With this client who has been passionate about plants all his life, there was naturally a close collaboration and a lot of input from him. Upon closer inspection you'd find some very exceptional plants that are sort of experimental but "all worth the try" in Gordon's eyes. And he is right! I relished the opportunity to use Star Magnolia stellata, Redbud Cercis 'Avondale' and 'Silver Cloud', Arabian Lilac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany', Royal Bromeliad Vriesea imperialis, also many unusual bulbs such as Scilla. Besides structure providing shrubs and trees (Tecoma, existing Indian Hawthorne with beautiful structures, Sweet Pea Bush, Golden Breath of Heaven, Ilex, Ginkgo, Bronze Loquat etc.) you'll see here also my favorite perennials, succulents and grasses, all as low care and undemanding as well as low-water as possible, to keep the landscape colorful and interesting year round. One of the highlights of this garden are the dry stream beds, bird bath and garden bench that we added. Built originally by himself and his wife, the dry stream beds were overgrown, mostly hidden by plant debris, or half rolling down hill. We had fun selecting a mixed collection of colorful and richly textured boulders of various sizes over, and with the input from 7 team members: Gordon, me, the contractor, the supervisor and three workers, we re-created the stream beds, making sure that anchor stones on the sides were well embedded in the slope, and that stone shelves and “top dressing” with smaller pebbles would add to the visual interest. Now these beds form very pleasing architectural features that look like they have always been there. We were all surprised how quickly all plants adapted to the site and started growing and putting out bloom. Now the old birdbath, a traditional white thing with dove figurines resting on the scalloped bowl, looked out of place, and I suggested to replace it with a stone bowl. And that part of the garden just called for a bench under the Macademia nut tree, to observe the birds and contemplate the whole creation. Only stone would do, but not any stone! Gordon picked a Basalt boulder that was naturally bowl shaped. It’s so heavy that it took 8 men to heave it into place! The Basalt bench was not much lighter, and together they make a very inviting scene. This job should last for a while. Photographed by Emma Almendarez at http://www.emmatheodoraphotography.com/

In our Contemporary Bellevue Residence we wanted the aesthetic to be clean and bright. This is a similar plan to our Victoria Crest home with a few changes and different design elements. Areas of focus; large open kitchen with waterfall countertops and awning upper flat panel cabinets, elevator, interior and exterior fireplaces, floating flat panel vanities in bathrooms, home theater room, large master suite and rooftop deck. Photo Credit: Layne Freedle

A Kids Space with Room to Grow The custom designed built-in bed, bookshelves, and desk in warm white oak combined with shades of blue in a fun mix of polka dots and stripes created a playful modern space that was beyond anything our young client had even dreamed of. The end result is a cozy kids room that will be enjoyed for many years to come. SCOPE OF SERVICES Interior Architecture & Design, Project Management, Custom Millwork and Built-In Design and Elevation DrawingsSpace Planning, Furniture, Lighting, Window Treatments, Textiles, and Decor Sourcing and Procurement, Art Curation, and final Styling to deliver fully a realized space.

Comfortable cushioned pieces in circular formation make it easy for Pasadena to create the ultimate open-air chat room. Complete the arrangement with end tables, an ottoman, a fire table, a gathering table or an umbrella table. High-quality fibers are woven over powdercoated aluminum frames; 3-year manufacturer's warranty. Included Sunbrella® cushions have mesh bottoms for quick-drying convenience.

Photo: Michaela Dodd © 2015 Houzz
Living room - eclectic living room idea in DC Metro

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by Philip Liang Photography.

OLSEN RESIDENCE Location: Grand Rapids, MI Scope: Design & Installation Features: Multi-tier water feature with stream and pools, integrated paver and flagstone decks, segmental retaining, boulder retaining, natural stone steps, specimen plant material.

Large mediterranean white split-level stucco exterior home idea in San Diego

Joe Fletcher Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains of Carmel, California, an oak tree stands elevated above the fog and wrapped at its base in this ranch retreat. The weekend home’s design grew around the 100-year-old Valley Oak to form a horseshoe-shaped house that gathers ridgeline views of Oak, Madrone, and Redwood groves at its exterior and nestles around the tree at its center. The home’s orientation offers both the shade of the oak canopy in the courtyard and the sun flowing into the great room at the house’s rear façades. This modern take on a traditional ranch home offers contemporary materials and landscaping to a classic typology. From the main entry in the courtyard, one enters the home’s great room and immediately experiences the dramatic westward views across the 70 foot pool at the house’s rear. In this expansive public area, programmatic needs flow and connect - from the kitchen, whose windows face the courtyard, to the dining room, whose doors slide seamlessly into walls to create an outdoor dining pavilion. The primary circulation axes flank the internal courtyard, anchoring the house to its site and heightening the sense of scale by extending views outward at each of the corridor’s ends. Guest suites, complete with private kitchen and living room, and the garage are housed in auxiliary wings connected to the main house by covered walkways. Building materials including pre-weathered corrugated steel cladding, buff limestone walls, and large aluminum apertures, and the interior palette of cedar-clad ceilings, oil-rubbed steel, and exposed concrete floors soften the modern aesthetics into a refined but rugged ranch home.

Residential Kitchen - Remodeler of the Year Award MICA 2013
Inspiration for a rustic u-shaped eat-in kitchen remodel in Baltimore with a farmhouse sink and paneled appliances

OLSEN RESIDENCE Location: Grand Rapids, MI Scope: Design & Installation Features: Multi-tier water feature with stream and pools, integrated paver and flagstone decks, segmental retaining, boulder retaining, natural stone steps, specimen plant material.

Striking natural light streams through the transom window and side door creating an abundance of brightness that was lacking before. Tying in with Taj Mahal Leathered Quartzite countertops this Master Bathroom has been transformed into the perfect end of the day unwinding space.

Request Free Quote This pool and hot tub in Hinsdale, IL, completed this year, measures 20'0 x 40'0" and has a 7'0" x 8'0" hot tub inside the pool. The sunshelf measures 5'0" x 11'0" and has steps attached. The pool coping is Valders Wisconsin Limestone. The pool also features LED colored lighting. An automatic cover protects and preserves the pool and spa together. Photos by Larry Huene

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Example of a large transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, light wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

For this swimming pool renovation in Long Grove, Il we started by building a new pool structure inside an existing steel walled, concrete bottomed pool. We then added a new hot tub with its own dedicated, separate equipment. Both pool and spa received Hartstone coping and Jewelscapes glass bead interior. The pool has a full-end sun shelf in the deep end of the pool and full-end steps in the shallow end. The pool is also equipped with a new automatic cover. The Hot Tub equipment is located in the basement, which provides for year-round operation. Both the pool and the hot tub are controlled by a Pentair Intellitouch system with iPhone interface compatibility.

300 year old reclaimed barnwood beams to match the barnwood hood, island, mantle, shelving, stair railings
Kitchen - cottage kitchen idea in Cleveland

The base of all of our bird houses and feeders are made of a solid cellular vinyl, a wood alternative that gives you the look and feel of wood, with little maintenance. The end result is an architecturally pleasing house that looks like wood, but lasts like vinyl. The redwood roofs are made to endure the elements year after year. Our copper tops age over time to a natural patina or you may choose a Blue Verde roof that will give you the patina look right out of the box!

Living in the home for over 25 years, their kitchen was in need of an update. We’re thinking since the 60s! A hybrid solution for more savings was the perfect compromise. Reface cabinets and add some new achieved results. Antique Satin White in a Prestige Square raised panel door provides a timeless design. We added glass fronts to the display cabinets in Villa style for a touch of glamour. Cambria countertops in quartz. The color is “Berwyn” with streams of gray and white. The backsplash in a lantern pattern adds interest. Neutrals abound! The homeowner wanted a simple, yet timeless design. Choosing to add color through décor items, they can update seasonally.

Living in the home for over 25 years, their kitchen was in need of an update. We’re thinking since the 60s! A hybrid solution for more savings was the perfect compromise. Reface cabinets and add some new achieved results. Antique Satin White in a Prestige Square raised panel door provides a timeless design. We added glass fronts to the display cabinets in Villa style for a touch of glamour. Cambria countertops in quartz. The color is “Berwyn” with streams of gray and white. The backsplash in a lantern pattern adds interest. Neutrals abound! The homeowner wanted a simple, yet timeless design. Choosing to add color through décor items, they can update seasonally.