Rachael Boling
Example of a mountain style entryway design in Other with a dark wood front door

Photos by Spacecrafting
Inspiration for a large timeless gray two-story wood gable roof remodel in Minneapolis

Lake Front Country Estate Fire Pit, designed by Tom Markalunas and JDP Design, built by Resort Custom Homes and The Collins Group. Photography by Rachael Boling

http://www.pickellbuilders.com. Front entry is a contemporary mix of glass, stone, and stucco. Gravel entry court with decomposed granite chips. Front door is African mahogany with clear glass sidelights and horizontal aluminum inserts. Photo by Paul Schlismann.

A simple front facade consisting solely of ten-foot shuttered French doors radiates elegance in this new traditional foursquare home in Washington, D.C. Featured in Country Living magazine, the airy plan offers spaciousness in a limited-fronted site of the American foursquare house. The goal for the design was creating a contemporary foursquare style house. The family room and kitchen of this American foursquare interior are separated by a glassy built-in rather than walls, encouraging visual connection between the spaces in the four square house. Though nestled in the city, this American foursquare home feels like a classic country home.

This lovely Mountain Modern Home in Littleton, Colorado is perched at the top of a hill, allowing for beautiful views of Chatfield Reservoir and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The pink and orange sunsets viewed from the front of this home are breathtaking. Our team custom designed the large pivoting front door and sized it at an impressive 5' x 9' to fit properly with the scale of this expansive home. We thoughtfully selected the streamlined rustic exterior materials and the sleek black framed windows to complement the home's modern exterior architecture. Wild grasses and native plantings, selected by the landscape architect, complete the exterior. Our team worked closely with the builder and the landscape architect to create a cohesive mix of stunning native materials and finishes. Stone retaining walls allow for a charming walk-out basement patio on the side of the home. The lower-level patio area connects to the upper backyard pool area with a custom iron spiral staircase. The lower-level patio features an inviting seating area that looks as if it was plucked directly from the Italian countryside. A round stone firepit in the middle of this seating area provides warmth and ambiance on chilly nights.

Example of a classic stone exterior home design in New York

Shoberg Homes- Contractor Studio Seiders - Interior Design Ryann Ford Photography, LLC
Contemporary gray one-story stone house exterior idea in Austin with a hip roof

This project presented unique opportunities that are not often found in residential landscaping. The homeowners were not only restoring their 1840's era farmhouse, a piece of their family’s history, but also enlarging and updating the home for modern living. The landscape designers continued this idea by creating a space that is a modern day interpretation of an 1840s era farm rather then a strict recreation. The resulting design combines elements of farm living from that time, as well as acknowledging the property’s history as a horse farm, with staples of 21st century landscapes such as space for outdoor living, lighting, and newer plant varieties. Guests approach from the main driveway which winds through the property and ends at the main barn. There is secondary gated driveway just for the homeowners. Connected to this main driveway is a narrower gravel lane which leads directly to the residence. The lane passes near fruit trees planted in broken rows to give the illusion that they are the remains of an orchard that once existed on the site. The lane widens at the entrance to the gardens where there is a hitching post built into the fence that surrounds the gardens and a watering trough. The widened section is intended as a place to park a golf cart or, in a nod to the home’s past, tie up horses before entering. The gravel lane passes between two stone pillars and then ends at a square gravel court edged in cobblestones. The gravel court transitions into a wide flagstone walk bordered with yew hedges and lavender leading to the front door. Directly to the right, upon entering the gravel court, is located a gravel and cobblestone edged walk leading to a secondary entrance into the residence. The walk is gated where it connects with the gravel court to close it off so as not to confuse visitors and guests to the main residence and to emphasize the primary entrance. An area for a bench is provided along this walk to encourage stopping to view and enjoy the gardens. On either side of the front door, gravel and cobblestone walks branch off into the garden spaces. The one on the right leads to a flagstone with cobblestone border patio space. Since the home has no designated backyard like most modern suburban homes the outdoor living space had to be placed in what would traditionally be thought of as the front of the house. The patio is separated from the entrance walk by the yew hedge and further enclosed by three Amelanchiers and a variety of plantings including modern cultivars of old fashioned plants such as Itea and Hydrangea. A third entrance, the original front door to the 1840’s era section, connects to the patio from the home’s kitchen, making the space ideal for outdoor dining. The gravel and cobblestone walk branching off to the left of the front door leads to the vegetable and perennial gardens. The idea for the vegetable garden was to recreate the tradition of a kitchen garden which would have been planted close to the residence for easy access. The vegetable garden is surrounded by mixed perennial beds along the inside of the wood picket fence which surrounds the entire garden space. Another area designated for a bench is provided here to encourage stopping and viewing. The home’s original smokehouse, completely restored and used as a garden shed, provides a strong architectural focal point to the vegetable garden. Behind the smokehouse is planted lilacs and other plants to give mass and balance to the corner and help screen the garden from the neighboring subdivision. At the rear corner of the garden a wood arbor was constructed to provide a structure on which to grow grapes or other vines should the homeowners choose to. The landscape and gardens for this restored farmhouse and property are a thoughtfully designed and planned recreation of a historic landscape reinterpreted for modern living. The idea was to give a sense of timelessness when walking through the gardens as if they had been there for years but had possibly been updated and rejuvenated as lifestyles changed. The attention to materials and craftsmanship blend seamlessly with the residence and insure the gardens and landscape remain an integral part of the property. The farm has been in the homeowner’s family for many years and they are thrilled at the results and happy to see respect given to the home’s history and to its meticulous restoration.

Martin Vecchio
Example of a large transitional beige split-level stucco house exterior design in Detroit

Craftsman style porch with stone piers and square columns. Designed and built by Georgia Front Porch.
Large elegant brown two-story brick exterior home photo in Atlanta

Front Concrete landscape steps along with stone entryway steps with modified buttresses. By English Stone
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional front yard stone landscaping in Minneapolis.

Elegant gray two-story wood gable roof photo in Seattle with a mixed material roof

Inspiration for a transitional backyard patio remodel in San Diego with a fire pit and a roof extension

In 2014, we were approached by a couple to achieve a dream space within their existing home. They wanted to expand their existing bar, wine, and cigar storage into a new one-of-a-kind room. Proud of their Italian heritage, they also wanted to bring an “old-world” feel into this project to be reminded of the unique character they experienced in Italian cellars. The dramatic tone of the space revolves around the signature piece of the project; a custom milled stone spiral stair that provides access from the first floor to the entry of the room. This stair tower features stone walls, custom iron handrails and spindles, and dry-laid milled stone treads and riser blocks. Once down the staircase, the entry to the cellar is through a French door assembly. The interior of the room is clad with stone veneer on the walls and a brick barrel vault ceiling. The natural stone and brick color bring in the cellar feel the client was looking for, while the rustic alder beams, flooring, and cabinetry help provide warmth. The entry door sequence is repeated along both walls in the room to provide rhythm in each ceiling barrel vault. These French doors also act as wine and cigar storage. To allow for ample cigar storage, a fully custom walk-in humidor was designed opposite the entry doors. The room is controlled by a fully concealed, state-of-the-art HVAC smoke eater system that allows for cigar enjoyment without any odor.

Stately front porch boasts stone piers (column bases), steps and stoop. Note arched fascia detail under gable entry and metal roof. This project shown prior to paint.

Front yard landscaping with stone border
Photo of a traditional full sun front yard landscaping in Houston for summer.

The front elevation makes use of many traditional cottage elements, combining steep roof lines with graceful curves. Clover windows and natural stone give a timeless feeling to the front. The metal roof reflects the sky, and softens the presence of the house. Photographer: Daniel Contelmo Jr.

Photos: Robert Radifera Photography
Elegant exterior home photo in DC Metro