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Photo of a large modern partial sun side yard concrete paver landscaping in Boston for fall.

Cereus peruvianus surrounded by Moroccan mound (Euphorbia resinifera) and soap aloe in a Ojai, California botanical garden.
Photo of a landscaping in Los Angeles.

Oxalis, caladiums and variegated liriope is a low maintenance combo to plant under trees. These plants will all appreciate a bit of shade. Relax and play in this lush backyard landscape featuring a custom stone hot tub surrounded by seasonal color and perennials, a tucked-away stone patio, and a serene palette. Plantings are colorful yet low-maintenance. Pockets for annual color changes are provided so the homeowners can enjoy the changing of the seasons. A custom built stone fire place becomes a central focal point for outdoor entertaining. Strategically placed patio planters and hanging baskets make the space feel lush.

Concrete slab and deck sections create a path to the front door in a sea of decorative pebbles. This is all about the design and very limited water and maintenance needed. Photo by Ketti Kupper

Movin on up from the tract homes of the Valley to the Ranch takes a shift in mindset, yet this couple also wanted to keep it real and practical for their growing family, house full of pets, and casual lifestyle. Inspired by a modern farmhouse aesthetic, this home was taken down to the bones and updated with a personal style of comfortable elegance while keeping the kids in mind.

Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Denver.

Chicago Urban Courtyard | Scott Shigley
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary partial sun backyard concrete paver formal garden in Chicago.

Custom Home Built for Real Life Our clients came to us with a clear vision: a home that could adapt to their lifestyle and growing family. They needed a home built with intention, designed with the future in mind, and built around the routines they loved and the people they loved more. Open-Concept Living With Hosting in Mind Our clients hosted often and lived actively, so the main level had to be flexible for all of life’s moments. The goal was a space that felt grand without losing its warmth. Cooking together as a family mattered to our clients – the Wolf range, farmhouse sink, integrated appliances, and large island gave them a kitchen that flowed effortlessly while looking beautiful. This space also served as the bridge between other parts of the main level so that they would stay in view of the next. This created the perfect environment for gathering where everyone had their own spot without ever feeling apart from the whole group. For the living room, our clients wanted space that felt open without losing its warmth. Soaring ceilings created that sense of scale, while warm tones and materials, like the wood coffered ceiling and fireplace wall, kept it grounded. That same warmth carried outside, where an outdoor lounge with a fireplace and dining area made sure guests felt welcomed the moment they stepped out. A Backyard Built for Real Rest Every corner of the backyard was designed with one goal: to be the ultimate outdoor retreat. The elevated, white-brick-framed pool and integrated spa hot tub gave them a place to truly exhale. As the sun set, the fire pit lounge next to the pool became the hangout spot when they hosted their youth groups and family gatherings. Room to Grow With kids in the house, “custom” had to also mean flexible. Our clients had 2 young sons and needed their rooms to grow with them through the years. The two bedrooms and a full bath sat beside a loft that served as both their hangout-and-homework spot. The guest suite sat on the same level where a four-poster bed, floor-to-ceiling wood-look tile, and a frameless glass shower welcomed their guests from day one. A Retreat That’s Actually Theirs Between hosting and raising kids, this couple needed a suite that felt like a true escape. The wood-planked tray ceiling and French doors grounded the room in warmth the moment you walked in, while the ensuite bathroom carried a spa-like feeling with a freestanding soaking tub, custom double vanity, and a glass-enclosed shower. This Is What Approachable Luxury Looks Like The approachable luxury experience meant starting with conversations about how they wanted their space to live with them – how they hosted, how their kids played, how they wanted to feel walking through their own front door, and how we took their goals and experience and used it as the foundation of every decision that was made from start to finish. We wanted our clients to feel taken care of through the process and, most importantly, feel heard.

Our team helped a growing family transform their recent house purchase into a home they love. Working with architect Tom Downer of Downer Associates, we opened up a dark Cape filled with small rooms and heavy paneling to create a free-flowing, airy living space. The “new” home features a relocated and updated kitchen, additional baths, a master suite, mudroom and first floor laundry – all within the original footprint. Photo: Mary Prince Photography

Le jardinet
Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Phoenix.

Shasta Daisy blooms most of the summer photo: Nicholas Codd
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in New York.

Adobe wall, rough wood gates, existing Chitalpa (pruned after years of neglect), Powis Castle Sage, Bluemist Spirea, Giant Hesperaloe, Red Yucca (me)
Photo of a large southwestern partial sun stone landscaping in Albuquerque.

Japanese forest grass Le jardinet
Photo of a landscaping in Seattle.

Our clients were ready to trade in their 1950s kitchen (faux brick and all) for a more contemporary space that could accommodate their growing family. We were more then happy to tear down the walls that hid their kitchen to create some simply irresistible sightlines! Along with opening up the spaces in this home, we wanted to design a kitchen that was filled with clean lines and moments of blissful details. Kitchen- Crisp white cabinetry paired with a soft grey backsplash tile and a warm butcher block countertop provide the perfect clean backdrop for the rest of the home. We utilized a deep grey cabinet finish on the island and contrasted it with a lovely white quartz countertop. Our great obsession is the island ceiling lights! The soft linen shades and linear black details set the tone for the whole space and tie in beautifully with the geometric light fixture we brought into the dining room. Bathroom- Gone are the days of florescent lights and oak medicine cabinets, make way for a modern bathroom that leans it clean geometric lines. We carried the simple color pallet into the bathroom with grey hex floors, a high variation white wall tile, and deep wood tones at the vanity. Simple black accents create moments of interest through out this calm little space.

We are so excited about this stylish Houston patio addition! It's one of our most recent outdoor living space design projects - and one of our new favorites! We particularly love the rustic corner fireplace, the beautiful, vaulted pine ceiling and the Restoration Hardware furniture and accessories. "Even though this space has an outdoor kitchen - often the highlight of our projects - the focus here is beautiful, comfortable outdoor living," says Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. "And I have to say, I think this is one of the most gorgeous spaces we've created for doing that - in style." "This project was special from the start, as we were creating this space for a friend of Wayne’s who had been a long time mentor to his boys growing up," adds Lisha Maxey, owner of LGH Designs in Houston (she coordinated furniture and finishes for the project). "This client was the principal of their high school and knew all of them very well and Wayne, too. This made it very personal, indeed, and we wanted everything to be perfect!" The 23- by 16-foot addition, located at the back of the house in Cypress, looks out onto a manmade lake in the homeowners' subdivision. The focal point? A 9-foot-8-inch-high-by-7-foot-wide corner fireplace in Earth Grey rustic ledgestone from Colorstone in Houston. The fireplace features a custom wooden mantel, stone bench seating and a 52-inch Sunbrite outdoor TV. Another highlight is the flooring - silver travertine tile laid out in a Versailles pattern. "We chose silver travertine in a 'Tumbled' color palette with variations of cream and brown," says Lisha. "So we had those two colors, plus grey, to pull from." The 7-foot-long, stucco outdoor kitchen island's countertops are also noteworthy - Absolute Black granite in a leathered finish offering a modern look and a dark grey hue that works perfectly with the color palette. The kitchen island also houses an RCS 30-inch grill and fridge. The seating area includes a sectional couch, coffee table, two swivel chairs and two ottomans - all from Restoration Hardware. "We used Restoration Hardware's Biscayne sectional, swivel chairs and ottomans in gray, with textured linen weave in Sand and cushions and peacock accent pillows in gray," says Lisha. The coffee table is made of solid teak with a concrete top - as is the matching side table. "We added a console table, also in teak, behind the sofa. And for accents, we added three Amalfi lanterns from Restoration Hardware in weathered zinc." A Sunbrella® Heathered area rug (in Gray) was added to anchor the space and visually tie it together. "The space as a whole leans towards a transitional style, in that it has many traditional cozy comforts and colors, but the furniture gives it a more contemporary look," says Lisha. "The idea from the beginning was to marry these two styles, as our clients wanted a look that would not age and be in vogue for years to come." On the exterior, you can see how we worked to make the addition blend with the existing home - matching the shingles and stucco and continuing the landscaping. 3D graphic renderings and a virtual video tour allowed the clients to know exactly what the space would look like beforehand. "It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process," says Outdoor Homescapes' graphic designer, Kristy Buell Franks. "Floor plans and elevation drawings are good for giving an idea of the overall scope of the project, but it's the 3D renderings that really show what the space is going to look like." The 3D graphics and video tours also help immensely when choosing finishing materials and furniture, she says: "The clients' choices can be put into the design to allow the clients to see how the materials will work with the existing materials on the house and how the furniture will look in the space." What do you like about this space? Post a comment and let us know! URL http://www.outdoorhomescapes.com

Packed with cottage attributes, Sunset View features an open floor plan without sacrificing intimate spaces. Detailed design elements and updated amenities add both warmth and character to this multi-seasonal, multi-level Shingle-style-inspired home. Columns, beams, half-walls and built-ins throughout add a sense of Old World craftsmanship. Opening to the kitchen and a double-sided fireplace, the dining room features a lounge area and a curved booth that seats up to eight at a time. When space is needed for a larger crowd, furniture in the sitting area can be traded for an expanded table and more chairs. On the other side of the fireplace, expansive lake views are the highlight of the hearth room, which features drop down steps for even more beautiful vistas. An unusual stair tower connects the home’s five levels. While spacious, each room was designed for maximum living in minimum space.

Our clients were ready to trade in their 1950s kitchen (faux brick and all) for a more contemporary space that could accommodate their growing family. We were more then happy to tear down the walls that hid their kitchen to create some simply irresistible sightlines! Along with opening up the spaces in this home, we wanted to design a kitchen that was filled with clean lines and moments of blissful details. Kitchen- Crisp white cabinetry paired with a soft grey backsplash tile and a warm butcher block countertop provide the perfect clean backdrop for the rest of the home. We utilized a deep grey cabinet finish on the island and contrasted it with a lovely white quartz countertop. Our great obsession is the island ceiling lights! The soft linen shades and linear black details set the tone for the whole space and tie in beautifully with the geometric light fixture we brought into the dining room. Bathroom- Gone are the days of florescent lights and oak medicine cabinets, make way for a modern bathroom that leans it clean geometric lines. We carried the simple color pallet into the bathroom with grey hex floors, a high variation white wall tile, and deep wood tones at the vanity. Simple black accents create moments of interest through out this calm little space.

An inspiring kitchen crafted with thoughtful ingredients to withstand this growing family’s energetic and active lifestyle. A tribute to bringing the outdoors in, reclaimed floors, natural stone and baked terra cotta tiles in shades of aquamarine emboldens the neutral color palette while mixed metals in polished chrome and hand-forged iron add timeless appeal. | Photography Joshua Caldwell

This is an example of a large traditional partial sun backyard landscaping in New York for summer.