Addition and renovation of a vacation home in the hills of Heath Massachusetts. The first floor of the home was extensively renovated including a new kitchen, bath room and laundry room. Additions include a breakfast nook, window bay, entry foyer, a two story screened porch and most importantly; a 75 foot-long indoor lap pool. The pool design is based on the upright wings of the airplane, as the owner is an avid aviator as well as a tri-athlete. Large expanses of glass allow natural light to stream into the year-round training space. Cedar siding and extensive stone work ground the modern form of the building in the natural landscape.

Photo Credit: Damien Hendley Larger north facing windows can bring much needed light into darker rooms. Mixed materials were used to keep the space feeling warm, while providing a generous amount of light coloured horizontal finishes to allow light to bounce through the space. A key to filling a space with light that does not glare is to have light coming into the room from different walls.

Ecosystem Ponds are the crown jewel of the Water Feature world. They soon become the centerpiece of your landscape. These low-maintenance, natural-looking water gardens work with Mother Nature, not against her, to stay clean and clear without using chemicals or UV sterilizers or anything artificial. The key is the symbiotic relationship between the Pond Fish, the beneficial bacteria, and the Aquatic Plants. There is no sound in nature quite as relaxing as moving, falling water. It soothes away your stress at the end of a long day and you instantly start to feel more relaxed. Watching the Koi and other Pond Fish gracefully swimming around and nibbling from the underwater rocks and gravel can be almost hypnotizing. A variety of birds come to drink and bathe in the stream and colorful dragonflies flit here and there on mosquito patrol. Water lilies bloom in almost every color you can imagine and you'll soon see that frogs really DO sit on lily pads! Having one of these Ponds in your landscape is like coming home every day to a private vacation retreat right in your own backyard! Texas Ponds and Water Features creates some of the most beautiful and natural looking Ecosystem Ponds and Water Gardens in the Austin and Central Texas area. We also work in the Houston, Southeast Texas area and almost anywhere in between. Working with only natural stone, our specialists craft waterfalls and ponds that look as if they had been carved by the hand of nature. Our two main pond guys have over 27 years of experience between them. We are at the Master level of Certified Aquascape Contractors--among the best in the world at what we do. Contact us today to get started on your own backyard paradise.

An after shot! This south Denver, Colorado neighborhood has a 1/2 of stream running through it. The old stream was built with concrete and through the years, the concrete split, became broken up, and there were numerous leaks. Within a few months time, the four streams, two running into a large lake, two running out of the lake, were lined with EPDM 20 year liner and transformed into a gorgeous setting. We put in several lily ponds, waterfalls, hundreds of aquatic plants, built islands and a beautiful bog that houses thalia, zebra rush, irises and water lilies! Rocky Mountain WaterScape

The stunning white walls of this Rosemary Beach house contrast with the Mediterranean Blue tiles of the pool. The five scuppers pour a stream of sound into the small pool courtyard, providing an oasis in this busy neighborhood. The compact, native landscape provides year-round color and interest. Photographed by: Alan D. Holt

Huge mountain style l-shaped light wood floor, brown floor and wood ceiling kitchen photo in Denver with shaker cabinets, green cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Holger Obenaus
Transitional master dark wood floor bedroom photo in Charleston with blue walls

Diane Hayford
This is an example of a contemporary landscaping in San Francisco.

Inspiration for a coastal laundry room remodel in San Diego

Inspiration for a timeless galley light wood floor home design remodel with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   The homeowners came to us looking to update the kitchen in their historic 1897 home. The home had gone through an extensive renovation several years earlier that added a master bedroom suite and updates to the front façade. The kitchen however was not part of that update and a prior 1990’s update had left much to be desired. The client is an avid cook, and it was just not very functional for the family. The original kitchen was very choppy and included a large eat in area that took up more than its fair share of the space. On the wish list was a place where the family could comfortably congregate, that was easy and to cook in, that feels lived in and in check with the rest of the home’s décor. They also wanted a space that was not cluttered and dark – a happy, light and airy room. A small powder room off the space also needed some attention so we set out to include that in the remodel as well. See that arch in the neighboring dining room? The homeowner really wanted to make the opening to the dining room an arch to match, so we incorporated that into the design. Another unfortunate eyesore was the state of the ceiling and soffits. Turns out it was just a series of shortcuts from the prior renovation, and we were surprised and delighted that we were easily able to flatten out almost the entire ceiling with a couple of little reworks. Other changes we made were to add new windows that were appropriate to the new design, which included moving the sink window over slightly to give the work zone more breathing room. We also adjusted the height of the windows in what was previously the eat-in area that were too low for a countertop to work. We tried to keep an old island in the plan since it was a well-loved vintage find, but the tradeoff for the function of the new island was not worth it in the end. We hope the old found a new home, perhaps as a potting table. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

A dramatic transformation in an early 20th century home brought into the new millennium by a young and eclectic owner. A new fireplace adds to the warmth and ambiance to a space filled with warm spice colors and African pieces collected through many travels. The clean face gas burning unit is the Bayport model from Kozy Heat finished with a Beveled front in Rust. The brick is new to the home and is painted white to limit the rustic feel but still maintain it's classic look. A slate hearth and a reclaimed wood mantel from a 100 year old barn compliment the design and anchor the design in tradition.

These homeowners decided to turn their ski home into a full-time home only to find that what was perfect as a vacation home, didn't function well for year-round living. In the master bathroom an unused tub was removed to make room for a larger vanity with storage. Using the same large format tiles on the floor and the walls provide the desired spa-like feel to the space. Floor to ceiling cabinets provide loads of storage for this kosher kitchen. Two dishwashers, two utensil drawers, a divided sink and two ovens are also included so that meat and dairy could be kept separated.

Video game loft with three televisions.
Inspiration for a mid-sized country loft-style linoleum floor family room remodel in Atlanta with beige walls, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a stone fireplace

Photo by Tina Witherspoon.
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic partial sun backyard stone walkway in Seattle.

View of the stream and plantings 1 year after installation. Sunrise Landscape and Design created a recirculating stream in the clients front yard, installed new landscaping, and created a paver drive that tied into the front entrance.stone on the front of the house entrance.

Laura Sumrack
Mountain style formal dark wood floor living room photo in Salt Lake City with white walls and a wood stove

The client has been working with us for many years. The plantings have really filled in to complete the natural woodsy retreat look.
This is an example of a huge shade stone water fountain landscape in DC Metro.