Rick Abalos

Molly Wood Garden Design, Dan Arnold Photo

Maison passive certifiée à Horbourg-Wihr

Side yard renovation including garden walkway leading to bluestone patio and built in barbecue area. Bluestone planks set in grass and peastone with flowering pear trees and perennials lining privacy fence. - Sallie Hill Design | Landscape Architecture | 339-970-9058 | salliehilldesign.com

FRENCH+TYE

As the name implies the Infinite is limitless in its design applications. The simple yet elegant shape will naturally draw attention for its style and inviting warmth. Perfect for both residential and commercial applications, Infinite can change appearance from modern to traditional by simply selecting the weathered & textured Travertine finish. Dimensions: 36.25" Dia x 18.5"H Approximate Weight: 325 lbs. Photo Credit: Jackson Design and Remodeling

The garage rooftop patio of a beautiful home in a historic neighbourhood provided the perfect canvas for this bold kitchen with lush vegetation. A natural extension of the home's indoor kitchen, this fully equipped outdoor space extends the family's entertaining opportunities with gas grill, charcoal smoker and a recessed ice bar for drinks or seafood.

Linear fire feature, seating area, and "book-end" water features located at the side yard.

Double City Salad Boxes

The patio on this side of the house was previously on a two-foot lower level than the bedroom, which had no view of it. We raised the patio and had a wall of pocketing patio doors added to bring the outdoors in. As this is a major remodel, it can only be appreciated if seen in its "before" state. Please go to our website to view the "before and after" photos to appreciate the transformation. Photography by: Mark Boisclair

Conceptual design & copyright by ZieglerBuild Design development & documentation by Urban Design Solutions

Founded in 1642, Montreal is one of North America’s oldest cities. The centuries-old streets of its bustling historic quarter, with their timeless charm, provided the inspiration for our Villagio pavers, equally charming and durable.

New zoning codes paved the way for building an Accessory Dwelling Unit in this homes Minneapolis location. This new unit allows for independent multi-generational housing within close proximity to a primary residence and serves visiting family, friends, and an occasional Airbnb renter. The strategic use of glass, partitions, and vaulted ceilings create an open and airy interior while keeping the square footage below 400 square feet. Vertical siding and awning windows create a fresh, yet complementary addition. Christopher Strom was recognized in the “Best Contemporary” category in Marvin Architects Challenge 2017. The judges admired the simple addition that is reminiscent of the traditional red barn, yet uses strategic volume and glass to create a dramatic contemporary living space.

Forecourt Photo: Van Inwegen Digital Arts

A family in West University contacted us to design a contemporary Houston landscape for them. They live on a double lot, which is large for that neighborhood. They had built a custom home on the property, and they wanted a unique indoor-outdoor living experience that integrated a modern pool into the aesthetic of their home interior. This was made possible by the design of the home itself. The living room can be fully opened to the yard by sliding glass doors. The pool we built is actually a lap swimming pool that measures a full 65 feet in length. Not only is this pool unique in size and design, but it is also unique in how it ties into the home. The patio literally connects the living room to the edge of the water. There is no coping, so you can literally walk across the patio into the water and start your swim in the heated, lighted interior of the pool. Even for guests who do not swim, the proximity of the water to the living room makes the entire pool-patio layout part of the exterior design. This is a common theme in modern pool design. The patio is also notable because it is constructed from stones that fit so tightly together the joints seem to disappear. Although the linear edges of the stones are faintly visible, the surface is one contiguous whole whose linear seamlessness supports both the linearity of the home and the lengthwise expanse of the pool. While the patio design is strictly linear to tie the form of the home to that of the pool, our modern pool is decorated with a running bond pattern of tile work. Running bond is a design pattern that uses staggered stone, brick, or tile layouts to create something of a linear puzzle board effect that captures the eye. We created this pattern to compliment the brick work of the home exterior wall, thus aesthetically tying fine details of the pool to home architecture. At the opposite end of the pool, we built a fountain into the side of the home's perimeter wall. The fountain head is actually square, mirroring the bricks in the wall. Unlike a typical fountain, the water here pours out in a horizontal plane which even more reinforces the theme of the quadrilateral geometry and linear movement of the modern pool. We decorated the front of the home with a custom garden consisting of small ground cover plant species. We had to be very cautious around the trees due to West U’s strict tree preservation policies. In order to avoid damaging tree roots, we had to avoid digging too deep into the earth. The species used in this garden—Japanese Ardesia, foxtail ferns, and dwarf mondo not only avoid disturbing tree roots, but they are low-growth by nature and highly shade resistant. We also built a gravel driveway that provides natural water drainage and preserves the root zone for trees. Concrete pads cross the driveway to give the homeowners a sure-footing for walking to and from their vehicles.