A welcoming entrance framed by an established oak tree. Photo by David Wakely
Inspiration for a mediterranean landscaping in San Francisco.

photography by Rob Karosis
Example of a large classic three-story wood exterior home design in Portland Maine

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Spiced Rum – a warm, earthy umber featuring subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense, tropical hues that will retain its lush looks for decades and Trex Transcend decking in Vintage Lantern – a deep-burnished bronze with Old World elegance. Additional Trex products featured include Trex Transcend railing and Trex Outdoor Lighting – recessed deck lights.

This vanity was cut from an old oak tree that was on site.

Large minimalist cork floor and black floor home weight room photo in Boston with beige walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional stone landscaping.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional partial sun courtyard stone driveway in Boston with white walls for summer.

Situated in old Palo Alto, CA, this historic 1905 Craftsman style home now has a stunning landscape to match its custom hand-crafted interior. Our firm had a blank slate with the landscape, and carved out a number of spaces that this young and vibrant family could use for gathering, entertaining, dining, gardening and general relaxation. Mature screen planting, colorful perennials, citrus trees, ornamental grasses, and lots of depth and texture are found throughout the many planting beds. In effort to conserve water, the main open spaces were covered with a foot friendly, decorative gravel. Giving the family a great space for large gatherings, all while saving water.

Several beautiful features make this jacuzzi spa and swimming pool inviting for family and guests. The spa cantilevers over the pool . There is a four foot infinity edge water feature pouring into the pool. A lazy river water feature made out of moss boulders also falls over the pool's edge adding a pleasant, natural running water sound to the surroundings. The pool deck is exposed aggregate. Seat bench walls and the exterior of the hot tub made of moss rock veneer and capped with flagstone. The coping was custom fabricated on site out of flagstone. Retaining walls were installed to border the softscape pictured. We also installed an outdoor kitchen and pergola next to the home.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

The fire pit area is surrounded by long blooming perennials and ornamental grasses, while a backdrop of upright junipers provides privacy from the subdivision walking path. Westhauser Photography

Photo: Charlotte Albers © 2014 Houzz
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Burlington.

Full spectrum cut bluestone surrounding two trees with brick edging and a hammock.
Patio - mid-sized traditional backyard stone patio idea in Charleston with no cover

Inspiration for a transitional landscaping in San Francisco.

Photo of a large shade backyard concrete paver garden path in Miami.

In the past this house had been at the heart of a busy farm. The function of the property has long since changed but it yet remains someone’s home. The challenge is to retrofit existing farm buildings, and the surrounding landscape, to better reflect both the different lifestyle and needs of the present owners. At the back of the farmhouse slopes have been modified to accommodate terraces, gardens and pathways linking through them. View sheds have been emphasized to showcase the property and the landscape filled with four seasons of interest. The geometry of the hard-scaping (walls, stairs, and walkways) is softened by the addition of lush plant material selected for both textural and colour qualities (evergreen, flowering and foliage). This view includes Smooth Viburnum (Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’), Purple Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’), Mellow Yellow Spiraea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’), and Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia).