Client desired an approachable, light filled, eclectic, Mediterranean influenced (Spanish, Italian, French and Northern African) space.
Home design - contemporary home design idea in Tampa

Terrace and grill station with Storage Pavilion off the the left in photo
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and full sun side yard concrete paver vegetable garden landscape in New York for summer.

Lovely built dream home on a bluff overlooking the spectacular Santa Barbara coastline. Distinctly different gardens reading as a harmonious whole-was our mission! The owners had defined ten distinctly different gardens to be installed across the almost three-acre site. How were these to be woven together into a cohesive whole, which in turn would compliment the Italianate façade of the 10,000 square foot house? The gardens rendered as a string of pearls -- Each of the ten gardens was separately designed to be its own special jewel. And yet, when viewed from afar or from the grand terrace above, several of the gardens and numerous garden elements are "Linked Together as a String of Pearls" -- the White Garden, the Christmas Tree (a large deodar underplanted with white foliaged "snow"), the Theater Garden, the Perennial Border (mandated by the coastal commission to protect the bluff top from failing), the Koi pond, the Queen's Garden, the Pergola and the Herb Garden all flow in a loose chain around the perimeter of a central back lawn. This design concept drove many of the other design decisions and specific design techniques. ** Builder of the Year: Best Landscape and Hardscape, Santa Barbara Contractors Association

Kale, which is part of the brassica family is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. And harvesting it fresh from your garden right before you put it in your blender or sauté pan is the best way to take advantage of all the vitamin A, C and K plus trace minerals like copper, potassium, iron and more.

Poised and balanced, the Rey Planter creates synergy between the natural and artificial domains. Composed of sustainably sourced materials, including salt, sand, water and fly ash trace minerals.

Example of a classic kitchen design in Other

This 'modern organic' designer coffee table is where art & nature merge, created by hand crafted mosaic tiles exhibiting the variegated 'wood grain' pattern of petrified wood. The petrified wood 'modern organic' mosaic pattern exhibits a diverse range of mineral colourations resulting from trace minerals that have been impregnated into the 25 million year old teak wood. The quality of petrified wood is determined by unique colour, 'variegated' wood grain, clarity, shape, weight & overall aesthetic appearance. Dimensions (2 sizes - Oval - Large & Oval - Medium) Oval (Large): height: 42cm I width: 53cm I length: 86cm I weight: 32kg Product Code: [P-CT-MO-L] Oval (Medium): height: 42cm I width: 47cm I length: 86cm I weight: 28kg Product Code: [P-CT-MO-M]

This 'modern organic' designer coffee table is where art & nature merge, created by hand crafted mosaic tiles exhibiting the variegated 'wood grain' pattern of petrified wood. The petrified wood 'modern organic' mosaic pattern exhibits a diverse range of mineral colourations resulting from trace minerals that have been impregnated into the 25 million year old teak wood. The quality of petrified wood is determined by unique colour, 'variegated' wood grain, clarity, shape, weight & overall aesthetic appearance. Dimensions (2 sizes - Square & Rectangular) Rectangular: height: 40cm I width: 80cm I length: 60cm I weight: 45kg Product Code: [P-CT-MR] Square: height: 40cm I width: 70cm I length: 70cm I weight: 45kg Product Code: [P-CT-MS]

This highly variegated natural grain has developed a crystalline structure within the petrified wood product - hence its called "crystalline". The distinctive colours are created by trace minerals - black from manganese, yellow from iron oxide embedded within the 25 million year old petrified teakwood. The petrified wood quality is determined by its unique 'variegated' colour, clarity, shape, weight & overall aesthetic appearance. Dimensions: height 41cm, width 65cm, length 65-78cm, thickness 5cm. Weight 35-40kg) Product Code: [P-ST-X]

From The 1860s Victorian tiled floors started to appear in public buildings and by the 1890s they had become an essential feature in the most ordinary Victorian terraced houses. Although these floors fell out of fashion during the 1960s and ’70s, when many of them were covered over, they are now being rediscovered by their present owners and this is exactly what happened to my customer in the village of Littleover. The customer had attempted to clean the floor by themselves but they couldn’t archive the result wanted, fortunately they discovered the Derbyshire Tile Doctor and after their call I went over and did a test for cleaning to make sure I can archive the needed results. They were happy with what they saw, so they booked me in to complete the work. For cleaning the hallway I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctors Pro Clean which is strong multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner. I left the Pro Clean to dwell for 10 minutes and then worked it in the tiles by using a strong black scrubbing pad fitted to my rotary machine. After scrubbing I rinsed the floor several times with clean water to remove any trace of cleaning product from the floor. After successfully cleaning the hall I moved on to the porch which still had some old topical sealer on less walked areas. On these areas I had to use Tile Doctors own very effective stripper Remove and Go. Remove and Go has a long dwell time to remove any given sealer or wax so I left it to soak in for fifteen minutes followed by scrubbing it in with black pad fitted to rotary machine. The next step was to wash off the residue with water which was then removed using a wet vacuum. Following this the tiles were given a rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which is an acid based product that can remove grout smears and mineral deposits. Last step before sealing was to give the floor a thorough wash down with clean water to remove any cleaning product left on the tiles and then I left the floor to dry overnight. Next day when I returned I used my damp tester to make sure that the floor is completely dry. Luckily for me floor was all dry and I started sealing. For sealing I used Tile Doctors Colour Grow Sealer which is colour enhancing breathable sealer. I applied 2 coats of the sealer and after every coat I polished off the excess with clean cotton cloths. The result was really good and my customer was very happy with the work and said that now the floor looks transformed. Tony Olmet Derbyshire Tile Doctor

Newly built properties are not without their problems and often take a while to resolve all the snagging which occasionally extends to resolving problems with newly laid tiled floors. At this new property in the village of Malvern, and overlooked by the Malvern hills, the builders had left the Terracotta tiled kitchen floor covered in grout smears (also known as Grout Haze) following installation. They had also neglected to seal the tiles, which was actually quite fortunate in this case as they would have sealed in the grout haze, making it more difficult to remove. Naturally, the property owner wanted the problem to be resolved as soon as possible, and for me to make the tiles easy to keep clean in future, which can be achieved by sealing the tile. Before starting work, I made sure to fully protect any exposed woodwork with a plastic sheet covering to protect them from potential damage. I then proceeded to give the floor a thorough clean, using Tile Doctor Remove and Go to clean the floor and eradicate some stains that had been left behind as a result of the building work. Next, I paid special attention to the grout, where the very visible problem of grout haze had arisen. To neutralise these smears I used Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, a concentrated phosphoric acid cleaner that can also remove alkaline mineral deposits and efflorescence. Grout Clean Up is only to be used on acid resistant stone, as sensitive stone can suffer from irreparable etching if it comes into contact with the product. Once completely clean and free of grout smears the floor was thoroughly rinsed with water to remove any trace of product and then dried as much as possible with a wet vacuum, afterwards an air mover was installed to speed up the drying process. Later that afternoon the floor was dry and I was able to apply a sealer. To do this I opted to use several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra, a topical, fully breathable sealer that works really well on Terracotta. The sealer builds up a layer of protection on the surface of the tiles, protecting against ingrained dirt and stains. Seal and Go Extra also provides a high quality sheen finish which really did well to enhance the look of the Terracotta. The property owner was exceptionally pleased with the results, and to have this problem dealt with quickly and efficiently, additionally the sealer will ensure the Kitchen floor is easy to keep clean in the future.

Volga Blue Granite is a characteristic stone from the areas of London, UK. Astrum Granite is the top Granite Supplier in London; we have all assortments for granite material. We are prepared for your kitchen fitting, templating, and gracefully administration at your entryway. Volga Blue Granite is the most ideal choice for your kitchen; this material is looking sparkling and amazing. It presents a specific example that incorporates traces of blue minerals. On the off chance that you need exceptional and solid kitchen worktops, floor, and countertops, call us at +44-774-855-6552.

Volga Blue Granite is a characteristic stone from the areas of London, UK. Astrum Granite is the top Granite Supplier in London; we have all assortments for granite material. We are prepared for your kitchen fitting, templating, and gracefully administration at your entryway. Volga Blue Granite is the most ideal choice for your kitchen; this material is looking sparkling and amazing. It presents a specific example that incorporates traces of blue minerals. On the off chance that you need exceptional and solid kitchen worktops, floor, and countertops, call us at +44-774-855-6552.

Courtesy of Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner: “Zinc mining in the Almanna Canyon in Sauda, Norway, commenced in 1882 under extremely basic conditions.... The mine was closed in 1899....At about the spot where the ore used to be washed and a miners’ barracks once stood on a rocky outcrop, there is now a rest stop on National Highway 520.... Our project was commissioned by the Statens vegvesen, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, to commemorate the almost forgotten history of the zinc mine ... On taking a closer look, one can indeed discover traces of the canyon’s mining history: the transport trail beginning at the mine entrance and cut into the slope with supporting walls and bridges, the foundations of the wooden platform from which the ore was thrown down, and the remains of foundations for simple wooden structures that have since disappeared. Our design works with these elements. It proposes a family of four structures, light wooden constructions along the old mine pathway. The modest open-air museum begins at the redesigned rest stop. Here we find the first member of the little family, a service building. Opposite the rest stop we have built a new flight of stone stairs which leads up to the former trail from the pit. A few more steps up the trail we come to the mining café.... After a further turn in the canyon pathway we come upon a shelter, a collection point where those who want to take a guided tour through the mine are given a helmet with a headlamp. Right next to this, visitors climb up to the mining museum, the fourth and last member of the family of buildings, ...”

Not too long ago I visited a client who had just moved into a lovely old cottage in Milton, Oxfordshire. She wanted to restore many of the antique features of the building, including a fantastic Quarry tiled floor in the kitchen. Quarry is typically a robust, hard wearing stone, but in a high traffic area like a kitchen, the tiles will need regular maintenance. These tiles clearly hadn’t seen a thorough clean and fresh seal in a long time, and so I was called in to provide just that. On the first day of work, I gave the Quarry tiles a deep clean using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and water. Pro-Clean is a versatile alkaline cleaner that also helps to break down any old and no longer effectual sealer remaining on the tiles. The solution was applied evenly to the floor and left to dwell for half an hour, allowing time for it to seep into the stone to get underneath and lift out the ingrained dirt. I then removed the dirt by agitating the solution with a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor scrubber. I worked in small sections at first, and gradually finished the entire floor. After completing the initial clean, I rinsed away the soiled solution and vacuumed up the excess moisture using a wet-vac machine. I then scrubbed the floor an acid wash using a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to remove grout smears and other mineral type deposits. The resulting solution was then removed in a similar fashion using a wet-vac. The final step in the cleaning process was to rinse the floor with Tile Doctor pH Neutral Cleaner to remove any trace of product helps to tackle any remaining dirt and reset the pH balance of the tiles before sealing. After leaving the floor to dry overnight, I returned the next day to the house to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Seal & Go, a water-based topical sealer which gives the floor an aesthetically pleasing sheen and a robust surface seal. The photos demonstrate the results better than this short account can, needless to say the floor is now transformed. Barry Woodward Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

Courtesy of Atelier Peter Zumthor & Partner: “Zinc mining in the Almanna Canyon in Sauda, Norway, commenced in 1882 under extremely basic conditions.... The mine was closed in 1899....At about the spot where the ore used to be washed and a miners’ barracks once stood on a rocky outcrop, there is now a rest stop on National Highway 520.... Our project was commissioned by the Statens vegvesen, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, to commemorate the almost forgotten history of the zinc mine ... On taking a closer look, one can indeed discover traces of the canyon’s mining history: the transport trail beginning at the mine entrance and cut into the slope with supporting walls and bridges, the foundations of the wooden platform from which the ore was thrown down, and the remains of foundations for simple wooden structures that have since disappeared. Our design works with these elements. It proposes a family of four structures, light wooden constructions along the old mine pathway. The modest open-air museum begins at the redesigned rest stop. Here we find the first member of the little family, a service building. Opposite the rest stop we have built a new flight of stone stairs which leads up to the former trail from the pit. A few more steps up the trail we come to the mining café.... After a further turn in the canyon pathway we come upon a shelter, a collection point where those who want to take a guided tour through the mine are given a helmet with a headlamp. Right next to this, visitors climb up to the mining museum, the fourth and last member of the family of buildings, ...”

With the sculpted appeal, Sala's smooth sophisticated look is a contemporary dream. ELITE DESIGN Enchanting in its own right the wonderfully robust Sala works perfect a-top overtly opulent or pristinely plain counters; an ideal addition for a sculptural statement. FORGED FLAIR Boasting an exquisitely bespoke solid marble form, the tactile Sala has an intriguing allure. Flaunting mineral tones and the Earth's environment, the sublime honed piece is carved to last a lifetime. HONED IN Celebrating a classic material, quarried from the Alps of Italy, each piece benefits from being completely unique. Carrara is as timeless as it is favourable and provides a versatile foundation to compliment any scheme. Soft to the touch yet impressively robust, it elegantly blurs brushstrokes of rolling fog through its blanket white base. Lustrous traces of gemstone crystallisation glint amongst inklings of charcoal smudges; its simplicity and brightness provide a material of magnificent purity. Product Code: SAL40CAR

This Victorian floor in Twickenham, Middlesex was in good physical condition for its age but needed a good deep clean. Our customer had informed us that they had never cleaned or sealed the floor in the sixteen years that they had lived there so it was well overdue. I went over to survey the floor and completed a test clean on a small section of tiling to see which products/techniques would work best. I like to do this as it demonstrates to the client what can be done, and it allows me to come up with an accurate price for doing the work. As you can see from the pictures, there was quite a difference in the test patch compared to the rest of the floor. Years of foot traffic from the street had taken its’ toll and the floor was very dirty. Luckily, the floor was in very good condition and had not worn too badly. Once they had seen the test patch, they were confident that it would be worth go ahead with my quote. It would ensure that the period feature was retained for many years to come. The colours on the floor were quite faded so it would be nice to get it restored. I started the cleaning process by first taping up the surrounding skirting boards and doors to ensure they were protected from potential splashing. Cleaning involved spraying the Victorian tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a dedicated Tile and Grout cleaning product. This was left to soak in for about ten minutes and then scrubbed in using a black pad fitted to a heavy-duty rotary scrubber. This gives the floor a good mechanical scrub and works wonders releasing the ground-in dirt and soil from the tiles. The strong dilution of Pro-Clean will also remove any remaining sealers from the tile, however after sixteen years I doubted there would much trace of sealer left. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and all the soils removed with a wet vacuum. Following the initial clean the colours were already much stronger. Next step however was to improve on that by giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This removes mineral deposits and generally brightens up the appearance of the tile. After another round of scrubbing the floor was rinsed with our high-pressure washer and then vacuumed, extracting all of the dirty water and dirt away in one go. The floor was looking a lot better and was left to dry overnight. After allowing the floor to dry overnight, we returned the next day to seal the floor. First, checking the floor was dry using the damp meter. Floors of this age can take a little longer to dry as there is no damp-proof membrane so it’s always worth checking as applying a sealer to damp tiles is not a good idea. Once I was satisfied it was dry eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go sheen finish sealer were applied. This takes a while to do as each coat needs to dry before applying the next. The sealer will protect the Victorian tiles for dirt and stains, it also enhanced the colours in the tile and will make it easier to keep the floor clean going forward. My client was very pleased with the floor and mentioned that they should have called me in sooner! For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Clean which is an effective cleaner with a neutral pH, its designed for cleaning tiles without degrading the sealer. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

This range of highly variegated natural wood grain and darker crystalline mineral colouration is due to manganese & iron trace elements that over the past 25 million years have impregnated into petrified teakwood - this is called the 'volcanic' range. The quality of petrified wood is determined by colour, 'wood-grain', clarity, shape, weight & overall aesthetic appearance. Dimensions: height 80cm, width 30cm, length 70cm, weight 28kg. Product Code: [P-ST-C]