An used closet under the stairs is transformed into a beautiful and functional chilled wine cellar with a new wrought iron railing for the stairs to tie it all together. Travertine slabs replace carpet on the stairs. LED lights are installed in the wine cellar for additional ambient lighting that gives the room a soft glow in the evening. Photos by: Ryan Wilson

Huggy Bear Quaker style door in Cherry with Nutmeg stain. Island is Cherry with Slate stain. Backsplash is split-face travertine. Custom paneled hood. Cambria Cardiff Cream countertops. Wolf gas range.

Patio kitchen plans these days require the ability to incorporate high-tech, modern appliances into timeless – even ancient-looking – environments. You can see this juxtaposition pulled off perfectly in this outdoor kitchen by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston. “A smart patio kitchen plan requires not only a balance of the new and old,” says Outdoor Homescapes owner Wayne Franks, “but a blending of new elements – like an outdoor kitchen – with the existing home and outdoor living features like a pool, hardscaping or landscaping.” In this case, explains Franks, the existing 25-by-15-foot pool had a craggy edge of moss rock boulders, plus a spa and firepit faced with a rough Scabos splitface travertine. “The overall look was rustic and naturalistic,” says Franks, “so we of course wanted the new outdoor kitchen island to match.” Hence the 14-foot-long outdoor kitchen island with a raised bar, also faced in the Scabos splitface travertine and topped with a Normandy granite countertop. The hardscaping around it is Kool Deck® textured concrete. “People used to shy away from busy textures in outside patio kitchen plans, but now they’re embracing them,” notes Franks. “They’re increasingly attracted to the beautiful imperfections and irregularities of nature – there’s more of an authenticity and character to it.” Now, for the high-tech part: A Traeger wood pellet grill. Traeger grills are becoming increasingly popular for their ability to infuse amazing, rich flavor and for their versatility (they can grill, bake, smoke, slow cook, braise and barbecue). This premier model, the Memphis Pro 304, features 562 square inches of cooking space and a three-in-one cooking system (high-temperature grill, low-and-low smoker and true-convection-oven roasting and baking). It also has an intuitive Intelligent Temperature Control (see the display panel to the left of the grill) that can be set for cooking and internal temperature. A programmable food probe tells you when the internal temperature is reached and drops the grill down to a programmed lower temperature to keep the food warm till serving. The dual-fan convection system, with reliable metal blades, circulates heat evenly for tender, juicy results. Double-walled and sealed construction of 304 stainless steel allows for optimum heat retention and consistent temperatures in all weather conditions. A direct-flame “flavorizer” insert delivers the added flavor of a seared finish. Outdoor Homescapes also added a mount sink with a custom oil-rubbed bronze faucet by Moen and the following RCS stainless steel accessories: a pull-out trash door, a countertop trash chute, dual horizontal grill utensil drawers and a swing-out storage door. “At first, you’d think all this technology and the smooth, modern stainless steel would fight with the rustic look of the rough-faced stone in outdoor patio kitchen plans,” says Franks. “But it actually provides some visual rest from all the rugged textures and busyness.” Serving a similar function is the smooth, polished Scabos travertine tile used for the pool coping and firepit ledge. “It’s a perfect environment for the client to entertain business associates,” says Franks. “He’s very happy with the old-meets-new approach, and so are we.” More patio kitchen plans can be found at Outdoor Homescapes of Houston’s website, at www.outdoorhomescapes.com

Huggy Bear Quaker style door in Cherry with Nutmeg stain. Island is Cherry with Slate stain. Backsplash is split-face travertine. Custom paneled hood. Cambria Cardiff Cream countertops. Wolf gas range.

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Huggy Bear Quaker style door in Cherry with Nutmeg stain. Island is Cherry with Slate stain. Backsplash is split-face travertine. Custom paneled hood. Cambria Cardiff Cream countertops. Wolf gas range.

Backyard designed by Giuseppe Abbrancati and built by Gappsi in Kings Park, NY. Starting with the installation of a gunite swimming pool, travertine patio, and a pavilion with outdoor kitchen. This backyard received a complete transformation. The old railroad tie retaining wall was removed and re-constructed with a poured reinforced-concrete wall. It was then veneered with tumbled travertine split-face veneers and finished on top with 12 inch wide, 2 inch thick travertine coping. Sheer descent water features were also installed in the wall over the center spilling into the pool. The custom designed swimming pool has a roman end by the diving area, steps and a spa in the shallow area, and a sundeck with an LED water bubbler on the long side of the pool facing across the pool to the water feature. The bluestone coping installed for swimming pool and spa complement the porcelain tiles installed in the swimming pool water line. The tile markers outline the steps, benches, sundeck, and the spa interior. The finish of the pool is Super Blue Diamond Brite, which consists of a white quartz with speckle of blue. An outdoor kitchen was constructed with granite counter top overhanging the stool sitting area. All walls were veneered with split-face tumbled travertine and Twin-Eagle appliances were installed. The appliances include a 24-inch griddle, see-through refrigerator, bar sink, ice maker, a large burner, and many storage cabinets. A 16x16 pavilion was custom-built over the outdoor cooking area, completed with stained wood beams in the ceiling and all synthetic wood trims wrapping the four columns and fascia. The entire backyard floor and pool patio was completed with Moca tumbled french pattern travertine. The outdoor lighting is designed and installed to uniformly light up the backyard and accent each area. And a free-standing gas fire pit is also placed within the couch area facing the pool.

Introducing European Ledge®, A Modern Stone Fusion. European Ledge creates the perfect fusion between old-world stonework and modern design. Evoking a unique balance of weather-worn surface contours and precision-cut stone, this modern interpretation of split-face travertine is assembled into tightly stacked ledge pieces with varying surface heights and lengths. The distinctive appearance delivers a timeless feel to any exterior or interior environment.

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Introducing European Ledge®, A Modern Stone Fusion. European Ledge creates the perfect fusion between old-world stonework and modern design. Evoking a unique balance of weather-worn surface contours and precision-cut stone, this modern interpretation of split-face travertine is assembled into tightly stacked ledge pieces with varying surface heights and lengths. The distinctive appearance delivers a timeless feel to any exterior or interior environment. Stone: European Ledge - Zinc Get a Sample of European Ledge: https://shop.eldoradostone.com/products/european-ledge-sample

This Minnesota Artisan Tour showcase home features three exceptional natural stone fireplaces. A custom blend of ORIJIN STONE's Alder™ Split Face Limestone is paired with custom Indiana Limestone for the oversized hearths. Minnetrista, MN residence. MASONRY: SJB Masonry + Concrete BUILDER: Denali Custom Homes, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHY: Landmark Photography

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Example of a trendy master beige tile and travertine tile travertine floor drop-in bathtub design in Denver with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops and beige walls

Huggy Bear Quaker style door in Cherry with Nutmeg stain. Island is Cherry with Slate stain. Backsplash is split-face travertine. Custom paneled hood. Cambria Cardiff Cream countertops. Wolf gas range.

Stone: European Ledge - Cottonwood Introducing European Ledge®, A Modern Stone Fusion. European Ledge creates the perfect fusion between old-world stonework and modern design. Evoking a unique balance of weather-worn surface contours and precision-cut stone, this modern interpretation of split-face travertine is assembled into tightly stacked ledge pieces with varying surface heights and lengths. The distinctive appearance delivers a timeless feel to any exterior or interior environment. Get a Sample of European Ledge: http://shop.eldoradostone.com/products/european-ledge-sample

Island style master black tile and slate tile slate floor bathroom photo in Miami with yellow walls

Jim Bartsch
Example of a trendy master travertine floor bathroom design in Denver with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops and a one-piece toilet

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An used closet under the stairs is transformed into a beautiful and functional chilled wine cellar with a new wrought iron railing for the stairs to tie it all together. Travertine slabs replace carpet on the stairs. LED lights are installed in the wine cellar for additional ambient lighting that gives the room a soft glow in the evening. Photos by: Ryan Wilson

An used closet under the stairs is transformed into a beautiful and functional chilled wine cellar with a new wrought iron railing for the stairs to tie it all together. Travertine slabs replace carpet on the stairs. LED lights are installed in the wine cellar for additional ambient lighting that gives the room a soft glow in the evening. Photos by: Ryan Wilson