J & A Stone works were great to work with, Arthur transformed our back yard and pool area with beautiful slate patios and a fire pit area. The team was professional and meticulous, the work was done efficiently and the work area kept clean during the project. we are very happy with the results and would hire J & A Stone work again! please feel free to keep me on your reference list. Thanks a bunch! Sally

Clean lined contemporary pool and cabana, with Limestone coping and acid etched concrete pool deck.

Rob Bramhall

Photo: Patrick O'Malley

Kitchen Architecture - bulthaup b3 furniture in bronze aluminium and greige laminate with 10 mm stainless steel work surface. Available to rent: www.theoldsilkfarm.com

photo credit: Larry Taylor

Shasta Daisy and Waterfall matt meaney @ Artisan landscapes and pools

Without leaving the comfort of their home, our clients are able to relax and enjoy themselves in their own resort-like poolside cabana. This beautiful outdoor living space is located in the backyard of a European style luxury home. Surrounded by a wooded lot and lush landscaping and a stunning pool with a spa, this "dreamscape" is amazing. The cabana was built with natural full thickness stone and a vaulted ceiling complete with a fireplace and television. The ceiling is lined in cedar a holds two outdoor fans. The eyebrow arch widow above the front opening adds great interest and character. All outdoor furnishings were provided by our design teams that are comfortable as well as gorgeous. This space is open to a beautiful pool surrounded by gardens and many other amenities providing great oasis for family & friends to gather.

Our latest project, Fish Camp, on Longboat Key, FL. This home was designed around tight zoning restrictions while meeting the FEMA V-zone requirement. It is registered with LEED and is expected to be Platinum certified. It is rated EnergyStar v. 3.1 with a HERS index of 50. The design is a modern take on the Key West vernacular so as to keep with the neighboring historic homes in the area. Ryan Gamma Photography

Poolside of Residence.

A couple by the name of Claire and Dan Boyles commissioned Exterior Worlds to develop their back yard along the lines of a French Country garden design. They had recently designed and built a French Colonial style house. Claire had been very involved in the architectural design, and she communicated extensively her expectations for the landscape. The aesthetic we ultimately created for them was not a traditional French country garden per se, but instead was a variation on the symmetry, color, and sense of formality associated with this design. The most notable feature that we added to the estate was a custom swimming pool installed just to the rear of the home. It emphasized linearity, complimentary right angles, and it featured a luxury spa and pool fountain. We built the coping around the pool out of limestone, and we used concrete pavers to build the custom pool patio. We then added French pottery in various locations around the patio to balance the stonework against the look and structure of the home. We added a formal garden parallel to the pool to reflect its linear movement. Like most French country gardens, this design is bordered by sheered bushes and emphasizes straight lines, angles, and symmetry. One very interesting thing about this garden is that it is consist entirely of various shades of green, which lends itself well to the sense of a French estate. The garden is bordered by a taupe colored cedar fence that compliments the color of the stonework. Just around the corner from the back entrance to the house, there lies a double-door entrance to the master bedroom. This was an ideal place to build a small patio for the Boyles to use as a private seating area in the early mornings and evenings. We deviated slightly from strict linearity and symmetry by adding pavers that ran out like steps from the patio into the grass. We then planted boxwood hedges around the patio, which are common in French country garden design and combine an Old World sensibility with a morning garden setting. We then completed this portion of the project by adding rosemary and mondo grass as ground cover to the space between the patio, the corner of the house, and the back wall that frames the yard. This design is derivative of those found in morning gardens, and it provides the Boyles with a place where they can step directly from their bedroom into a private outdoor space and enjoy the early mornings and evenings. We further develop the sense of a morning garden seating area; we deviated slightly from the strict linear forms of the rest of the landscape by adding pavers that ran like steps from the patio and out into the grass. We also planted rosemary and mondo grass as ground cover to the space between the patio, the corner of the house, and the back wall that borders this portion of the yard. We then landscaped the front of the home with a continuing symmetry reminiscent of French country garden design. We wanted to establish a sense of grand entrance to the home, so we built a stone walkway that ran all the way from the sidewalk and then fanned out parallel to the covered porch that centers on the front door and large front windows of the house. To further develop the sense of a French country estate, we planted a small parterre garden that can be seen and enjoyed from the left side of the porch. On the other side of house, we built the Boyles a circular motorcourt around a large oak tree surrounded by lush San Augustine grass. We had to employ special tree preservation techniques to build above the root zone of the tree. The motorcourt was then treated with a concrete-acid finish that compliments the brick in the home. For the parking area, we used limestone gravel chips. French country garden design is traditionally viewed as a very formal style intended to fill a significant portion of a yard or landscape. The genius of the Boyles project lay not in strict adherence to tradition, but rather in adapting its basic principles to the architecture of the home and the geometry of the surrounding landscape. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

Designed & Photographed by Doug Lynn Built by Olympic Atlanta Pool & Spa

Designer, Randy Angell The "before" photos on this backyard show a non descript, typical 30 year old pool. The homeowners had no desire to "play it safe" and so, we didn't! We utilized th simple, straight lines of the existing pool to lay out a multi level space for an outdoor living area, a sun lounge area, and a cooking and dining area.

The Amari by Westmod features a luxury swimming pool, sunken lounge area, bbq island, custom swing, and landscaping.

This beautiful outdoor living space flows out from both the kitchen and the interior living space. Spacious dining adjacent to a full outdoor kitchen with gas grill, beer tap, under mount sink, refrigeration and storage cabinetry.