Sunken seating area with cantilevered, stainless steel fire feature. Hardscape includes a mix of tile patterns, integral colored concrete, masonry walls with cast-in-place concrete caps, and a water feature.

Situated on a sloping site with a shared driveway and prescribed parking on the lower level, the home was designed to maximize daylight into the walk-out basement. In placing the parking in the center and wrapping the basement spaces around it, all rooms are afforded exterior views. By locating much of the home’s program below street level, the 3244 s.f. house is able to maintain a scale in keeping with the surrounding residences. The grade along the front of the site was pulled back from the home with stepped retaining walls revealing a sunken garden and above-ground basement walls. An entry bridge allows access to the front door above the sunken garden. UV-responsive, color-changing metal siding and cedar rainscreen clad the flat roof volumes of the home while fiber cement boards encase the shed roof volume. The shed was created to provide passive solar daylighting and conditioning in the vaulted living and dining rooms as well as an ideal surface for future solar panels. The home possesses a myriad of outdoor living spaces including a front balcony and sunken courtyard, side balcony terrace, and rear screened porch and deck above a covered patio. The south side balcony is wrapped with a metal and cedar clad bamboo planter which acts as a privacy screen and shading device. Accessibility was a strong consideration in the design as the homeowners were forward-thinking about aging in place. ADA-sized doorways and thresholds are provided as well as a shelled elevator shaft from the basement level.

This homeowner enlisted the architects help to co-create a backyard that was carefully designed after the style of Santa Fe, New Mexico-- his favorite place on Earth. So for the pool design, the backdrop walls have thickening masses to them reminiscing the style of Santa Fe. It was important to capture for the lines of the pool to point to the pinnacle mountain vista in the backdrop. The pool overflows as a water feature into their back yard, like a sunken courtyard. It creates a tranquil sound for their backyard living space.

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Boston.

Both the planters and the plantings were chosen by the designer to give character to this special space.
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern backyard landscaping in Denver for summer.

Phillips Garden
Example of a minimalist home design design in Minneapolis

Phillips Garden
Example of a minimalist home design design in Minneapolis

Patio - large traditional backyard concrete paver patio idea with a fire pit and no cover

Sunken seating area with "at-grade" fire feature is bordered by a curved masonry seat wall, over-sized pots, teak / stainless steel trellis features, and a basalt column water feature. Concrete step pads connect the main seating area to the guest suite.

This is an example of a contemporary landscaping in Boston.

Inspiration for a modern pool remodel in Jacksonville

From Empty Yard to Outdoor Living What started as a large, completely blank backyard became a thoughtfully designed outdoor living space where every area has a purpose — while still feeling open, relaxed, and connected. We transformed the yard by creating distinct spaces for lounging, entertaining, gathering around the fire, dining, and play, all connected through a cohesive landscape design. The sunken fire-pit lounge became a destination of its own, surrounded by built-in seating, warm integrated lighting, and beautiful material details. A generous lawn keeps the center of the yard open and green, while the children’s play area was intentionally incorporated into the overall design rather than feeling like an afterthought. Along the perimeter, raised planters, bamboo screening, layered planting, custom benches, stepping-stone pathways, and landscape lighting soften the property and create privacy. The existing covered patio was transformed into a comfortable extension of the home — a place to sit, dine, relax, and enjoy the backyard year-round. And once the sun goes down, the entire space takes on another personality. String lights, illuminated pathways, uplighting, and the glow of the fire create a warm atmosphere throughout the yard. One empty yard. Multiple outdoor experiences. One cohesive design. Designed to be beautiful — but more importantly, designed to be lived in.

Example of a minimalist exterior home design in Jacksonville

A Courtyard Gathering Space. The sunken space uses travertine stone paving to ramp down to lowered level. Hand-set sandstone planter walls flank the ramping walks and are capped with Indiana Limestone to create sitting edges. Lush plantings surround the entry courtyard. Credit: Tad Anderson. All rights exclusively reserved.

Minimalist kitchen photo in Jacksonville

Inspiration for a modern pool remodel in Jacksonville

Inspiration for a modern rock backyard wood fence landscaping in San Francisco.

From Empty Yard to Outdoor Living What started as a large, completely blank backyard became a thoughtfully designed outdoor living space where every area has a purpose — while still feeling open, relaxed, and connected. We transformed the yard by creating distinct spaces for lounging, entertaining, gathering around the fire, dining, and play, all connected through a cohesive landscape design. The sunken fire-pit lounge became a destination of its own, surrounded by built-in seating, warm integrated lighting, and beautiful material details. A generous lawn keeps the center of the yard open and green, while the children’s play area was intentionally incorporated into the overall design rather than feeling like an afterthought. Along the perimeter, raised planters, bamboo screening, layered planting, custom benches, stepping-stone pathways, and landscape lighting soften the property and create privacy. The existing covered patio was transformed into a comfortable extension of the home — a place to sit, dine, relax, and enjoy the backyard year-round. And once the sun goes down, the entire space takes on another personality. String lights, illuminated pathways, uplighting, and the glow of the fire create a warm atmosphere throughout the yard. One empty yard. Multiple outdoor experiences. One cohesive design. Designed to be beautiful — but more importantly, designed to be lived in.