A dry creek of boulders and cobble winds through a planted garden without standing water.
Design ideas for a rustic drought-tolerant, rock and full sun backyard river rock landscaping in San Francisco.

Alpine Gardens Landscaping
Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic partial sun backyard stone water fountain landscape in Denver for summer.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Have you thought about adding a water feature to your backyard but are unsure you want a pond, or have small children? A pondless waterfall could be just the right start! You have the sound of water, but these recirculating fountains require little maintenance. From a small waterfall to double waterfalls with different levels and winding streams: Pondless waterfalls can add an amazing new dimension to your beloved home's surroundings.

Granite Countertops in Stream White top light oak cabinets. Client came to French Creek Designs Kitchen and Bath Showroom looking to spruce up her house before they put it on the market. She picked a simple yet elegant granite to give her kitchen just the right spark. Clients felt this was just the right touch that buyers would be looking for to close their home. The granite countertops accent the grey backsplash and overall enhance the room. Home is ready for sale and beautiful. Stream White Granite Kitchen Countertops complete in Client Project Kitchen Remodel ~ Thank you for sharing!

outdoor living space, outdoor seating, water feature, water falls, ponds, hardscaping, concrete pavers, retaining walls
Inspiration for a contemporary brick patio fountain remodel in Portland

Photo of a small contemporary partial sun backyard mulch water fountain landscape in Baltimore.

Our designers teamed up to create an outdoor living space for the annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design home. Our focus was to create an outdoor living space that best utilized the area transitioning to the pool, while maintaining a water-wise/drought tolerant landscape. We incorporated our hand cast succulent water table, a pondless stream, synthetic turf, a fully paved patio with our famous Belgard paving stones, high-end outdoor furniture, a custom pergola and even a dry creek bed to tie everything together.

A dry creek of boulders and cobble winds through a planted garden without standing water.
Inspiration for a rustic drought-tolerant, rock and full sun backyard river rock landscaping in San Francisco.

A dry creek of boulders and cobble winds through a planted garden without standing water.
Photo of a rustic drought-tolerant, rock and full sun backyard river rock landscaping in San Francisco.

Inspiration for a small contemporary partial sun backyard mulch water fountain landscape in Baltimore.

Raised beds and gate surrounded by Joseph's Coat climbing rose in this beautiful garden
Inspiration for a large mediterranean full sun backyard decomposed granite vegetable garden landscape in San Diego.

This was a lovely little corner courtyard renovation that has now expanded across and around the whole front of the house. The water feature and crate myrtle are the only pieces there beforehand. I think we tied them in nicely!

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless u-shaped porcelain tile enclosed kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Design and construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by Affordable Aerial Photo & Video
Large transitional backyard stone patio photo in Oklahoma City with a fireplace

This large sprawling yard is highlighted by the house with a dry creek bed flowing under a see through corridor in the house.
Photo of a large contemporary partial sun backyard water fountain landscape in Dallas.

Design and construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by Affordable Aerial Photo & Video
Pool - large transitional backyard stone and custom-shaped natural pool idea in Oklahoma City

Example of a trendy two-story mixed siding flat roof design in Denver