Designed and built by Land Art Design
Example of a large trendy stone patio design in DC Metro with a fire pit and no cover

Front yard renovation with new waterfall and bridge and fireplace seating area. Barbara Ries Photography
Patio - traditional stone patio idea in San Francisco with a fire pit

"My Plaster finishes took me all the way to Dubai!! I'm back and ready to rock for you!! This finish is "Tuscany" from Texston Co. you'll never find a better plaster company!!!!!

Fifty years ago, a sculptor, Jean Neufeld, moved into a new home at 40 South Bellaire Street in Hilltop. The home, designed by a noted passive solar Denver architect, was both her house and her studio. Today the home is a piece of sculpture – a testament to the original architect’s artistry; and amid the towering, new, custom homes of Hilltop, is a reminder that small things can be highly prized. The ‘U’ shaped, 2100 SF existing house was designed to focus on a south facing courtyard. When recently purchased by the new owners, it still had its original red metal kitchen cabinets, birch cabinetry, shoji screen walls, and an earth toned palette of materials and colors. Much of the original owners’ furniture was sold with the house to the new owners, a young couple with a passion for collecting contemporary art and mid-century modern era furniture. The original architect designed a house that speaks of economic stewardship, environmental quality, easy living and simple beauty. Our remodel and renovation extends on these intentions. Ultimately, the goal was finding the right balance between old and new by recognizing the inherent qualities in a house that quietly existed in the midst of a neighborhood that has lost sight of its heritage.

Charles Hilton Architects & Renee Byers LAPC From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Jacob Lilley Architects Location: Concord, MA, USA The renovation to this classic Victorian House included and an expansion of the current kitchen, family room and breakfast area. These changes allowed us to improve the existing rear elevation and create a new backyard patio. A new, detached two-car carriage house was designed to compliment the main house and provide some much needed storage.

A perfect addition to your outdoor living is a seating wall surrounding a firepit. Cambridge Maytrx wall, Pyzique Fire Pit, Round table Pavers. Installed by Natural Green Landsacpe & Design in Lincoln, RI

Designed and built by Land Art Design, Inc.
Mid-sized trendy backyard stone patio fountain photo in DC Metro with no cover

Island house in southern Florida, custom-designed and pre-cut by Habitat Post & Beam, Inc. This house was ferried to the job site where it was assembled by a local builder. Photos by Michael Penney, architectural photographer IMPORTANT NOTE: We are not involved in the finish or decoration of these homes, so it is unlikely that we can answer any questions about elements that were not part of our kit package, i.e., specific elements of the spaces such as appliances, colors, lighting, furniture, landscaping, etc. ADDITIONAL NOTE: This photo was used in a nice Houzz article about vacation house swapping options. The use of the photo in that article was not preapproved by Habitat, and we want to clarify that this house is not available for vacation home swapping.

Designed and built by Land Art Design, Inc.
Large trendy stone patio photo in DC Metro with no cover

Who lives there: Asha Mevlana and her Havanese dog named Bali Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Size: Main house (400 sq ft), Trailer (160 sq ft.), 1 loft bedroom, 1 bath What sets your home apart: The home was designed specifically for my lifestyle. My inspiration: After reading the book, "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying," I got inspired to just live with things that bring me joy which meant scaling down on everything and getting rid of most of my possessions and all of the things that I had accumulated over the years. I also travel quite a bit and wanted to live with just what I needed. About the house: The L-shaped house consists of two separate structures joined by a deck. The main house (400 sq ft), which rests on a solid foundation, features the kitchen, living room, bathroom and loft bedroom. To make the small area feel more spacious, it was designed with high ceilings, windows and two custom garage doors to let in more light. The L-shape of the deck mirrors the house and allows for the two separate structures to blend seamlessly together. The smaller "amplified" structure (160 sq ft) is built on wheels to allow for touring and transportation. This studio is soundproof using recycled denim, and acts as a recording studio/guest bedroom/practice area. But it doesn't just look like an amp, it actually is one -- just plug in your instrument and sound comes through the front marine speakers onto the expansive deck designed for concerts. My favorite part of the home is the large kitchen and the expansive deck that makes the home feel even bigger. The deck also acts as a way to bring the community together where local musicians perform. I love having a the amp trailer as a separate space to practice music. But I especially love all the light with windows and garage doors throughout. Design team: Brian Crabb (designer), Zack Giffin (builder, custom furniture) Vickery Construction (builder) 3 Volve Construction (builder) Design dilemmas: Because the city wasn’t used to having tiny houses there were certain rules that didn’t quite make sense for a tiny house. I wasn’t allowed to have stairs leading up to the loft, only ladders were allowed. Since it was built, the city is beginning to revisit some of the old rules and hopefully things will be changing. Photo cred: Don Shreve

In the design stages many details were incorporated in this classic kitchen to give it dimension since the surround cabinets, counters and backsplash were white. Polished nickel plumbing, hardware and custom grilles on feature cabinets along with the island pendants add shine, while finer details such as inset doors, furniture kicks on non-working areas and lofty crown details add a layering effect in the millwork. Surround counters as well as 3" x 6" backsplash tile are Calacutta Gold stone, while island counter surface is walnut. Conveniences include a 60" Wolf range, a 36" Subzero refrigerator and freezer and two farmhouse sinks by Kallista. The kitchen also boasts two dishwashers (one in the island and one to the right of the sink cabinet under the window) and a coffee bar area with a built-in Miele. Photo by Pete Maric.

Landscaping stones line the walkway from the garage to the house in this Great Falls backyard. Designed and built by Land Art Design, Inc.
Patio - large eclectic backyard stone patio idea in DC Metro with no cover

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a large farmhouse white two-story wood house exterior remodel in Chicago with a shingle roof

This shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy. The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves. These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree. At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike. The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover. Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight. The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover. Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway. The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it. A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed. To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.

Inspiration for a large timeless backyard stone patio remodel in Columbus with a fire pit

Lake view from the back patio Photo by Jeff Garland
Inspiration for a timeless patio remodel in Detroit with no cover

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

A traditional house that meanders around courtyards built as though it where built in stages over time. Well proportioned and timeless. Presenting its modest humble face this large home is filled with surprises as it demands that you take your time to experience it.