wall in the kitchen and study were once on the home’s exterior allowed us to investigate and reveal the true character of these walls by removing the two layers of drywall and 4 inches of plaster exposing a striking addition to both rooms…… beautiful granite rock walls. The hallway flows into the granite breakfast bar which fully complements the newly exposed granite wall. From the Viking SS refrigerator to gas Jenn Air ceramic cooktop and microwave the appliances are a chef’s delight. Lighting is a critical component in a gourmet kitchen and the light from the double window is enhanced by two spotlights over the cooking area, LED task lighting under the cabinets, mood lighting over the top cabinets, and four “Murano” hand blown glass pendant lights over the sink and bar area. Scoring points in the design category, the full wood “Thomasville” two tone glazed cabinets that are country white and palomino scream style and sophistication, and are accentuated by the cool copper glass backsplash and refined stainless steel hardware. The porcelain, two bowl farmhouse sink is large enough for your biggest pots while the stainless steel sink guards will protect it from scratches. The SS faucet is professional quality and the Insinkerator will help the chef in the house save time with instant 190 degree water. An eight foot long exposed cedar tree trunk hangs over the cooking area allowing the chef to hang his/her favorite utensils and pots or pans in full lodge style. And who wouldn’t crave a large walk in pantry with commercial grade slides that will up to 120 pounds. With all these features, the cook/cooks in the family will love spending time in this room. Across from the kitchen is a study/office area which can be closed off from the hallway by a double barn door. Except for the remarkable exposed granite rock wall mentioned earlier, the entire room has been paneled with raw cedar boards treated with Australian Tree Oil for true lodge feel. The triple crank out window provides a superb view of the pond and blazing Japanese maple trees in the fall. Outside, the hallway leads to the utility room which has been fully upgraded with all the modern amenities. The oak cabinetry with granite tops also has an extra deep sink with commercial kitchen sprayer. The sink area is surrounded by white subway tile while slate and green glass mini tile accents bring the outdoor colors inside. The doggy door, new exterior door and crank out window provide access to the back yard and additional light. From the new “Rinnai” point of use, gas hot water heater to the new “LG” full size, stackable washer and dryer, this utility room delivers. The master bedroom has four windows which provide outstanding light and air circulation. To take the chill off of nippy evenings, this bedroom also has its own romantic fireplace with travertine marble surround, remote controlled gas logs, and a beautiful antique oak and mirror mantle. To top it off, the en-suite bath contains high end fixtures, a spacious vanity, and floor to ceiling rain shower with independent valves allowing you to turn on the shower and not get wet. Multiple safety handrails and a fold down shower seat give bathers assurance and provide an additional measure of safety. The earthy color tiles, glass tile accents and hand blown light fixtures continue the lodge theme in this end of the house. Located across the hall, the guest bedroom is light and airy with its white window boxes and double crown molding, and also has an attached bathroom. This bathroom also has an entrance door leading to the hallway and doubles as the guest bathroom for the house. Its antique oak vanity and mirror, stained glass lights and wrought iron accents remind me of a past era while the vessel sink, modern fixtures, and floor to ceiling travertine and glass tile rain shower all bring the bathroom up to modern standards. Located at the end of the hallway, and next to the guest bathroom, is the handcrafted stairwell leading to the sleeping loft. The distinctive maple stair treads with their grain and raw edge being displayed, were milled locally in Clayton and then installed from underneath so that no screw or nail heads are visible. The staircase was completed with wrought iron spindles, raw cedar handrail and floor to ceiling end post. Upon your entry into the sleeping loft, you will notice the amount of light that enters through the two skylights and large window facing the pond. The sound of water rushing over the pond’s spillway is a delightful addition to this large sleeping loft. Finished with engineered hardwood flooring and two built in double beds with tree trunks for legs, the room can accommodate four additional twin beds. The sleeping loft is also equipped with a kitchenette and a distinctive cedar and rock walled bathroom. The bath features an antique dresser vanity with marble vessel sink, distinctive fixtures and a floor to ceiling polished travertine marble shower with rain head. This bathroom also has an exterior door leading to a secondary upstairs staircase in the back yard. Just envision the great sleepovers the kids or grandkids will have here or how your out of town friends or family will just love this special area designed with their comfort and needs in mind. Originally constructed in 1925 by “off Broadway” star Rose Grant, this property is rich in history. In the early years, this home was one of the first in Rabun County to generate its own electric from the waterfall. Several small cabins were also built on the property and rented out to guests who came for the waterfall, swim in the pond and connect with nature. Other notable residents were Mrs. and Doctor Fowler who was a local pediatrician. According to an aged newspaper article, Mrs. Fowler was very interested in the indigenous flora and fauna and grew a variety of native plants on the property including some that were rare or endangered. Many metal name tags still remain along the various paths on the property thus reminding you of times gone by and the true beauty of property. Lastly, this solidly built home has just been structurally solidified, become more energy efficient, and reconfigured to further usable space all while retaining the Lodge’s original charm. After removing the flooring in the kitchen, hall and both bathrooms, the home’s structure and roof were fortified with numerous concrete footers to support both bathrooms, kitchen, and stairwell walls that extend from floor to roof. To make this home more comfortable, energy efficient, and bring it up to modern standards, the electrical system was upgraded to 220 service with the wiring, outlets, electrical panels and fixtures replaced throughout the entire home. A whole house surge protector was also installed to protect against damage that may occur with lightning strikes. Speaking of electric…..the pond’s newly poured formed concrete wall contains a pipe enabling you to install your own hydro-electric system. And whether you might decide to tie into the grid or store you energy in a battery system, you could generate your own electric 24/7. The homes plumbing was also replaced with new pipes, energy/water efficient fixtures in each bathroom (including three Toto toilets), and a new cistern was installed behind the garage with a laboratory grade water filtration system. The task of water heating was completed by a gas Rinnai point of use hot water heater in the utility room and all windows were replaced with Anderson thermal pane and 6 Velux skylights were mounted to bring the outdoors inside. The home’s HVAC system was top of the line several years ago and both sets of new gas logs are controlled with remotes. Formerly a summer home, all exterior walls were studded out with insulation added, and whole house fans were installed in the attic and upstairs bathroom. Although many of these upgrades may not be visible, they allow the home to be more energy efficient and more comfortable……allowing The Lodge at Gold Mine Falls to become your four season retreat.

The outside of this house features a stream that winds from one side of the property to the other. There are paver stone pathways that lead from each side of the house to the main entrance plus one that leads you from the front of the house through the beautiful kitchen side vegetable garden to the back trex deck. The landscaping has a mix of mature trees, bushes, and tons of flowers including pine trees, boxwoods, roses, petunias, daisies, dahlias, bleeding hearts and more.

The outside of this house features a stream that winds from one side of the property to the other. There are paver stone pathways that lead from each side of the house to the main entrance plus one that leads you from the front of the house through the beautiful kitchen side vegetable garden to the back trex deck. The landscaping has a mix of mature trees, bushes, and tons of flowers including pine trees, boxwoods, roses, petunias, daisies, dahlias, bleeding hearts and more.

Example of a large classic beige two-story stucco exterior home design in New York with a shingle roof

Here the 'box' water feature drops water to the dry stream bed when turned on. The dwarf hydrangeas did a great job of softening the wall cap stone.
Example of a large arts and crafts home design design in Grand Rapids

Builder - Condron Homes
Traditional one-story mixed siding exterior home idea in Seattle

HNA Hardscape Project Award Winner Morrison Residence Roswell, GA PaverStone Construction The challenge with this project was the client’s large property had no real usable backyard for their large family. The property dropped off quickly starting at 30 ft out their back door. We used this fall in elevation to our advantage by creating a stunning vanishing edge swimming pool which gives the feeling of being in the mountains. The owners wanted a backyard oasis for entertainment and social functions. All the boxes were ticked off on this project. Spa and waterfall with stream, vanishing edge pool, and pool side bar with built in bar stools, beach entry, outdoor entertainment system, night lighting system, outdoor kitchen and fire pit. They even have a putting green and children’s play area. We used the grade changes to our advantage by designing three separate terrace levels surrounding the pool. The upper level contains the outdoor kitchen, fire pit and spa. The large second level includes the stream, beach entry and plenty of area for chase lounges and pool side activity, while the lower level takes advantage of the bar stools at the deep end and the cantilevered stone slab bar top.

The outside of this house features a stream that winds from one side of the property to the other. There are paver stone pathways that lead from each side of the house to the main entrance plus one that leads you from the front of the house through the beautiful kitchen side vegetable garden to the back trex deck. The landscaping has a mix of mature trees, bushes, and tons of flowers including pine trees, boxwoods, roses, petunias, daisies, dahlias, bleeding hearts and more.

HNA Hardscape Project Award Winner Morrison Residence Roswell, GA PaverStone Construction The challenge with this project was the client’s large property had no real usable backyard for their large family. The property dropped off quickly starting at 30 ft out their back door. We used this fall in elevation to our advantage by creating a stunning vanishing edge swimming pool which gives the feeling of being in the mountains. The owners wanted a backyard oasis for entertainment and social functions. All the boxes were ticked off on this project. Spa and waterfall with stream, vanishing edge pool, and pool side bar with built in bar stools, beach entry, outdoor entertainment system, night lighting system, outdoor kitchen and fire pit. They even have a putting green and children’s play area. We used the grade changes to our advantage by designing three separate terrace levels surrounding the pool. The upper level contains the outdoor kitchen, fire pit and spa. The large second level includes the stream, beach entry and plenty of area for chase lounges and pool side activity, while the lower level takes advantage of the bar stools at the deep end and the cantilevered stone slab bar top.

Technology and function. While a TV is the centerpiece of a traditional family room, Ferrer eschewed the eyesore of a wall-mounted TV and tucked it away in a custom-built Cabinet Tronix television cabinet. With a touch of a button, the TV emerges, neatly and discretely, connected to half a dozen media peripherals, including a Blu-Ray player and X-Box, which are also hidden away, enclosed in a compartment at the bottom of the unit. Inside the cabinet, the family’s former tiny TV was upsized and upgraded with a 43" TCL Roku TV. Since streaming is the new cable, the family cut the cord, and cost, and now uses a TERK Trinity Indoor Amplified HDTV antenna to get basic channels sans subscription. Atop the cabinet, a stylish Sonos Playbar connects to the TV via optical cable and lends rich AV sound. The app-controlled system connects with other Sonos speakers in the house to stream free and paid playlists from sites like Pandora, Amazon Music, and Spotify. To amplify Wi-Fi throughout the house, a TP-Link VR900 modem/router is paired with the eero extender system to boost bufferless audio and video streaming. Above the lift cabinet, Ferrer used the wall space as a projection screen for a ZTE Spro2 projector. The palm-sized tablet-like projector transforms the living room into a cinema, streaming directly from the device or connecting to other devices via USB or HDMI cable. After some research, Ferrer learned that the best color wall for projection was not white, as one might expect, but grey. She chose Sherwin-Williams Passive Gray to make the colors pop and show vividly on the wall.

This is the ultimate retirement home for this couple. With a 360 degree view they have every thing! They wanted it to express sustainability, water conservation and good looks. This garden features several dry stream beds, raised corrugated steel grow boxes, fire pit, pergola, three different path way materials, patio and many water wise perennials, ornamental grass and ground covers. The wind is always blowing their ornamental grasses! Laughlin, APLD

Total Front Planter Box Renovation - From Overgrown Spyria Bushes to a Gorgeous Waterfall, Stream and Koi Pond The Family Now Enjoys from the Front Porch

Jay Archer
Mid-sized elegant courtyard stone patio container garden photo in New York

The outside of this house features a stream that winds from one side of the property to the other. There are paver stone pathways that lead from each side of the house to the main entrance plus one that leads you from the front of the house through the beautiful kitchen side vegetable garden to the back trex deck. The landscaping has a mix of mature trees, bushes, and tons of flowers including pine trees, boxwoods, roses, petunias, daisies, dahlias, bleeding hearts and more.

HNA Hardscape Project Award Winner Morrison Residence Roswell, GA PaverStone Construction The challenge with this project was the client’s large property had no real usable backyard for their large family. The property dropped off quickly starting at 30 ft out their back door. We used this fall in elevation to our advantage by creating a stunning vanishing edge swimming pool which gives the feeling of being in the mountains. The owners wanted a backyard oasis for entertainment and social functions. All the boxes were ticked off on this project. Spa and waterfall with stream, vanishing edge pool, and pool side bar with built in bar stools, beach entry, outdoor entertainment system, night lighting system, outdoor kitchen and fire pit. They even have a putting green and children’s play area. We used the grade changes to our advantage by designing three separate terrace levels surrounding the pool. The upper level contains the outdoor kitchen, fire pit and spa. The large second level includes the stream, beach entry and plenty of area for chase lounges and pool side activity, while the lower level takes advantage of the bar stools at the deep end and the cantilevered stone slab bar top.

This is the ultimate retirement home for this couple. With a 360 degree view they have every thing! They wanted it to express sustainability, water conservation and good looks. This garden features several dry stream beds, raised corrugated steel grow boxes, fire pit, pergola, three different path way materials, patio and many water wise perennials, ornamental grass and ground covers. The wind is always blowing their ornamental grasses! Rick Laughlin, APLD

The white paneled ceiling and box beams, the abundance of natural light streaming in from three sides of this light and airy living/dining room brighten the stained concrete floors and the antique brick reclaimed from the old home that was razed on this urban infill property.