Korean rock ferns (shown here), northern maidenhair, native Christmas and lady ferns, hay-scented ferns, hart's tongue ferns, and Dyce's holly ferns are finding a home on the slope surrounding the switchback steps. Photo by Jay Sifford.

A tower with a raised countertop creates a intriguing design element. Floor to ceiling towered cabinetry can create a great space for custom storage. In this example the space is used for a cook book shelf, a drawer with kitchen linen storage and towels (An easy access space next to the cooktop for oven mitts. The cabinet above stores a beverage center with coffee supplies and the space below the cook book shelf stores mixing bowls. This kitchen design is a beautiful example of Mountain Resort styling. Soaring mountain peaks, rugged terrain, and old pine forests appeal to a large audience of outdoor adventures. Regardless of whether your mountain experience includes skiing, fly-fishing, hiking, or lounging by the fireplace, the majestic grandeur and awe of the mountains have inspired a unique, architectural style. Rustic woods and equally rustic finishes are a notable feature of “Mountain” architecture. A massive, stone fireplace is another definitive focal point. Furnishings are imposing and luxurious, design elements are grand scale, and natural textures and surfaces (stone, wood, burnished, metals, etc.) are expertly blended. Rustic woods and distressed finishes are a perfect complement to “Mountain Resort” styling. Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today: http://www.durasupreme.com/dealer-locator

This prefabricated 1,800 square foot Certified Passive House is designed and built by The Artisans Group, located in the rugged central highlands of Shaw Island, in the San Juan Islands. It is the first Certified Passive House in the San Juans, and the fourth in Washington State. The home was built for $330 per square foot, while construction costs for residential projects in the San Juan market often exceed $600 per square foot. Passive House measures did not increase this projects’ cost of construction. The clients are retired teachers, and desired a low-maintenance, cost-effective, energy-efficient house in which they could age in place; a restful shelter from clutter, stress and over-stimulation. The circular floor plan centers on the prefabricated pod. Radiating from the pod, cabinetry and a minimum of walls defines functions, with a series of sliding and concealable doors providing flexible privacy to the peripheral spaces. The interior palette consists of wind fallen light maple floors, locally made FSC certified cabinets, stainless steel hardware and neutral tiles in black, gray and white. The exterior materials are painted concrete fiberboard lap siding, Ipe wood slats and galvanized metal. The home sits in stunning contrast to its natural environment with no formal landscaping. Photo Credit: Art Gray

Ce jardin urbain a été conçu pour dynamiser un terrain de forme carré et offrir une palette florale généreuse, grâce à une composition habile de massifs abondamment plantés. Des courbes énergisantes entourent une sélection de plantes aimant le soleil : agrumes, lantana, pistachier lentisque, pittosporum nain, sauge de Russie, lavande, lys d'un jour, agapanthe, menthe des chats et fines herbes. Des fleurs à couleurs complémentaires envoient une invitation au "carpe diem", en tant qu'expressions éphémères d'une beauté intemporelle. Outre son effet apaisant, la pièce d'eau sert d'écran acoustique par rapport au contexte urbain environnant. L'attention portée aux détails et les contours inattendus font de ce jardin à la fois une peinture à contempler et un espace pour des fêtes intimes.

For a family putting down lasting roots in Park City, this 10,000-square-foot estate within the gated enclave of Quarry Mountain Ranch is conceived as both sanctuary and legacy. Designed to evolve alongside its owners, the home balances permanence with a deep sensitivity to the land it inhabits. Thoughtfully positioned within an alpine meadow shaped by the gentle flow of McLeod Creek, the residence embraces its setting. The waterway threads through the property, sustaining native grasses and drawing elk, deer, and migratory birdlife, grounding daily life in the rhythms of season and landscape. Broad planes of glass and sheltering rooflines frame uninterrupted views of ski slopes and distant ridgelines, while long sightlines pull natural light deep into the interior. Terraces and covered outdoor rooms mediate between house and meadow, creating spaces for gathering, reflection, and year-round connection to the outdoors. A restrained palette of wood and stone echoes the textures of the terrain, lending warmth and durability to the home’s contemporary expression. A separate guest house extends the architectural language, forming a discreet compound that supports family life, hospitality, and the enduring cadence of alpine living. Architecture: Advanced Design Interior Design: Erin Brewer Design

This stunning multi-level deck in Grove City, OH, was built using Timbertech decking in Silver Maple with a complimentary picture frame border, parting boards and fascia trim in Brown Oak. The deck is finished with an all powder-coated aluminum railing. Photos courtesy Archadeck of Columbus.

Engineered Excellence: Wood Retaining Walls At AX Projects, we've perfected the art of constructing robust wood retaining walls for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Our expertise lies in crafting durable structures using high-quality land retaining ties and concrete blocks, designed to withstand the test of time and nature. We source our materials meticulously, partnering with reputable local suppliers to ensure each retaining wall we build combines strength, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. Our choice of pressure-treated timber and premium concrete blocks guarantees longevity and resilience against the elements. Our approach to retaining wall construction is tailored to your unique landscape. We custom-design each wall on-site, allowing us to adapt seamlessly to the contours of your property. This bespoke method ensures optimal land stabilization and enhances your outdoor space's natural beauty. Vancouver's diverse terrain and weather patterns demand thoughtful engineering. Our wood retaining walls are specifically designed to manage the region's soil conditions and precipitation levels effectively. With proper installation and maintenance, an AX Projects wood retaining wall can serve your property for decades, providing both structural support and visual appeal.

This project is full of unique features, and as always lots of variation in textures and materials. The homeowners had just finished complety renovating the inside of this home, and were ready to tackle the outside environment surrounding it. Now the outside is just as gorgeous as the inside!!! We have a two tiered IPE (Brazillian Walnut) deck with a covered pergola over half of the space. Large 10"x10" cedar post & large cedar beams make this not just any........ "PERGOLA". Fans, TV, and lighting make this an area to enjoy all year long. The lower deck features a linear firepit stacked with dual 8' gas burners. Since its an elevated deck railing is important for saftey of their guests, but who wants to obstruct the view of those beautiful sunsets over the pond, so we decided to use custom cable railing to finish the deck space. We then hardscaped along the front of the home layering it into the natural terrain of the property. As you enter the front entrance there is a wonderful piece of artwork that is highlighted in hte space. As if that is not enough we then transformed the north end of the home with a private patio space with "ANOTHER" one of a kind pergola. It is so hard to put all this work into perspective in just photos, but we tried our best. We hope you enjoy the awsome transformation!!! Another reason to ask Fiano Landscapes to transform your world!!!

A plate rack on the end of a kitchen island creates a beautiful design element and an easy to access space to display your dishware collection. Our “Graphite” gray paint is becoming a popular color for accent areas like kitchen islands and wood hoods. This kitchen island is a beautiful example of Mountain Resort styling. Soaring mountain peaks, rugged terrain, and old pine forests appeal to a large audience of outdoor adventures. Regardless of whether your mountain experience includes skiing, fly-fishing, hiking, or lounging by the fireplace, the majestic grandeur and awe of the mountains have inspired a unique, architectural style. Rustic woods and equally rustic finishes are a notable feature of “Mountain” architecture. A massive, stone fireplace is another definitive focal point. Furnishings are imposing and luxurious, design elements are grand scale, and natural textures and surfaces (stone, wood, burnished, metals, etc.) are expertly blended. Rustic woods and distressed finishes are a perfect complement to “Mountain Resort” styling. Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today: http://www.durasupreme.com/dealer-locator

This town home job was a complete transformation from an old, dirty, insignificant front and back yard to living in luxury with the space provided. This job required for us to do a bit of demo, including cutting, and ripping out the sidewalk in the front yard, all pavement and old decking in the backyard, and replacing it with appealing, level pavers all the way around. Along with this beautiful change, we also replaced the fence in the backyard, and put in a nice decorative fence in the front yard. In addition to these adjustments, we provided 4 large very nice pots in the front yard, filled and placed them. Added top soil, sod, river rock, and planted some plants in the front yard. Made sure all pavers were retaining their positioning, and waited time for client to get other renovations, when finished we anchored and placed a pergola between the garage and home and stained it. In short: Demoed job site by removing all concrete, ordered fountain, leveled terrain, created customer-selected custom arbor, placed liner where necessary, built fence in front yard, added mulch, added sand, additional leveling, and pavers in front and back, added metal edging, planted plants, brought in various pots and placed them, added sod, added river rock, received fountain and put it in place, removed and redid fence in backyard, built and stained pergola.

This project is full of unique features, and as always lots of variation in textures and materials. The homeowners had just finished complety renovating the inside of this home, and were ready to tackle the outside environment surrounding it. Now the outside is just as gorgeous as the inside!!! We have a two tiered IPE (Brazillian Walnut) deck with a covered pergola over half of the space. Large 10"x10" cedar post & large cedar beams make this not just any........ "PERGOLA". Fans, TV, and lighting make this an area to enjoy all year long. The lower deck features a linear firepit stacked with dual 8' gas burners. Since its an elevated deck railing is important for saftey of their guests, but who wants to obstruct the view of those beautiful sunsets over the pond, so we decided to use custom cable railing to finish the deck space. We then hardscaped along the front of the home layering it into the natural terrain of the property. As you enter the front entrance there is a wonderful piece of artwork that is highlighted in hte space. As if that is not enough we then transformed the north end of the home with a private patio space with "ANOTHER" one of a kind pergola. It is so hard to put all this work into perspective in just photos, but we tried our best. We hope you enjoy the awsome transformation!!! Another reason to ask Fiano Landscapes to transform your world!!!

Closeup of a portion of the Stream along the side yard as it comes Above Ground for a Moment before it Dives back Underground. Check out the Autumn Fern, The Cinnamon Fern, and the Astilbe Nestled Between the Stones. Erik Jones

The Control/Shift House is perched on the high side of the site which takes advantage of the view to the southeast. A gradual descending path navigates the change in terrain from the street to the entry of the house. A series of low retaining walls/planter beds gather and release the earth upon the descent resulting in a fairly flat level for the house to sit on the top one third of the site. The entry axis is aligned with the celebrated stair volume and then re-centers on the actual entry axis once you approach the forecourt of the house. The initial desire was for an “H” scheme house with common entertaining spaces bridging the gap between the more private spaces. After an investigation considering the site, program, and view, a key move was made: unfold the east wing of the “H” scheme to open all rooms to the southeast view resulting in a “T” scheme. The new derivation allows for both a swim pool which is on axis with the entry and main gathering space and a lap pool which occurs on the cross axis extending along the lengthy edge of the master suite, providing direct access for morning exercise and a view of the water throughout the day. The Control/Shift House was derived from a clever way of following the “rules.” Strict HOA guidelines required very specific exterior massing restrictions which limits the lengths of unbroken elevations and promotes varying sizes of masses. The solution most often used in this neighborhood is one of addition - an aggregation of masses and program randomly attached to the inner core of the house which often results in a parasitic plan. The approach taken with the Control/Shift House was to push and pull program/massing to delineate and define the layout of the house. Massing is intentional and reiterated by the careful selection of materiality that tracks through the house. Voids and relief in the plan are a natural result of this method and allow for light and air to circulate throughout every space of the house, even into the most inner core. Photography: Charles Davis Smith

This project is full of unique features, and as always lots of variation in textures and materials. The homeowners had just finished complety renovating the inside of this home, and were ready to tackle the outside environment surrounding it. Now the outside is just as gorgeous as the inside!!! We have a two tiered IPE (Brazillian Walnut) deck with a covered pergola over half of the space. Large 10"x10" cedar post & large cedar beams make this not just any........ "PERGOLA". Fans, TV, and lighting make this an area to enjoy all year long. The lower deck features a linear firepit stacked with dual 8' gas burners. Since its an elevated deck railing is important for saftey of their guests, but who wants to obstruct the view of those beautiful sunsets over the pond, so we decided to use custom cable railing to finish the deck space. We then hardscaped along the front of the home layering it into the natural terrain of the property. As you enter the front entrance there is a wonderful piece of artwork that is highlighted in hte space. As if that is not enough we then transformed the north end of the home with a private patio space with "ANOTHER" one of a kind pergola. It is so hard to put all this work into perspective in just photos, but we tried our best. We hope you enjoy the awsome transformation!!! Another reason to ask Fiano Landscapes to transform your world!!!

Old Lyme, CT. Prime property for good reason, beach homes beckon you outside by appealing to the senses. The lulling sounds of rolling waves, the beauty of a seemingly eternal body of water, the salty smell of evening breezes, and the tickle of changing terrain underfoot all make waterside setups particularly peaceful. So with sand and sea bumping up to their backyard, these Connecticut homeowners were ready to max out their space for maximum outdoor living. To take on the transformation, they hired designer Michael Gotowala, president of Preferred Properties Landscaping & Masonry. Multiple terraces of stone and granite patios feature a breakfast nook, seating under a sail-inspired cloth shade, fire pit, and hot tub installed in stone. The outdoor kitchen’s design is especially distinct for two reasons: One, this section is built out and fully finished with stone and granite, and two, the space is sunken into the landscape to block the wind and protect from the elements. Outfitted with all the appliances needed for gourmet grilling in the great outdoors, additional amenities such as the gas fireplace for warmth and ambiance as well as a granite surround for seating complete this Connecticut cookery for optimum outdoor living. For more Outdoor kitchen ideas go to THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE by PREFERRED PROPERTIES.. www.OUTDOORKITCHENDESIGNER.com Are you satisfied with your outdoor beach side space? If not reconsider your design. You too can feel fabulous about living beyond the walls of your home. It begins with a fabulous design and ends with meticulous workmanship. CALL 1-855- GET OUTDOORS to get started today

For a family putting down lasting roots in Park City, this 10,000-square-foot estate within the gated enclave of Quarry Mountain Ranch is conceived as both sanctuary and legacy. Designed to evolve alongside its owners, the home balances permanence with a deep sensitivity to the land it inhabits. Thoughtfully positioned within an alpine meadow shaped by the gentle flow of McLeod Creek, the residence embraces its setting. The waterway threads through the property, sustaining native grasses and drawing elk, deer, and migratory birdlife, grounding daily life in the rhythms of season and landscape. Broad planes of glass and sheltering rooflines frame uninterrupted views of ski slopes and distant ridgelines, while long sightlines pull natural light deep into the interior. Terraces and covered outdoor rooms mediate between house and meadow, creating spaces for gathering, reflection, and year-round connection to the outdoors. A restrained palette of wood and stone echoes the textures of the terrain, lending warmth and durability to the home’s contemporary expression. A separate guest house extends the architectural language, forming a discreet compound that supports family life, hospitality, and the enduring cadence of alpine living. Architecture: Advanced Design Interior Design: Erin Brewer Design

Restored lake shore and new custom log bench and firepit near Seattle, designed, and photographed by Mark S. Garff, ASLA. Collaborated with Paul Broadhurst on additional planting, amenities and installation.

Landscape & Pool Design: Root Design Company Photo credits: Jessica Carr
Inspiration for a mediterranean landscaping in Austin.

Striking mixture of evergreen Pinus sylvestris 'Hillside Creeper' (Hillside Creeper Scotch Pine), Calluna vulgaris (SCotch Heather) and Sesleria autumnalis (Autumn Moor Grass), set in large granite boulders.