The Outdoor Room, a special issue showcasing exactly what it says: outdoor rooms. More specifically, outdoor rooms with cooking centers and fire features, mostly. Our design had a challenge that was rather unique: we had to maintain access to the garage, and the owners had to be able to park a car behind the patio.Continue reading “We’re in Hearth and Home magazine’s Outdoor Rooms special issue!”
Category Archives: Construction
Multiple shades of privacy for a front yard remodel
a new front yard landscape blends curb appeal with gradients of privacy
Small back yards can be dramatic
Design and construction notes for a small patio garden
Comfort Lounge: a state of the art back yard for entertaining
An industrial chic back yard that’s perfect for entertaining.
Water the birds, too
California’s drought replaces regular water with bare creek beds and depleted reservoirs. For small birds, staying clean and hydrated can be a challenge. Here’s how to help them out. Designing a water feature for birds transforms a decorative garden feature into a survival aid. With food and water available in the same area, small birds saveContinue reading “Water the birds, too”
Landscape amenities, France
Landscape elements around France: walls, planters, benches, water features
Staring at the ground in France: paving surfaces
Although this wasn’t the main goal of our sabbatical in France, it was definitely part of our explorations. France has a lot of public spaces and often budgets that allow interesting work to be done using native stone and other materials. The goal was to find patterns and materials we can adapt to our designsContinue reading “Staring at the ground in France: paving surfaces”
When art meets invention: a modular grill with mosaic art
No pizza oven? Everyone really expected us to build a pizza oven. Although we’d love one, we didn’t want to spend the time waiting for it to heat up (hours) nor did we want something that only did oven things. We wanted it all: grilling, indirect heat, pit roasting, baking, side heat rotisserie… and forContinue reading “When art meets invention: a modular grill with mosaic art”
Five things to consider when removing your lawn
Removing lawn is a good thing if you live in an area where water is limited. You’ll save on your water bill, avoid breathing dust and smog from a mower and gain more color and interest. Here are some things to consider when removing your lawn to conserve water and create a more sustainable landscape.Continue reading “Five things to consider when removing your lawn”
Texturing concrete
The process of stamping and texturing concrete