Patio kitchen plans these days require the ability to incorporate high-tech, modern appliances into rustic, timeless – even ancient-looking – outdoor design styles. You can see this juxtaposition pulled off perfectly in this outdoor kitchen by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston. “A smart patio kitchen plan requires not only a balance of the new and old,” says Outdoor Homescapes owner Wayne Franks, “but a blending of new elements – like an outdoor kitchen – with the existing home and outdoor living features like a pool, hardscaping or landscaping.” In this case, explains Franks, the existing 25-by-15-foot pool had a craggy edge of moss rock boulders, plus a spa and firepit faced with a rough Scabos splitface travertine. “The overall look was rustic and naturalistic,” says Franks, “so we of course wanted the new outdoor kitchen island to match.” Hence the 14-foot-long outdoor kitchen island with a raised bar, also faced in the Scabos splitface travertine and topped with a Normandy granite countertop. The hardscaping around it is Kool Deck® textured concrete. “People used to shy away from busy textures in outside patio kitchen plans, but now they’re embracing them,” notes Franks. “They’re increasingly attracted to the beautiful imperfections and irregularities of nature – there’s more of an authenticity and character to it.” Now, for the high-tech part: A Traeger wood pellet grill. Traeger grills are becoming increasingly popular for their ability to infuse amazing, rich flavor and for their versatility (they can grill, bake, smoke, slow cook, braise and barbecue). This premier model, the Memphis Pro 304, features 562 square inches of cooking space and a three-in-one cooking system (high-temperature grill, low-and-low smoker and true-convection-oven roasting and baking). It also has an intuitive Intelligent Temperature Control (see the display panel to the left of the grill) that can be set for cooking and internal temperature. A programmable food probe tells you when the internal temperature is reached and drops the grill down to a programmed lower temperature to keep the food warm till serving. The dual-fan convection system, with reliable metal blades, circulates heat evenly for tender, juicy results. Double-walled and sealed construction of 304 stainless steel allows for optimum heat retention and consistent temperatures in all weather conditions. A direct-flame “flavorizer” insert delivers the added flavor of a seared finish. Outdoor Homescapes also added a mount sink with a custom oil-rubbed bronze faucet by Moen and the following RCS stainless steel accessories: a pull-out trash door, a countertop trash chute, dual horizontal grill utensil drawers and a swing-out storage door. “At first, you’d think all this technology and the smooth, modern stainless steel would fight with the rustic look of the rough-faced stone in outdoor patio kitchen plans,” says Franks. “But it actually provides some visual rest from all the rugged textures and busyness.” Serving a similar function is the smooth, polished Scabos travertine tile used for the pool coping and firepit ledge. “It’s a perfect environment for the client to entertain business associates,” says Franks. “He’s very happy with the old-meets-new approach, and so are we.” More patio kitchen plans can be found at Outdoor Homescapes of Houston’s website, at www.outdoorhomescapes.com

Jaap de Vries © 2016 - Houzz
Design ideas for a farmhouse landscaping in Amsterdam.

Wolf 30" M Series Contemporary Convection Steam Oven Black | CSO30CM Available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center | uakc.com Easy-access water tank: The oven’s large water tank provides 90 minutes of continuous steam cooking. Thoughtfully designed, it can be refilled when needed without opening the oven door and interrupting the cooking process. Largest interior capacity: More than 25 percent larger than similar units, large enough to roast a 15-pound turkey, Wolf’s steam oven lets you prepare larger items and even multiple dishes at once. Design flexibility: Install the unit flush with cabinetry to seamlessly integrate it into your kitchen design. And since the unit isn’t plumbed, it can be installed anywhere without requiring special water lines. 10 cooking modes: Precisely control heat, steam and airflow for the best results with any dish with 10 cooking modes: Steam, Reheat, Auto Steam Bake, Convection, Convection Humid, Convection Steam, Gourmet, Slow Roast, Recipes, and Keep Warm. Steam mode: Steam mode heats with steam and hot air, achieving a temperature range from 85°F-210°F. From vegetables, poultry and fish to grains, beans, pasta and egg dishes, gentle steam heat is ideal for capturing nutrition, color and flavor. Reheat mode: Reheat mode uses steam and hot air to rehydrate food gently. Using convection and the right amount of moisture, Reheat mode warms one to four pans of food evenly and without drying with a temperature range from 210°F to 300°F. Auto Steam Bake mode: By heating with steam first, then using convection heat to finish, bagels, breads, buns, rolls and pastries acquire a tender interior and a natural shine without the need for brushing with an egg wash. Auto Steam Bake mode temperatures range from 210°F to 445°F. Convection mode: A fan circulates hot air from a heating element at the back of the oven to distribute heat evenly around food for consistent results and browning. Convection mode temperatures range from 85°F to 445°F. Convection Humid mode: In Convection Humid mode, a heating element at the back of the oven produces heat and oven ventilation is sealed so that moisture produced during cooking remains in the oven. Convection Humid temperatures range from 85°F to 445°F. Convection Steam mode: Use Convection Steam for any foods you want to be tender inside and roasted or crisped outside. Convection steam mode temperatures range from 85°F to 445°F. Gourmet mode: Gourmet mode uses a climate sensor to adjust time, temperature and humidity for ideal results with no guesswork. Slow Roast mode: Slow Roast mode is an ultimate convenience. Insert the probe into your prepared meat, select a slow roast setting for the dish you're preparing, tell the oven what time you want it done, and come home to a perfectly cooked meal. Recipes mode: Use Recipes mode and the collection of built-in recipes to harness the power of the oven's many different cooking modes to easily cook entire meals from appetizers and entrees to desserts. Keep Warm mode: The combination of convection and steam heat preserves food’s taste, texture, looks and quality so every bite is as delicious as if it were fresh from the oven. Keep multiple dinner plates warm at once, making staggered meal times more convenient. Temperature probe: The temperature probe alerts you when your dish has reached the desired temperature, eliminating guesswork when preparing roasts and other meats. Multiple pans and rack positions: Two included pans can be placed in any of four rack positions. Both pans are stainles steel – one solid, and the other with a perforated bottom that is particularly well-suited for dishes prepared in Steam mode. Delayed start: What time would you like your dish to be ready? Simply program in a time. The oven turns on at the right moment and adjusts the cooking process so the food is ready to serve precisely when you want it. Technical Features: Shipping Weight (lbs): 80 Electrical Requirements: 220/240V, 60Hz, 20 amp dedicated circuit Dimensions: 29 7/8"W x 17 7/8"H x 21 1/2"D Star-K Kosher certified as Sabbath and holiday-compliant

PrimaLine™ 1.5 Wet Location LED Tape Light shown edge lighting this modern stained oak staircase. 4200K light temperature offers a beautiful middle ground for modern applications due to its neutral temperature; cold enough to match metal and glass while warm enough to match wood and painted surfaces. Here--while not directly exposed to water--wet location tape is installed to withstand the extra stresses (contact, dust, spills, etc.) of a high traffic area.

This home outside of Philadelphia was designed to be family friendly and comfortable space and is just the place to relax and spend family time as well as have enough seating for entertaining. The living room has a large sectional to cozy up with a movie or to entertain. The historic home is bright and open all while feeling collected, comfortable and cozy. The applied box molding on the living room wall adds a subtle pattern all while being a striking focal point for the room. The grand foyer is fresh and inviting and uncluttered and allows for ample space for guests to be welcomed to the home. The kitchen was refreshed to include a contrasting toned island, blue backsplash tile and bright brass fixtures and lighting

You can — and should — plump up your darlings to survive winter hibernation, by gradually increasing how much you feed them as temperatures start to drop. When pond water gets below 59 degrees, use fish food made for cold water. As the temperature continues to drop, gradually reduce the amount you feed them. Once temperatures go below 55 degrees, says Dave Kelly, the metabolisms of pond fish slow way down. And when pond water gets down to 50 degrees, do not feed the fish any more. Their systems shut down in the colder water, and food sits inside them and rots. They get very sick and diseased from this. www.deckandpatio.com

TruLine 1.6 5W 24VDC Plaster-In LED System creates a clean line of glare free general illumination within drywall. The linear LED system features a shallow .6 inch deep plaster in aluminum extrusion no thicker than drywall that houses two 2.5 watt rows of high CRI commercial grade white LED Soft Strip. Its 1.6 inch wide diffuser lens projects a clean line of light without LED dots. System mounts directly to studs without joist modification. TruLine is sold in 1 foot increments up to 40 feet at 5 watts per foot, 85+ CRI, in 2700K Very Warm White or 3000K Warm White color temperature, delivering 243 lumens per foot. 50,000 hour average lamp life. TruLine extrusion may be field cut. LED Soft Strip may be cut every 2.4 inches. TruLine runs in a straight line. The LED strip bends along the LED plane, allowing runs to continue from a wall onto a ceiling. Intersecting runs on the samewall require two separate TruLine systems. System includes TruLine 1.6 channels, end caps, LED Soft Strip, TL1.6 special junction box (quantity 2) and all mounting hardware. Power supply options include a Class 2 24 volt 0-10 96 or 192 watt dimmable with a Lightolier Sunrise ZP600FAM120; Leviton IP710-DL; Lutron Radio Ra2 with Grafik Eye, RRD-10ND and GRX-TVI; Grafik Eye QS with Grafik Eye, QSGRJ-XP and GRX-TVI; Diva with Grafik Eye, DVTV and PP20; Nova T with Grafik Eye, NTFTV-WH and PP20, sold separately. Indoor applications only. Fixture includes a 5 year warranty. Made in USA.

Mid-sized trendy formal and enclosed dark wood floor living room photo in New York with yellow walls, no fireplace and no tv

Transitional family room photo in Las Vegas

THIN-FINISH™ Decorative Concrete Overlay are remarkably durable and offer protection from extreme hot/cold temperatures, which make them perfect for outdoor spaces.

Here you can see the smoke box - twin 7" diameter pipes pull smoke and heat from the fire box, while a damper system can maintain a consistent temperature for hours.

A smart master bathroom! LED vanity mirror. The double headed shower system is set up with U by Moen system. You can control temperature duration and turn the water on/off. Ceramic mosaic and wall tile. Each vanity built with walnut with calacatta gold quartz.

Looking to the west toward Bonaparte Mountain. The small wood stove gets the cabin up to temperature if the owners have been away for a while. Otherwise, the only heat comes from two in-floor radiant electric mats in the bathrooms, and one in the entry.

Photo Credit: © Daniel Vaughan (vaughangroup.ca)
Example of a minimalist exterior home design in Toronto

This outdoor lighting design incorporated a layering of multiple light levels and color temperatures to create an engaging nigh time ambience and relaxing atmosphere.

THIN-FINISH™ Decorative Concrete Overlay are remarkably durable and offer protection from extreme hot/cold temperatures, which make them perfect for outdoor spaces.

Photo Credit: © Daniel Vaughan (vaughangroup.ca)
Example of a minimalist living room design in Toronto