As you can see in the picture, the only ground cover there is gravel. I'm looking for a paver patio and perhaps some synthetic turf.

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say house with plants? Here is pano of the courtyard. The house surrounds it on three sides, the fourth is a fence.

Things I'm looking for include, types of trees (considering proximity to fence/driveway), Should the trees be planted in the ground or in large planters.

We don't want to put an attached pergola as it would block the sunlight and we'd like to keep it sunny inside. So most likely considering a detached pergola closer to the fence.

Thanks.

Yes, remove the boards and extra dirt. Hire a strong teenager for an afternoon to take care of that for you. I think you’ll be surprised at how different that area feels when it’s all open and one level.

if you can't stop thinking about it, I am guessing you should get it.

Although not a choice I'd made, I would center whatever you land on in the dining room opening, (looks like centered on the electrical outlet) make sure you can open the door easily.

You will want it to look attractive from the dining room, because that is where most people will admire it from.

a large area rug rather than just a door mat at the door.

Regardless of the exterior color of the front door, How about painting the interior of the door the same color as the wall color in the foyer?

What are you walking into besides the dining room? Do you have a closet for coats?

I feel like bathrooms are a place you can have fun with decorating, since they are independent from the rest of the house.

You have room for some nice large art pieces, whatever strikes your fancy. Two of our bathrooms are filled with photos of nature, most of them we took ourselves (or were taken by friends). Our third bedroom is a Bison motif - the mascot of our favorite college football team.

The main issue with all you are doing is when you decide to get with an architect you have become to invested in a bad plan (that you designed) and cannot look objectively what a professional comes up with and your reaction is to dismiss the architects plans and ideas. Best bet is a list of must have haves, needs and then wants. This is all especially true on a very challenging lot layout.

Another idea is swivel chairs that face the TV and reverse to see the view - I would think TV will likely be watched at night when there's no view so don't think the activities would conflict much

Had to laugh at some of the examples (oversized sectional?!)--thanks, Jan.

Hi Joseph, I'm not trying to argue with a pro, but seeking to understand: why is the price breakdown so opaque? I'm willing to pay for high quality work and materials, especially when an experienced professional can explain the difference between their pricing and that of a lesser experienced person. (e.g., cleaner seams, better vein lining, more difficult install for whatever reason, etc. I also understand the PITA tax, so I try to work well with whatever pros I'm entrusting with my home and my money.)

I'm also willing to pay more for a rare slab if it's what I want. What I would have a hard time with is chunking down close to $40K when the original estimate was much lower. Is it all due the slab cost? Is this stone harder to work with / more prone to cracking or staining and therefore takes more skill to cut and install?

What I found frustrating is the lack of transparency when looking at stones. If I'm shopping for a car, a home, jewelry, etc., I can look at the prices and determine if it fits my budget. If I'm deciding between slabs, I need to go through the process of letting them determine pricing for stone A, stone B, etc., so I can compare the relative cost of the slabs. If I picked out a slab that was many times more pricey than another... it would be good for me to know that from the get go, before I waste anyone's time figuring out the pricing. And yes, I understand that some stones need more work and more slabs if I'm trying to line up veining (for example), but I don't understand why the base price, the cost of each slab, is sometimes a mystery.

Like I said, not trying to be argumentative, just trying to understand the lack of transparency in the stone business. I absolutely respect that better craftsmanship and rarer materials mean higher prices, but many of us don't know what we don't know and probably most of us have a budget limit at some point, so we're trying to figure out where our money is going.

The price paid for the slabs is between the fabricator and the stone warehouse, no?

In the first picture, the one right before "gain privacy", who manufactured the fencing?

The information at the end of this article under "Before You Buy That Fence ..." should be paid special heed by anyone thinking about putting up a fence. There are often different codes and regulations for different areas of your community, and it's best to choose your fencing with those codes in mind (and get your permit, if required) before you make an expensive mistake.

One note about low fences for small dogs: while they will keep your little dog inside, they will not keep large dogs out, and cannot be relied on to keep your little dogs safe from predators. Even when I had a six-foot privacy fence around my former home's back yard and pool deck, if my Chihuahuas were outside, so was I. My vet told me a joke once: what do you call walking a Chihuahua on a leash? Trolling for eagles.

@bonnieinflorida, so sadly true re small dogs and eagles, one of my cousins was out walking her beloved Australian silky terrier when a wedge tail eagle swooped down and took her away, it was very traumatic for my poor cousin and a very unpleasant demise for the dog.

Thank you so much. I looked at floor decor and home depot and did not find anything else that that keeps the sophistication and lightness without the obvious gray faux-stripe effect or too dark. if you have a favorite oaky color/brand or stores please share.