This unique home on edge of downtown Calgary is a longer term project we had the privilege to design and implement. We were involved early in the extensive renovation process to provide input on design elements and help resolve logistical issues on the site. Among the many elements in the garden a large water feature was desired, in part to help mask traffic noise, as well as numerous areas to entertain, relax, and explore. Both large and dry-pack Rundlestone was utilized along with stamped concrete for much of the hardscaping. The slope was manipulated to construct the water feature which includes numerous falls, a stream, pond and bio-filter. Stucco walls were constructed on part of the property and river-stone walls were reconstructed to match the existing walls from the previous development. Extensive plantings throughout the grounds highlight and accent the hardscape and were designed for four seasons of interest.

SLDarch: The shaded Main Entry, tucked deep into the shadows, is approached from a rising stepped garden path, leading up to a gentle, quiet water feature and custom stainless steel, glass and wood pivot entry door...open this and venture in to the Central Foyer space, shrouded by curved concrete & stainless steel structure and orienting the visitor to the central core of this curvaceous home. From this central orientation point, one begins to perceive the magic and mystery yet to be revealed in the undulating spatial volumes, spiraling out in several directions. Ahead is the kitchen and breakfast room, to the right are the Children's Bedroom Wing and the 'ocotillo stairs' to Master Bedroom upstairs. Venture left down the gentle ramp that follows along the gurgling water stream and meander past the bar and billiards, or on towards the main living room. The entire ceiling areas are a brilliant series of overlapping smoothly curved plaster and steel framed layers, separated by translucent poly-carbonate panels. This combats the intense summer heat and light, but carefully allows indirect natural daylight to gently sift through the deep interior of this unique desert home. Wandering through the organic curves of this home eventually leads you to another gentle ramp leading to the very private and secluded Meditation Room, entered through a double shoji door and sporting a supple leather floor radiating around a large circular glass Floor Window. Here is the ideal place to sit and meditate while seeming to hover over the colorful reflecting koi pool just below. The glass meditation room walls slide open, revealing a special desert garden, while at night the gurgling water reflects dancing lights up through the glass floor into this lovely Zen Zone. "Blocking the intense summer sun was a prime objective here and was accomplished by clever site orientation, massive roof overhangs, super insulated exterior walls and roof, ultra high-efficiency water cooled A/C system and ample earth contact and below grade areas." There is a shady garden path with foot bridge crossing over a natural desert wash, leading to the detached Desert Office, actually set below the xeriscape desert garden by 30" while hidden below, completely underground and naturally cooled sits another six car garage. The main residence also has a 4 car below grade garage and lovely swimming pool with party patio in the backyard. This property falls withing the City Of Scottsdale Natural Area Open Space area so special attention was required for this sensitive desert land project.

This challenging site near Wolf Trap had an existing swimming pool at the end of the property. With twelve feet of grade change across the backyard, our landscape design dilemma was; how to connect the new pool with the house, create lots of living space, and still get people to the landscape below. The entire rear of the house was renovated, giving us an opportunity to build a new composite multi-level deck. We crafted a covered living space under the deck and sunroom. Techo-Bloc pavers, a stone dive rock at the deep end and the natural stream bed with waterfalls that cascades into the pool. Photography by Mike Bonomo

The high ceiling of this lovely family room is enhanced by architectural mill-work which give this charming room an elegant and cozy feel. Dormers above bring light into the the space, and the decorative ceiling adds scale and beauty to the room. We can see that the focal point of the room is the stone fireplace which is flanked on both sides by a 24"x 24" picture window with built in shelves below. To further enhance the symmetry of the room are 2 large windows with half moon tops giving architectural interest and allow for light to stream across the room. Photos by Alicia's Art, LLC RUDLOFF Custom Builders, is a residential construction company that connects with clients early in the design phase to ensure every detail of your project is captured just as you imagined. RUDLOFF Custom Builders will create the project of your dreams that is executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsman, while creating lifetime client relationships that are build on trust and integrity. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area including West Chester, Gladwynne, Malvern, Wayne, Haverford and more. As a 6 time Best of Houzz winner, we look forward to working with you on your next project.

SLDarch: The shaded Main Entry, tucked deep into the shadows, is approached from a rising stepped garden path, leading up to a gentle, quiet water feature and custom stainless steel, glass and wood pivot entry door...open this and venture in to the Central Foyer space, shrouded by curved concrete & stainless steel structure and orienting the visitor to the central core of this curvaceous home. From this central orientation point, one begins to perceive the magic and mystery yet to be revealed in the undulating spatial volumes, spiraling out in several directions. Ahead is the kitchen and breakfast room, to the right are the Children's Bedroom Wing and the 'ocotillo stairs' to Master Bedroom upstairs. Venture left down the gentle ramp that follows along the gurgling water stream and meander past the bar and billiards, or on towards the main living room. The entire ceiling areas are a brilliant series of overlapping smoothly curved plaster and steel framed layers, separated by translucent poly-carbonate panels. This combats the intense summer heat and light, but carefully allows indirect natural daylight to gently sift through the deep interior of this unique desert home. Wandering through the organic curves of this home eventually leads you to another gentle ramp leading to the very private and secluded Meditation Room, entered through a double shoji door and sporting a supple leather floor radiating around a large circular glass Floor Window. Here is the ideal place to sit and meditate while seeming to hover over the colorful reflecting koi pool just below. The glass meditation room walls slide open, revealing a special desert garden, while at night the gurgling water reflects dancing lights up through the glass floor into this lovely Zen Zone. "Blocking the intense summer sun was a prime objective here and was accomplished by clever site orientation, massive roof overhangs, super insulated exterior walls and roof, ultra high-efficiency water cooled A/C system and ample earth contact and below grade areas." There is a shady garden path with foot bridge crossing over a natural desert wash, leading to the detached Desert Office, actually set below the xeriscape desert garden by 30" while hidden below, completely underground and naturally cooled sits another six car garage. The main residence also has a 4 car below grade garage and lovely swimming pool with party patio in the backyard. This property falls withing the City Of Scottsdale Natural Area Open Space area so special attention was required for this sensitive desert land project.

The homeowner wanted a lush Rocky Mountain landscape and to disguise the large backyard hillside excavation that during construction of the house. Utilizing numerous on-site boulders, creating a 75' long stream, and planting hundreds of trees, shrubs, and perennials filled out the backyard slope and enclosed the space with interesting colors, textures, and forms. Photo by Jon Walsh

Kristen Austin Photographer This waterfall sits at the homes entry between the guest suite and work out studio. Both guests and fitness enthusiasts enjoy the refreshing sites and sounds of this waterfall.

This 2400 sq. ft. home rests at the very beginning of the high mesa just outside of Taos. To the east, the Taos valley is green and verdant fed by rivers and streams that run down from the mountains, and to the west the high sagebrush mesa stretches off to the distant Brazos range. The house is sited to capture the high mountains to the northeast through the floor to ceiling height corner window off the kitchen/dining room.The main feature of this house is the central Atrium which is an 18 foot adobe octagon topped with a skylight to form an indoor courtyard complete with a fountain. Off of this central space are two offset squares, one to the east and one to the west. The bedrooms and mechanical room are on the west side and the kitchen, dining, living room and an office are on the east side. The house is a straw bale/adobe hybrid, has custom hand dyed plaster throughout with Talavera Tile in the public spaces and Saltillo Tile in the bedrooms. There is a large kiva fireplace in the living room, and a smaller one occupies a corner in the Master Bedroom. The Master Bathroom is finished in white marble tile. The separate garage is connected to the house with a triangular, arched breezeway with a copper ceiling.

With a quiet site and good views to a stream-fed park to the east, this 1800 SF split-level had great potential. Here, as in many homes, the kitchen is the hub of family life. So it was crucial that the space worked well for both large gatherings and daily family routines. On the 1st floor, the key was to work within the existing house as much as possible, re-configuring the interior walls while simultaneously increasing the floor to ceiling height. Additional windows, patio doors and a small kitchen addition brightened the interior and expanded the house by providing a new, light-filled, double-height foyer. More space was gained by relocating the master bedroom to a new 2nd floor suite. Taking down the walls that compartmentalized the first floor allowed the kitchen, dining and living rooms to be defined by tall cabinets. Outfitted as kitchen pantry storage on one side and built-in living room bookshelves on the other, these cabinets extend only partially to the new 9-foot high ceiling and allow the 1st floor to be viewed more as a single room. Switching the locations of the dining room and kitchen allowed for better functionality, views and access to the rear patio through wide sliding glass doors. Access to the 2nd floor master suite is via a wood and steel-framed stair outfitted with stainless steel aircraft cable fittings. The high-ceiling master bedoom leads to an adjacent study and private deck overlooking the placid rear yard. The light-filled bath acts as a buffer to the street beyond and has been outfitted with a frameless glass shower, heated slate tile floor and sauna.

The Stern Residence ‘Nautilus House’ is Michigan’s second USGBC LEED for Homes Platinum level certified whole house remodel. This ambitious project took a modest, unas- suming Cape Cod and completely transformed the home adding a new second floor and a dramatic curved roof above. The arced roof, besides being sculpturally striking, was intentionally designed to use the largest dimension of SIP panels manufactured, eliminating waste and maximizing utility, and provided an armature for mounting solar panels in the optimal location on the heavily wooded site. -James Haefner Photography

VanBrouck & Associates: Inspired by the classical architecture of Palladio, this Italian villa was designed with a procession of beautifully proportioned, ordered spaces, with strong axial sightlines, to draw the eye through the spaces and beckon the individual to explore. Beautifully sited on acreage, the interior and exterior spaces are thoughtfully orchestrated to interact together, and to connect to the land. Stone loggias, at the entry, rear, and side of the residence, visually and literally extend the interior living spaces. View-lines extend through the house from the open courtyard and infinite landscape vistas of the front to the wooded terrain of the rear. Gentle cross-breezes flow and natural light streams into the rooms from a series of French doors lyrically arranged throughout the spaces.

We love a job that presents a challenge! This Smyrna home had a sloped hillside, and it needed a boost. We went with natural materials throughout. We built terraced landscape beds using boulder retaining walls. Plantings included shrubs, ornamental grasses, trees, and beautiful rose bushes. Pine straw was placed as a ground covering to help prevent any erosion. We added a great waterfall where there was a stream and it added a great focal point. A wooden fence was installed around the property to give a visual border. See more information and photos on our site.

This 2400 sq. ft. home rests at the very beginning of the high mesa just outside of Taos. To the east, the Taos valley is green and verdant fed by rivers and streams that run down from the mountains, and to the west the high sagebrush mesa stretches off to the distant Brazos range. The house is sited to capture the high mountains to the northeast through the floor to ceiling height corner window off the kitchen/dining room.The main feature of this house is the central Atrium which is an 18 foot adobe octagon topped with a skylight to form an indoor courtyard complete with a fountain. Off of this central space are two offset squares, one to the east and one to the west. The bedrooms and mechanical room are on the west side and the kitchen, dining, living room and an office are on the east side. The house is a straw bale/adobe hybrid, has custom hand dyed plaster throughout with Talavera Tile in the public spaces and Saltillo Tile in the bedrooms. There is a large kiva fireplace in the living room, and a smaller one occupies a corner in the Master Bedroom. The Master Bathroom is finished in white marble tile. The separate garage is connected to the house with a triangular, arched breezeway with a copper ceiling.

The Stern Residence ‘Nautilus House’ is Michigan’s second USGBC LEED for Homes Platinum level certified whole house remodel. This ambitious project took a modest, unas- suming Cape Cod and completely transformed the home adding a new second floor and a dramatic curved roof above. The arced roof, besides being sculpturally striking, was intentionally designed to use the largest dimension of SIP panels manufactured, eliminating waste and maximizing utility, and provided an armature for mounting solar panels in the optimal location on the heavily wooded site. -James Haefner Photography

SLDarch: The shaded Main Entry, tucked deep into the shadows, is approached from a rising stepped garden path, leading up to a gentle, quiet water feature and custom stainless steel, glass and wood pivot entry door...open this and venture in to the Central Foyer space, shrouded by curved concrete & stainless steel structure and orienting the visitor to the central core of this curvaceous home. From this central orientation point, one begins to perceive the magic and mystery yet to be revealed in the undulating spatial volumes, spiraling out in several directions. Ahead is the kitchen and breakfast room, to the right are the Children's Bedroom Wing and the 'ocotillo stairs' to Master Bedroom upstairs. Venture left down the gentle ramp that follows along the gurgling water stream and meander past the bar and billiards, or on towards the main living room. The entire ceiling areas are a brilliant series of overlapping smoothly curved plaster and steel framed layers, separated by translucent poly-carbonate panels. This combats the intense summer heat and light, but carefully allows indirect natural daylight to gently sift through the deep interior of this unique desert home. Wandering through the organic curves of this home eventually leads you to another gentle ramp leading to the very private and secluded Meditation Room, entered through a double shoji door and sporting a supple leather floor radiating around a large circular glass Floor Window. Here is the ideal place to sit and meditate while seeming to hover over the colorful reflecting koi pool just below. The glass meditation room walls slide open, revealing a special desert garden, while at night the gurgling water reflects dancing lights up through the glass floor into this lovely Zen Zone. "Blocking the intense summer sun was a prime objective here and was accomplished by clever site orientation, massive roof overhangs, super insulated exterior walls and roof, ultra high-efficiency water cooled A/C system and ample earth contact and below grade areas." There is a shady garden path with foot bridge crossing over a natural desert wash, leading to the detached Desert Office, actually set below the xeriscape desert garden by 30" while hidden below, completely underground and naturally cooled sits another six car garage. The main residence also has a 4 car below grade garage and lovely swimming pool with party patio in the backyard. This property falls withing the City Of Scottsdale Natural Area Open Space area so special attention was required for this sensitive desert land project.

he goal of this project was to create a private “zen” garden for a newly reconstructed single family house located in a family neighborhood in North Baltimore County. The site was challenging due to the steepness and the sudden drop from North to South. The garden program and design goals included: a) Creation of terraces that helped mitigating the steep slopes and were convenient to the living areas that were located on the rear of the house overlooking the natural stream and existing woods. b) Creation of a completely private garden in the front of the house that would be a retreat area for the home office. c) Maximize spaces for planting/ garden both on the front and the rear of the house d) Creation of an attractive and private swimming pool.

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Austin.

Nestled on a picture-perfect hill country property with a serene creek running through it, this hill country modern family home is a blend of fun and sophistication. The exterior's combination of geometrical shapes and a distinctive color palette is inviting and pleasing to the eye. As light streams into the living room through walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, it creates a cheerful and bright atmosphere. This unmatched design with exquisite finishes generates a seamless confluence from the interior living spaces to the outside oasis. One of the unusual characteristics of this home was the expansive soil conditions on site. Removing four feet of soil and replacing it with fill material was an unusual process for us in the Hill Country but a needed process to safeguard this home for many years of enjoyment.

The Stern Residence ‘Nautilus House’ is Michigan’s second USGBC LEED for Homes Platinum level certified whole house remodel. This ambitious project took a modest, unas- suming Cape Cod and completely transformed the home adding a new second floor and a dramatic curved roof above. The arced roof, besides being sculpturally striking, was intentionally designed to use the largest dimension of SIP panels manufactured, eliminating waste and maximizing utility, and provided an armature for mounting solar panels in the optimal location on the heavily wooded site. -James Haefner Photography