This paving and planting scheme features new hard landscaping elements and a new planting scheme. Artscape was initially briefed to extend and enhance the patio in the garden of a lovely home in the village of Cookham Dean in Berkshire. Our clients wanted to increase the size of the paved area so they could use it more frequently for relaxing and dining in the sun during the day. As well as increasing its size and practicality, they wanted the terrace to look and feel more inviting. The existing site was a mixture of brick paving, which was slippery underfoot, and tired concrete crazy paving. The patio also had stone retaining walls surrounded by sloped lawns and a few poorly maintained and mismatched shrubs. Redesigned and repaved area We first created a new, larger layout with a series of wider steps closer to the house, making a more inviting and welcoming area. Our landscapers paved the area with coursed sandstone, renowned for its incredible strength and durability. The earthy tones and unique texture of the sandstone gives it a natural timeless look which blends sympathetically with the garden setting. The worn finish of the paving also makes the surface safer to walk on. The edge of the paving curves in line from the end of the house to visually link the areas. Bullnosed edges enhance looks and safety Bullnosing provides the garden step edges with a smooth, luxury appearance, which also enhance safety. Safety is an important factor to consider when renovating or building new steps and paved areas. Smooth, rounded bullnosed steps or edges means there won’t be any harshly cut, sharp edges to injure someone should they trip or fall. Our Artscape paving experts can advise on the best bespoke, professionally profiled bullnose edges to suit the needs of your garden project. Replacing sloped lawns with plants Our initial brief was to create a new planted border just around the paved area. However, after various discussions and designs, our clients decided to follow our recommendation to expand the planting, so it included the whole sloping bank. The planting design also included the addition of small trees to create vertical interest. New nature-friendly planting The planting features an easy-to-maintain mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs. This adds softness to the seating area and brings an everchanging display of flowers, foliage, textures and colours to the garden. The plants will attract more birds and butterflies to the garden, and will be beneficial for insects too. The lawn was doing very little to support a diversity of insects and birds. Replacing even a small section of lawn with perennial flowers, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, or groundcovers will benefit nature and wildlife. As well as supporting greater biodiversity, plants are more environmentally friendly than maintaining a lawn. Lawns are drought tolerant and will recover even if the grass has turned brown and patchy in a heatwave. But to keep the lawn looking lush, green, and beautiful in a hot, dry spell will require constant and wasteful watering. The planting is informal and includes grasses, taking inspiration from the fields opposite. Ornamental grasses soften the scheme and bring movement to the garden as they shimmer in the slightest of breezes. Grasses are easy to grow and require little ongoing care. The main maintenance task is to cut the planting back in spring ready for the new growth to come through. To keep the whole project within our client’s budget, we retained the existing walls, simply carrying out some small repairs and modifications where necessary. We were also able to add stunning new atmospheric lighting to the older existing lighting circuit to illuminate the area at night.

This beautiful residence was in need of repairs and a 2 bedroom extension to accommodate the family of five who love the home and wished to restore and extend sympathetically in keeping with the feel and character charm of the property. They worked with Smith & Sons to create a stunning home which would meet their needs for years to come.

This project involved the complete restoration and remodeling of a small, semi-detached Victorian gardener’s cottage. Having remained untouched for over 30 years, the property was in desperate need of a sympathetic overhaul to transition it into a functional family home. The owners, originally from South Africa, placed a high priority on the "Braai" lifestyle—the South African tradition of social, outdoor cooking and living. The challenge was to integrate this cultural requirement into a traditional English cottage setting while navigating the strict constraints of the property’s location within the Green Belt and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Designing within an AONB is always a delicate balancing act, made more complex here by a history of previous extensions. To secure planning permission, we produced a meticulous Design and Access Statement, engaging in close consultation with local planners to ensure the new additions were proportionate and respectful of the cottage's heritage. The internal layout was reimagined to create an expansive, open-plan kitchen and living area that serves as the home's central hub. To honor the owners' roots, the design centers on the transition between the interior and the landscape. We created a bespoke outdoor terrace specifically designed for the summer "Braai," positioned to take full advantage of the views over the surrounding open countryside.

In this project, the client wanted to make an arts and crafts themed first floor. First, walls were torn down to open up the space. To carry the arts and crafts theme throughout the first floor quarter sawn cabinets and a hand-scraped wood floors were installed in the kitchen, new arts and crafts columns were added between the kitchen and family room, and doors and trim sympathetic to the rest of the theme were replaced in each room. The staircase was also completely redone with new null posts, balusters, skirt boards, and risers. Thomas J. Pearson Inc. Bird and Branch Photography

This project for a builder husband and interior-designer wife involved adding onto and restoring the luster of a c. 1883 Carpenter Gothic cottage in Barrington that they had occupied for years while raising their two sons. They were ready to ditch their small tacked-on kitchen that was mostly isolated from the rest of the house, views/daylight, as well as the yard, and replace it with something more generous, brighter, and more open that would improve flow inside and out. They were also eager for a better mudroom, new first-floor 3/4 bath, new basement stair, and a new second-floor master suite above. The design challenge was to conceive of an addition and renovations that would be in balanced conversation with the original house without dwarfing or competing with it. The new cross-gable addition echoes the original house form, at a somewhat smaller scale and with a simplified more contemporary exterior treatment that is sympathetic to the old house but clearly differentiated from it. Renovations included the removal of replacement vinyl windows by others and the installation of new Pella black clad windows in the original house, a new dormer in one of the son’s bedrooms, and in the addition. At the first-floor interior intersection between the existing house and the addition, two new large openings enhance flow and access to daylight/view and are outfitted with pairs of salvaged oversized clear-finished wooden barn-slider doors that lend character and visual warmth. A new exterior deck off the kitchen addition leads to a new enlarged backyard patio that is also accessible from the new full basement directly below the addition. (Interior fit-out and interior finishes/fixtures by the Owners)

Designed in 1970 for an art collector, the existing referenced 70’s architectural principles. With its cadence of ‘70’s brick masses punctuated by a garage and a 4-foot-deep entrance recess. This recess, however, didn’t convey to the interior, which was occupied by disjointed service spaces. To solve, service spaces are moved and reorganized in open void in the garage. (See plan) This also organized the home: Service & utility on the left, reception central, and communal living spaces on the right. To maintain clarity of the simple one-story 70’s composition, the second story add is recessive. A flex-studio/extra bedroom and office are designed ensuite creating a slender form and orienting them front to back and setting it back allows the add recede. Curves create a definite departure from the 70s home and by detailing it to "hover like a thought" above the first-floor roof and mentally removable sympathetic add.Existing unrelenting interior walls and a windowless entry, although ideal for fine art was unconducive for the young family of three. Added glass at the front recess welcomes light view and the removal of interior walls not only liberate rooms to communicate with each other but also reinform the cleared central entry space as a hub. Even though the renovation reinforms its relationship with art, the joy and appreciation of art was not dismissed. A metal sculpture lost in the corner of the south side yard bumps the sculpture at the front entrance to the kitchen terrace over an added pedestal. (See plans) Since the roof couldn’t be railed without compromising the one-story '70s composition, the sculpture garden remains physically inaccessible however mirrors flanking the chimney allow the sculptures to be appreciated in three dimensions. The mirrors also afford privacy from the adjacent Tudor's large master bedroom addition 16-feet away.

This project for a builder husband and interior-designer wife involved adding onto and restoring the luster of a c. 1883 Carpenter Gothic cottage in Barrington that they had occupied for years while raising their two sons. They were ready to ditch their small tacked-on kitchen that was mostly isolated from the rest of the house, views/daylight, as well as the yard, and replace it with something more generous, brighter, and more open that would improve flow inside and out. They were also eager for a better mudroom, new first-floor 3/4 bath, new basement stair, and a new second-floor master suite above. The design challenge was to conceive of an addition and renovations that would be in balanced conversation with the original house without dwarfing or competing with it. The new cross-gable addition echoes the original house form, at a somewhat smaller scale and with a simplified more contemporary exterior treatment that is sympathetic to the old house but clearly differentiated from it. Renovations included the removal of replacement vinyl windows by others and the installation of new Pella black clad windows in the original house, a new dormer in one of the son’s bedrooms, and in the addition. At the first-floor interior intersection between the existing house and the addition, two new large openings enhance flow and access to daylight/view and are outfitted with pairs of salvaged oversized clear-finished wooden barn-slider doors that lend character and visual warmth. A new exterior deck off the kitchen addition leads to a new enlarged backyard patio that is also accessible from the new full basement directly below the addition. (Interior fit-out and interior finishes/fixtures by the Owners)

Gertler & Wente Architects was hired to design this 12,000 s.f. residence for a family of five. It is situated, facing west, on Oyster Bay with views of Long Island Sound, Oyster Bay Harbor and Oyster Bay beach. The house was designed to be sympathetic to its context and the history of north shore residences. A range of outdoor terraces, porches, and structures extends the living area of the house into the landscape. The building is mostly steel frame construction. Photography by Edberg Marketing and Tony Calarco

Saturday June 20, 10:30am to 12:00pm | Willistown Willistown Country Estate by Allan Summers of Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects, Inc. Situated on 40 acres, this estate is a harmonious composition of the regional vocabulary of the Brandywine Valley, from gentle hills of pastureland and wood lots, to stream valleys, stone walls, and fences. The landscape architects carefully placed the house and outbuildings, entry drive, fences, orchard, swimming pool, and gardens to take advantage of sunlight and the expansive views. The residence, designed by architect John Milner, is inspired by the vernacular fieldstone farmhouses that can be seen throughout the area. At the rear, a terrace and naturalized water feature transition between the house and elegant pool garden beyond. The lush plantings are designed in broad sweeps sympathetic to the scale of the surrounding landscape, juxtaposed against the garden with a more varied palette near the home’s entrance. Photo by Allan Summers

Situated along the perimeter of the property, this unique home creates a continuous street wall, both preserving plenty of open yard space and maintaining privacy from the prominent street corner. A one-story mudroom connects the garage to the house at the rear of the lot which required a local zoning variance. The resulting L-shaped plan and the central location of a glass-enclosed stair allow natural light to enter the home from multiple sides of nearly every room. The Arts & Crafts inspired detailing creates a familiar yet unique facade that is sympathetic to the character and scale of the neighborhood. A chevron pattern is a key design element on the window bays and doors and continues inside throughout the interior of the home. 2022 NAHB Platinum Best in American Living Award View more of this home through #BBAModernCraftsman on Instagram.

Allen Ross Architecture was hired to design a new retreat center that includes a multi-purpose Party Barn with a 3/4 basketball court, guest house, pool, sports field, tennis court, adventure course, outdoor kitchen, and changing cabana. Careful thought was given to the component relationships and how one moves through the site. Elements were configured to address function, aesthetics, security, and safety. Code mandated pool enclosure requirements were met without blocking views and without enclosure fencing. Adjacent wetlands, storm water management requirements, and multiple zoning limitations necessitated thoughtful permitting applications. Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board approvals were required. Extensive infrastructure improvements and property grading were needed to meet the regulatory and client program requirements. The design intent was a crisp transitional style that is sympathetic with the Georgian buildings located elsewhere on the site. Timber trusses support the guest house roof and steel moment frames support the barn roof.

The bedrooms are sympathetic to the design of the building in the colour palette and structure. All sleeping quarters are finished to a high standard, creating a relaxing ambience. The ensuite bathrooms are each given their own distinct character. The master bedroom’s ensuite is more faithful to Neo-classical design principles with its ornate finishes. Whereas the guest bedroom ensuite bathrooms have a more quirky character thanks to their Cole & Son, Arte, and Pierre Frey wallpapers

landscape architect
Inspiration for a modern pool remodel in Other

In this project, the client wanted to make an arts and crafts themed first floor. First, walls were torn down to open up the space. To carry the arts and crafts theme throughout the first floor quarter sawn cabinets and a hand-scraped wood floors were installed in the kitchen, new arts and crafts columns were added between the kitchen and family room, and doors and trim sympathetic to the rest of the theme were replaced in each room. The staircase was also completely redone with new null posts, balusters, skirt boards, and risers. Thomas J. Pearson, Inc. Bird & Branch Photography

Innovative design and smart planning create a lush, private outdoor space. This client’s outdoor courtyard came with a number of interesting challenges—including limited access, structural hurdles, and existing landscape design. The D. A. Dunlevy team built a custom ramp to create ingress from the street, allowing us to bring in all of the materials and plantings.The courtyard has been transformed into a private, tucked-away place for the owners to relax with morning coffee, escape with a good book, or provide an overflow area for visiting guests. The design remained sympathetic to existing architecture and landscaping, utilizing black granite stepping stones and other elements to create cohesion. Clean lines were established with a modern custom bench and stone planter wall. The greenery was chosen to create a simple and structured feel, using narrow European Hornbeam trees for an aerial hedge and adding in boxwoods, nandina, hellebores, and creeping Jenny to round out the verdant, calming effect.

The small ell at the left was the original tiny kitchen, originally used by the staff. Behind the three arches in the stone wall is the existing dining room. Part of this original kitchen's stone facade was kept, and tied into the new two-story kitchen/garage addition.

This living room fitted alcove cabinet and shelving unit was designed as a bespoke storage and display solution with timeless shaker-inspired detailing. The lower cabinetry features painted shaker doors and is finished with a solid teak top, bringing natural warmth, durability, and a touch of mid-century character. The upper shelving is arranged in a clean, symmetrical grid, ideal for books and decorative display. Together, the concealed storage below and the open shelves above provide a balance of practicality and design. This project demonstrates how custom alcove cabinetry, shaker style joinery, and luxury timber detailing such as teak worktops can transform a living room, creating a feature that is both functional and sympathetic to traditional interiors while introducing a contemporary edge.

Gertler & Wente Architects was hired to design this 12,000 s.f. residence for a family of five. It is situated, facing west, on Oyster Bay with views of Long Island Sound, Oyster Bay Harbor and Oyster Bay beach. The house was designed to be sympathetic to its context and the history of north shore residences. A range of outdoor terraces, porches, and structures extends the living area of the house into the landscape. The building is mostly steel frame construction. Photography by Edberg Marketing and Tony Calarco

Sympathetic addition to 1940s bungalow. The addition added a great room to the kitchen with a vaulted ceiling, a covered porch outside and a family room below. Photos - S. Wirt