Large Podocarpus hedge allows pool privacy.
Photo of a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in Los Angeles with a fire pit for spring.

Lattice woodwork around deck
Inspiration for a large timeless backyard deck remodel in Milwaukee with a pergola

knoll landscape design miamin tropical landscape with purple and green leaves, purple flowers, tree ferns
Design ideas for a tropical landscaping in Miami.

Tim Reid
Living room - mid-sized victorian formal and enclosed ceramic tile living room idea in Los Angeles with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace and no tv

The ground floor volumes wrapped in an elongated hand-fired brick, emphasizing the horizontality of the architecture that lays solidly on the land. (Photography by: Matthew Millman)

KuDa Photography
Large minimalist wooden u-shaped staircase photo with metal risers

Corbin Henry
Example of a tuscan family room design in Sacramento

Tassel Fern. Photo by Jay Sifford.

Craig Bergmann Landscape Design was commissioned to design a garden for an avid collector of fine Asian antiquities. Nestled among a woodland setting, the garden was created to complement an array of fine sculpture and relics. A plant palette primarily composed of shade loving perennials and shrubs, plants were chosen to be reminiscent of Asian flora. Photography by Nicola Browne

Escape into an enchanted forest with this majestic birch tree design. Soothing tones of beige, grey and cream provide a natural entryway that's both stylish and intriguing by Brewster Wallcovering.

Hosta, Hackonechloa macra 'Aureola' and cimicifuga in shade
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in New York.

Kev Quelch
Design ideas for a small industrial shade courtyard landscaping in Sydney.

Belgian Sandstone has a smooth and rich patina with a softness present throughout.
Inspiration for a huge traditional front yard stone driveway in New York.

Updated Spec Home: Foyer and Great Room In our last post, we introduced you to my mom and sister’s Updated Spec Home; the Foyer and Great Room will be featured in this post. Foyer As you enter their home, to the right is a hall closet and a french door which leads to the Basement. To the left is a long wall which was perfect for an extra long console table in a rustic finish that served as a sofa table in their previous home. I love repositioning furniture, and by using this table in the entry, it makes it feel new. Additionally, we placed a vibrant piece of art previously used in my sister’s Bedroom above the table. This piece not only sets the tone for our color palette, it also makes the kind of statement you want in your Foyer – Wow! We added accessories and an unique lamp to complete the space. Great Room In the Great Room which is open to the Foyer, we installed our inspiration artwork in the place of honor over the mantel. Since the piece was vertical, it did not take up enough space. I do not like a “fussy” mantel with lots of accessories so we found these two vases in a silver leaf finish. They were perfect because they were large enough, but not too deep. Accessorizing mantels can be tricky because the majority of them are not deep. We went to Jan’s Floral Design to add vibrant color and interesting textures to the vases. The original mantel was too small and uninspired. Therefore, we had our contractor Brad Anderson built a new one based on a photo of a mantel we liked. The new mantel has lots of great detail and is the appropriate proportion for the fireplace. We replaced beige 12×12 ceramic tiles with gorgeous large pieces of smoked carrara marble for a striking fireplace surround. Check out this other mantel that we updated. For furniture, we purchased a shorter sofa in a gray tweed fabric. Typically, two throw pillows come with a sofa.We added a fun fringe to the pillows that came with the sofa. I recommend ordering pillows that match your sofa fabric and layering with custom pillows that support your color palette. We added a patterned custom pillow and a striped throw. Next, we got a small scale recliner in a yummy gray leather for my mom and a chair and ottoman in a small scale mint and gray geometric pattern for my sister. We added an accent chair in a fun small scale stripe to fill a corner and add additional seating – which is always a good thing. Remember that this was a Spec Home so there were no built-ins. As a result, we needed a media cabinet for the television and some bookcases to display my mom’s decorative box collection and my sister’s collection of blown colored glass. This set from Ballard Designs fit the bill perfectly. The back is open and airy with nice detail. The wood finish also adds a richness to the space. My mom needed a space for her computer, and this small writing desk fit the space perfectly. Finally, for finishing touches, we added a patterned rug, cornice boards in a mint leaf fabric, and great lamps for ambient lighting. These two rooms are stunning, vibrant and livable. Can’t wait to show you more in our next post! Enjoy! Photo by Tim Furlong Jr.

Countertop detail showing composite slab with sea glass found on the beach near this Massachusetts home. Randall Perry Photography
Small beach style l-shaped slate floor eat-in kitchen photo in Boston with an island, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, recycled glass countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an undermount sink

Jason Dewey Photography

Large island style white two-story exterior home photo in Miami

A modern horizontal slat privacy fence creates a descending backdrop of cedar behind deer-resistant plantings of Swordfern, PJM rhododendron, Oregon Iris, + peonies.

Blush Pink nandina is an exciting new version of the old standby Nandina ‘Firepower.’ Stunning pink new growth sets Blush Pink apart from its rivals. The pink color glows throughout the growing season leading up to a spectacular fall and winter display of bright pink and red foliage. A compact growth habit makes it ideal as a mass planting or a border. FEATURES Bloom/Feature Blush-colored young foliage Plant Type Shrubs Evergreen or Deciduous Evergreen USDA Zones 6,7,8,9,10 Zone Detail Hardy to -10 F Key Features Winter/fall foliage color, dwarf, year-round interest, fall blooming Use Accent, container, mass planting, slope Exposure Full sun to part shade Bloom Season None Dimension 2' H x 1.5-2' W Growth Rate Moderate to fast growth CARE Water Water as needed Soil Type Well-drained garden soil Fertilizer Early spring Pruning None PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS water before planting plant in full sun to part shade dig hole 3X the width of pot, backfill and plant 1”-2” above soil level water and add more soil if needed mulch plants; fertilize in early spring