The Green Scene In The News – 2007

Backyards Getting Greener

By Elizabeth Lexau

This article was published in Architectural West Sept./Oct. 2007, Southwest Trees and Turf October 2007, Green Homebuilder, Fall 2007 (pg 56), Westlake Magazine June/July 2008, the summer 2008 issue of Signature Pools and Outdoors, and Masonry magazine October 2008.

Eco-friendly landscape design becoming the new, hip thing for homeowners

Today’s homeowners are more environmentally savvy than ever before and one place this interest is really blossoming is in the home landscape. “More homeowners want yards that are not only beautiful and comfortable, but eco-friendly as well,” said Scott Cohen, president and supervising designer for The Green Scene, an award-winning California-based outdoor design and construction firm.

Cohen is known for using the garden to showcase unique designs that put Recycled Items, particularly wine bottles, to beautiful use. Shimmering wine bottle waterfalls, multi-colored mosaics of glittering broken glass, and outdoor kitchen counters constructed of hundreds of recycled bottles are just a few of his signature pieces.

Although these pieces are gorgeous works of art, they also represent Cohen’s respect for the environment. “The Green Scene is more than just a name,” said Cohen. “We’re always looking for creative and practical ways to do the right thing.”

There are many ways to weave environmentally friendly elements to your backyard, from the initial design, to the building process, to the products you use. With a little planning and imagination, you can have a backyard that you, your family, and Mother Nature will love.

Strategic Planning

Using the right plantings in the right places is a great way to start. “Properly selected trees offer a low energy way to provide a comfortable environment indoors and out,” said Cohen. “Deciduous trees on the west or south side of your house will help control both your summer and winter energy costs. They’ll shade your home in summer and then lose their leaves in winter to let the sun shine in.

A vine-covered pergola for an outdoor room is another low energy way to keep cool. “People often consider installing a solid roof over an outdoor sitting area to provide shade,” said Cohen. “However, they don’t realize that a living roof does the job much more effectively. Plants actually help cool their surroundings through a process known as transpiration. In hot weather, they release water through their leaves. This helps cool the plants along with the people nearby.”

Cohen prefers deciduous flowering vines like wisteria for these living roofs. Because it loses its leaves, a wisteria-covered roof can adapt to the changing seasons, something a solid roof can’t do. It also adds an intoxicating fragrance to a cool outdoor haven.

The Green Scene in Pool and Spa News, September 3, 2007

The Green Scene Mazaheri Project

HGTV and the media have chosen the Mazaheri swimming pool, zero-edge spa, outdoor fireplace, and fiber optic wine bottle barbecue outdoor kitchen counter, time and time again as their favorite Scott Cohen project!

It has by far been featured in more magazines, television shows, and books than any other outdoor living space he has ever designed.

This home has been featured on HGTV.com in The Life Outdoors and Dining Outdoors, Landscape Design Build Magazine’s article “Love, War & Landscape Design”, “Fiber-Optic Wine Bottles Light Up Concrete Countertop” on ConcreteNetwork.com, Signature Pools and Outdoors Magazine, Builder News Magazine March 2007, Fired Arts and Crafts March 2007, Signature Pools and Outdoors April 2007, Pool and Spa News, June 4, 2007, from House to Home Summer 2007, Architectural West July/Aug. 2007, Backyards Go Green in the Alameda Sun, Nashville Home and Garden, June 2007, Pool and Spa News Sept 2007, American Dream Homes Fall 2007, Picture Perfect Pools (book), Concrete Decor Feb. 2008, Concrete Expressions, Spring 2008, Landscape Management, March 2008, Ecological Home Ideas, Spring 2008, Pond and Garden Lifestyles, Mar./April 2008, in a book called Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces, Westlake Magazine’s June/July issue, Pool and Spa Living Nov 2008, Masonry magazine October 2008, the cover of the World Of Concrete 2010 brochure and Concrete Decor January 2011.

Goldberg Project

Melted wine bottles, fiber optic lighting, and custom tiles make this outdoor kitchen a one of a kind works of art.

This home was featured in Pool and Spa News Sept 07 and in a new book called Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces.

Garden Resort Backyard Project

This property, designed by Scott Cohen, features a custom pool and spa surrounded by Belgard stone pavers, a covered patio adjacent to a custom fire pit, outdoor kitchen with split level concrete countertop, and a charming rose planter/bistro table combination called “Thorny Weather”.

This home was featured in Valley Magazine, Pool and Spa News Sept 07, Backyard Solutions 2011, and in a book called Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces.

American Dream Homes - Sept./Oct. 2007

The Green Scene Tuscan Luxury Project

This home was featured in the article “Not Your Average Contractor” in Landscape Construction magazine, HGTV.com: Selecting Outdoor Kitchen Flooring and Poolside Chatter, in the new book Ultimate Outdoor Kitchens, Hearth and Home magazine, Westlake Magazine, Signature Pools And Spas’ 2nd Annual Design Awards Issue, the April 2007 issue of Signature Pools and Outdoors magazine, Luxury Pools Fall 2007, and in 2 new books: Picture Perfect Pools and Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces, the summer 2008 issue of Signature Pools and Outdoors, Great Backyards 2011, and Backyard Solutions 2011.

Kurkcuoglu Project

Winner of the Western Pool & Spa Show 30th Annual Design Contest: GOLD AWARD: Best Water Feature Design

March 13, 2008

This home was featured in the September/October 2006 issue of Homes of Color Magazine, Lighting The Landscape on HGTV.com, the April 2007 issue of Signature Pools and Outdoors magazine, Nursery News April 2007, Home by Design June/July 2007, the summer issue of LUXE Magazine, Pool and Spa News Masters of Design issue, Luxury Pools Fall 2007, Hearth and Home August 2007, Westlake Magazine June/July 2007, Pool and Spa News November 5, 2007, in 2 new books: Picture Perfect Pools and Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces, in Pool and Spa News August 29, 2008, and Water Garden News Aug./Sept. 2010.

New Outdoor Fireplace Section
Photos and Tips for Design, Placement

Yucaipa, CA (PRWEB) August 3, 2007

With more time being spent outdoors, enjoying the cool summer nights, homeowners are also spending more money bringing the comforts of the inside out. Outdoor fireplaces offer warmth and comfort to outdoor dining and entertaining. The Concrete Network Website has recently launched a new section on everything there is to know about choosing the right outdoor fireplace for your outdoor living area. Outdoor Fireplaces are becoming a must-have amenity in today’s backyard layouts and designs.

The section is filled with helpful insights and design tips by Garden Artisan Scott Cohen of The Green Scene in Canoga Park, CA. He shares design and construction guidelines from over 20 years of high-end residential experience. He focuses on design criteria and fireplace styles, including choosing a design, placement, fireplace photos and more. The section also offers a glossary of terms for those not familiar with the subject.

“There is a certain romantic ambiance that surrounds an outdoor fireplace. The glow of the flickering flame invites guests to sit down, relax and enjoy life,” explains Cohen.

When choosing a fireplace for your outdoor space it is important to choose a design that fits in scale with the size of the yard and home. Break up outdoor garden space into “rooms” or “zones” for entertainment and the outdoor “living room” can be used to situate you fireplace structure. Consider views from the house, focal points, privacy, screening and prevailing wind when deciding where to set a large permanent structure. Thinking of the fireplace as the “anchor” of an outdoor room can help with this process.

Established in 1999, The Concrete Network’s purpose is to educate consumers, builders, and contractors on popular decorative techniques and applications. These include stamped concrete, stained concrete floors, concrete countertops, polished concrete, and much more. In June 2007 The Concrete Network Website had over 1.2 million visitors researching decorative concrete.

The site excels at connecting buyers with local contractors in their area through its Find-A-Contractor service. The service provides visitors with a list of decorative concrete contractors throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is fully searchable by 23 types of decorative concrete work and 200 regional areas throughout North America.

Five of our projects are Showcased in Luxury Pools Fall 2007

Smash Hits

Part of the mystique that surrounds Southern California is the belief that anyone can be discovered and turned into a glamorous celebrity. The Green Scene does just that with custom landscape design and construction. Any outdoor living space can be transformed into an A-list showstopper; all that is needed is a lot of creativity and hard work.

The Green Scene is one of the premiere design and construction firms in southern California, providing all of the services their clients need to create their dream backyard. Design, permits, and construction are all carefully supervised by The Green Scene staff during the course of the project, which removes the burden of clients having to hire multiple contractors and consultants. Over the years, that quest for excellence has been rewarded. The Green Scene’s work has received numerous awards, including Cohen recently being named a master of design by a national trade magazine.

“Because I am licensed to landscape, build pools and do general construction,” states Cohen, who is also an accomplished ceramicist and sculptor, “my company can create complete settings: everything from custom-crafted barbecue counters, fireplaces and woodwork to pools, paving surfaces, decorative walls, hardscaping and lighting.”

The Green Scene and its work has been featured on a variety of shows produced for the Home and Garden Television station, including Landscaper’s Challenge and, most recently, Sizzling Outdoor Kitchens and Get Out, Way-Out. The Green Scene has also been showcased in Better Homes and Gardens, the Los Angeles Times and Sunset Magazine’s Swimming Pools and Spas.

The Green Scene’s Supervising Designer and Garden Artisan Scott Cohen treats all outdoor venues as blank slates ready to be made into one-of-a-kind outdoor living spaces. The Green Scene designers interview prospective clients, digging for gems of information that will become the inspiration needed to create a unique expression of elegance and style. Cohen explains, “We design within the parameters set by their responses to integrate their lifestyle into our design. We take into consideration the owners’ passions, and incorporate their hobbies and interests into truly customized poolscapes.”

New Fire Pit Photo Gallery Heats Up
Ideas for Cool Summer Nights

Yucaipa, CA (PRWEB) June 7, 2007

With hot Summer days, come cool Summer nights, and it’s no wonder that across the country outdoor fire pits have become a staple of outdoor living spaces. Homeowners, designers and builders are turning to The Concrete Network, the largest and most comprehensive source for concrete information, online outdoor fire pits photo gallery for a collection of photos offering different design ideas and options for incorporating outdoor fire pits for everyday entertaining.

The appeal of outdoor fire pits comes from the fact that backyard entertaining does not have to stop once the sun sets. These outdoor fixtures are great for providing light and warmth for friends and family as the evening air begins to cool.

They can be easily incorporated into landscape design plans around pools and patios. From rustic, natural pieces incorporating faux rocks to sleek, sophisticated fixtures, these outdoor fireplaces can transform any landscape into an entertainer’s paradise. Made from concrete, they are the perfect option for withstanding outdoor weather, and can be wood or gas burning.

The concrete photo gallery is updated every Friday offering new photos of custom and unique designs and applications. Photos for the photo gallery have been collected from contractors around the country and are for design idea purposes only.

Established in 1999, The Concrete Network’s purpose is to educate consumers, builders, and contractors on popular decorative techniques and applications. These include stamped concrete, stained concrete floors, concrete countertops, polished concrete, and much more. In May 2007 The Concrete Network Web site had over 1.1 million visitors researching decorative concrete.

The site excels at connecting buyers with local contractors in their area through its Find-A-Contractor service. The service provides visitors with a list of decorative concrete contractors throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is fully searchable by 23 types of decorative concrete work and 200 regional areas throughout North America.

The Green Scene in Architectural West - July/Aug. 2007

Nightscaping: Award Winning Outdoor Designer Shares the Magic and Mystery of Outdoor Lighting by Elizabeth Lexau

Soft lighting in a dark outdoor environment is nothing short of magic. It provides a warm, inviting ambiance that beckons us further into a scene. It creates mood, romance, and drama. It adds interest and intrigue to any setting. A growing number of homeowners are capturing this magic in their backyards through “nightscaping,” one of the hottest trends in home landscaping today. “Lighting is one of the most important aspects of landscaping, yet it’s often overlooked,” says Scott Cohen, supervising designer of The Green Scene, a Los Angeles based outdoor design and construction firm.

Cohen, an award-winning designer whose work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, on Home and Garden Television, and in numerous other national media, is known for his unique artistic use of light, color, and texture in the landscape. In Cohen’s landscapes, outdoor countertops embellished with recycled wine bottles come alive with shimmering color when illuminated from below with fiber-optics. In his swimming pools, cascading waterfalls and fountains send streams of white light into the pool where it dances on the surface like scattered diamonds. While these are some examples of the aesthetic appeal of Outdoor Lighting, Cohen also emphasizes the practical side of using light in outdoor design. “People invest a great deal in their landscapes but these days many homeowners don’t have a chance to use their yards until after dark. At night, the only elements you see are those that you accent with light. With little extra cost, outdoor lighting can give you much more enjoyment out of your landscape.”

Lighting can be used to enhance safety and security, to accent special trees or plantings, and to create a festive atmosphere for outdoor entertaining. We include a lighting plan in all of our landscaping designs and we model the effects for clients using the computer, says Cohen. Often people aren’t aware of how lighting can enhance their landscape until they see it for themselves.

Homeowners are often surprised at how little outdoor lighting costs. We use low voltage lighting, which is very economical, says Cohen. In an average landscape it will cost about $15-$18 per month to use an outdoor lighting system front and back for about four hours per night. According to Cohen, outdoor lighting should emphasize safety, atmosphere, function, and fun.

Safety and Security

The first thing I look at when designing landscape lighting is safety,” says Cohen. “I look at lighting the steps and paths and I pay special attention to where the shadows will fall. I always want to light from the side or from below to make sure shadows don’t obscure vision. On the steps, I prefer to use eyebrow or niche lights because they enhance safety and look great too.”

The next thing Cohen looks at is security. “I look for places where people could hide. Not only does lighting deter prowlers, it creates a feeling of comfort as well. Dark pockets in a yard can present an undertone of fear whereas a well-lit landscape provides a more relaxing environment.”

Landscape lighting can enhance security even after everyone has gone to bed. “Many lighting systems offer the option of a timer that includes an override system operated by remote control,” says Cohen. “If you hear a critter in your yard or someone walking across the lawn, you can turn on your landscape lights right from your bed.”

Painting with Light

With safety and security issues covered, Cohen turns his attention to the myriad of artistic effects that are possible with creative nightscaping. He recommends a variety of techniques and fixtures that can work together to paint a breathtaking nighttime scene.

Up-Lighting – This technique uses brass or glass fixtures with halogen bulbs that light a tree from the ground up to show off its shape and trunk structure.

Moonlighting –Fixtures are placed high in a tree and aimed downward. Multiple fixtures can be used to crosslight an area creating interesting shadows and patterns.

Silhouetting – For this effect, a spread light is placed between plant material and an adjoining structure. The effect is a planting silhouetted in black against a soft white background.

Grazing – To highlight an interesting texture or stone work, spread-lights or up-lights are placed right next to the wall with beams directed upwards. This casts shadows that delicately capture the texture of the wall.

Down-Lighting – Down-Lighting can be used in a number of ways. Cohen frequently installs down-lighting fixtures in outdoor kitchen countertops. During the day, fixtures are hidden beneath the counters but at night their light defines an area with a surrounding glow that draws guests in.

Color and Motion – Color changing pool lights are used to provide both motion and color in the pool or spa. Cohen also integrates color using cast glass mosaics, wine bottles, and other innovative materials that he lights with fiber-optics. Using a sparkler wheel with the fiber-optics adds gentle motion to the colorful scene for a relaxing effect.

These are just a few of the creative techniques Cohen uses. With a little imagination there’s no limit to the number of ways you can add magic to your nighttime yard through nightscaping.

Garden Center Magazine July 2007 - Bates-Ricardi Project

This charming back yard features a fire pit conversation area and pond with a concrete bridge that is stamped and stained to look like stone.

This home was featured in Garden Center Magazine, the HGTV Ideas newsletter, and on the cover of Great Backyards 2011.

Pool and Spa News Insider
Master Of Design Tip Scott Cohen

July 12, 2007

Q: “What great design concept are you working on?”

A: “Fire pit vs. fireplace is often a big debate. Fireplaces are more desired as a higher-end feature. But there’s not always room in the budget. A PSN2fire pit is a lot less expensive to build. We don’t have anywhere near the amount of permit issues, setback requirements, engineering or soils reports. So, I came up with something that resolves this question: a fire hearth.”

How does it work?

“We pour a nice, cast mantle concrete cap on the wall, and add a couple of decorative corbels. This acts like a mantle. On the face of the wall, we create an arch with stone to simulate a fire box. To make it look like a fireplace, we build a portion of the wall with 8-inch block and a portion with 6-inch block, so the arch is recessed, and then veneer it with authentic firebrick. Then we build a fire pit in front of it. It has the function of a fire pit, but the look and feel of an outdoor fireplace — without the expense.

The Green Scene in Westlake Magazine June/July 2007

Add Sizzle to Your Backyard with Fire and Water by Elizabeth Lexau

When Garden Designer Scott Cohen wants to work real magic into his water features, he plays with fire. Best of all, he finds extraordinary ways to combine the two. That’s because Cohen understands the captivating power of these two elements. Used alone, fire and water each have their own attractions, but bring them together and the appeal is nearly irresistible.

“Fire and water have always been a winning combination,” says Cohen, owner of The Green Scene, an award-winning California based outdoor design and construction firm. “Like Yin and Yang they’re opposing forces that complement each other beautifully. The reflective qualities of water enhance the mystical qualities of fire. They offer a certain mesmerizing effect that I can only describe as primal.”

Picture flames dancing across the reflective stillness of a pool, an inviting walkway that leads you across water to a beckoning fireplace beyond, or a wall of water that glistens as it descends and then disappears behind a fiery trough. These are just a few of the possibilities that can result when you combine these two most basic gifts of nature

While water has been an indispensable component in the landscape for a number of years, fire features have only recently become a backyard must-have. “The addition of the fire element is one of the hottest trends we’re seeing in outdoor design,” says Cohen. “Fire takes you away from wherever you are. It relaxes and soothes. When you’re gazing into a fire, you simply can’t be in a hurry.”

On a practical level, fire does much more. Because it provides warmth and light, the addition of fire in the landscape extends the use of the yard into the night and into the cooler seasons of the year. Fire features allow homeowners to get much more use out of the outdoor spaces they love.

In recent years, fire features have been evolving in exciting new ways. “It used to be that people only did simple fire pits,” says Cohen. “These were small features that mimicked a pile of rocks with a little flame in the middle. Now the trend not only includes much larger firepits but also formal outdoor fireplaces crafted from fine materials like stone, cast limestone and travertine.”

A custom full-size fireplace can cost significantly more than a fire pit, but homeowners find that the extra cost gives them a substantial addition to their outdoor living space. “When it comes to creating an outdoor living room, there is simply no better element than a fireplace.” says Cohen. “It serves as an anchor that creates and defines the space.” Fire is a stunning decorative element on its own. “It’s no longer simply something to gather around,” says Cohen, “but also something that can provide visual candy in the yard.”

To create this visual candy, The Green Scene uses majestic bowls and troughs of fire to add striking highlights throughout the yard. The effect is both elegant and primitive at the same time. For the romantic at heart, it goes without saying that nothing heats up a relationship like a little fire. Whether it’s an intimate fireside chat for two or a late-night dip in the pool by firelight, that rosy glow makes everyone feel like getting closer.

Ironically, Cohen points out that fire features often spark trouble between men and women during the planning stages of garden design. “When women think about fire in the landscape, they often think ‘fireplace’ and see themselves sitting in the cozy flickering light with a nice glass of wine, holding hands with their loved one or reading a good book. Men on the other hand think ‘fire pit’ and see themselves gathered around with their buddies drinking beer or scotch while the kids roast marshmallows.”

While Cohen frequently gets caught in the middle of that debate, he and the Green Scene team have a full bag of tricks for building fires that satisfy both needs. With careful design, homeowners can enjoy a fire feature that kindles romance one night and ignites spirited camaraderie the next. For all the magic that fire provides on its own, its magnetic appeal is dramatically enhanced when it’s coupled with water. Cohen uses the two to create fascinating, almost surreal effects. In one landscape, huge bowls of fire on each side of the spa send flickering reflections dancing across the surface.

The Green Scene Johnston Project

This home was featured in the Daily News, Splash Magazine, on the HGTV show Get Out, Way Out! , Signature Pools and Outdoors Summer 2007,Luxury Pools Fall 2007, Concrete Expressions Spring 2008, Valley Magazine, March/April 2008, the cover of Aqua, Sept. 2008, Concrete Decor Sept. 2008, WaterShapes July/August 2010, and a Sunbrite TV advertisement.

Get Out, Way Out!
Episode HGOUT-105

Elegant Spanish Pavilion

The Johnston family wanted an over-the-top outdoor living space that would resemble the Spanish style they fell in love with while traveling. To meet all their entertaining needs, designer Scott Cohen installs two kitchen areas, a pavilion dining room, a full bathroom, swim-up bar and two weather-proof flat screen television sets. The finished yard has charming fountains and a great view which reminds the Johnstons of the old country, yet with modern touches for convenience.

Scott Cohen says:

“This project literally is “over the top”, as the 900 square foot pavilion shades a portion of the swimming pool. There are 4 sheer decent water spillways fed with fiber-optic light bars underneath. A telescoping fountain centered in the Baja sun shelf is a focal point from the main house and fun for the children too. The 16ft swim-up bar and outdoor kitchen counters were constructed using cast in place recycled glass and concrete, then polished with granite finishing tools. Custom tile mosaics accent the raised bond beam of the swimming pool. Designed with entertaining in mind, the project includes 12 outdoor speakers, 2 mist systems, and 2 outdoor TV sets. This was a fun project to design and build as our crews were followed from start to finish by HGTV’s Get Out, Way Out! program.”

The Green Scene in Palm Springs Life, May 2007

The May 2007 issue of Palms Springs Life shows us “Wetter is Better” by showcasing 4 Green Scene projects.

The Green Scene Schwertfeger Project

Scott designed this spa and stunning water feature to really shine at night with 500 fiber optic lights that change color, 450 wine bottles, and custom wine-themed tiles that Scott designed and created himself in his studio. A nearby fire pit and outdoor kitchen and dining area complete this illuminating installation!

This project won the Pool and Spa News Master Of Design Award in July 2004 It was also featured in these articles: Libation Sensations and Not Your Average Contractor, in the magazines Fired Arts and Crafts and Popular Ceramics, Landscape Design Build Magazine’s article Focus On Water Features, in the September/October 2006 issue of Homes of Color, the Summer 2007 issue of from House to Home, in the May 2007 issue of Palm Springs Life, in Professional Landscape Design magazine, May/June 2008, Westlake Magazine’s June/July issue, the summer 2008 issue of Signature Pools and Outdoors, the Spring 2009 issue of Luxury Pools, and Great Backyards 2011.

The Green Scene Reines Project

This home was featured in the article Backyard Battle of The Sexes in Architechtural West Magazine, in the article Excellence In Craftsmanship in Irrigation and Green Industry Magazine, the July 2006 issue of Decorating Spaces, Landscape Design Build Magazine’s article Focus On Water Features, the May 2007 issue of Palm Springs Life, and in a new book called Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces.

The Green Scene Tehrani Project

This home was featured in the May 2007 issue of Palm Springs Life.

The Green Scene Ward Project

This home was featured in the May 2007 issue of Palm Springs Life.

Bon Appétit! Designer’s Kitchen Takes a European Holiday

This project was featured in Best of Today’s Interior Design by Tina Skinner and in KS Style magazine

What do you get when you ask an award-winning garden designer – who is also a skilled ceramicist, wine aficionado, and European enthusiast – to remodel your kitchen? If you’re Lisa Cohen and your designer also happens to be your devoted husband, Scott Cohen, you get a kitchen that invites a stroll down the cobblestone street of a charming old-world market town.

Scott Cohen is best known for his acclaimed work in outdoor design with his California based firm, The Green Scene. This time, though, Cohen decided to turn his attention indoors by tackling his own kitchen. It shouldn’t be any surprise that the result is a functional kitchen that makes you feel as if you’re…well, outside.

“In designing outdoor spaces, I usually find ways to bring the indoor lifestyle outside,” says Cohen. “But when I design for the indoors, I often find myself bringing the outdoors in.”

In this case, the outdoors is a European city complete with cobblestone flooring, a canopied market cart, and cabinetry that masquerades as a row of quaint shops – one even topped by real Mediterranean-style roof tile.

“I made the roofing in my ceramic studio,” says Cohen, an accomplished sculptor and ceramics artist. “I wanted to create a roof with curved tiles of real terracotta clay. I searched everywhere for some kind of doll house prefabricated tiles but with no success. Finally, I gave up and made them myself.”

Cohen used PVC pipe halves to cast plaster molds, then pressed strips of terracotta into the molds. “When the clay was leather hard, I cut it into the lengths I wanted,” says Cohen. “Then, when they were dry, I filed down the ends and sponged the finish to mimic real aged roofing tiles. There are 440 authentic terracotta clay tiles fired to cone 06 on that cabinet roof.”

Cohen integrated authentic details like this into every area of the remodel. Each cabinet and appliance has its own theme in this little city. A sign above the pantry beckons strollers to “Café de Cohen” and the water cooler is housed in “Benito”, a miniature Big Ben.

The street’s market cart is actually a functional center island with wheels, glass front drawers, and rolling pin handles. Installed at an angle, the built-in cart looks deceivingly like it’s ready to roll to the next neighborhood.

In Wine There Is Truth… and Fun

A market town wouldn’t be complete without a wine merchant’s shop. In the Cohens’ kitchen, this area houses the refrigerator, freezer, and ice maker behind custom panels carved into faux wine barrels. Each barrel sports a fine vintage – the birth years of the Cohens’ three children. The wine theme makes an appearance elsewhere in the kitchen as well. A large corkboard constructed of 1,185 wine corks is used for posting family notices, chores, and party invitations. An arched doorway framed with rustic brick practically calls out, “this way to the wine cellar!” and in fact leads to the Cohens’ wine cellar themed dining room.

The sky’s the limit

A fresh, sunny blue sky, straight from a street in Provence, finishes off this European outdoor experience. For a smooth transition from wall to ceiling, Cohen used curved sections of custom Styrofoam molding. Each section was affixed between ceiling and wall, plastered with dry-wall compound, and sanded smooth to create an uninterrupted dome of sky. Varying shades of blue were feathered in and applied more intensely toward the top to reflect the changing light of real sky. Top lighting on the cabinets bathes the “sky” in warm light for a delicious sunny afternoon feeling day or night.

While these aesthetic highlights offer the flavor of a long European holiday, functional details ensure that this family-friendly kitchen earns its keep. In the large pantry lights go on automatically when the doors are opened. Generous storage drawers and racks for oversized trays line the walls. In the main part of the kitchen, a rack for everyday dishes directly over the dishwasher means that plates go from table to sink to put-away with one arm’s reach and no cabinet doors to open. An appliance garage keeps blender, mixer, and food processor out of view, while the slide-out garage platform frees up counter space. The market cart houses recycling bins and a trash compactor for quick and easy sorting.

“Handy features for the kids help maintain peace and order in this busy home. Dedicated bins and drawers for each of the three children keep backpacks and school supplies available when it’s homework time and tucked away when it’s not. Photo frame knobs hold a picture of each child to identify the owner. A mini-fridge in the market cart keeps drinks and snacks handy and accessible for the smaller set.

Though Cohen doesn’t plan to pursue a new career in interior design anytime soon, his kitchen remodel does reflect the wholehearted approach Cohen uses with any design project he undertakes.

Incorporating Glass - Taking It Beyond Decorative Purposes

Fired Arts and Crafts, March 2007

When most people create glasswork, they look at it as an individual formation. When Scott Cohen looks at his glass pieces, he envisions something much grander. His company incorporates ceramic and glass creations into fountains, pools, and outdoor rooms like this cast concrete outdoor kitchen, perfect for entertaining guests.

The days of traditional outdoor grills are over. Today, guests congregate while food is prepared in outdoor kitchens and served in outdoor dining rooms. These outdoor rooms have serving counters, cocktail and beverage centers, cutting boards, warming drawers, sinks, teppan grills, sear zones, rotisseries, built in refrigerators, and more.

A recently completed outdoor kitchen was followed from start to finish on the HGTV show Property Buzz in a segment about the latest trends in outdoor design. In this project, an outdoor kitchen was created using inlaid, melted wine and scotch bottles complete with fiber optic lighting in the countertop surface. The countertop base is also illuminated at night with 250 illuminated wine bottles.

Grab Your Golf Clubs - Potts Project

December/January 2007, Vol. 6 No. 6

The Green Scene in Canoga Park, Calif., is owned by president and supervising designer Scott Cohen. The high-end landscape design and building firm is nationally recognized for creating custom pools, spas, fireplaces, concrete stamping and staining, ceramics and tile, outdoor kitchens, rock waterfalls and much more.

This particular project was for the side yard of a repeat customer, an avid golfer. The company has also installed a concrete pool, fountain, driveway and pour-in-place countertop for an outdoor BBQ on the customer’s property.

The golf ball patio, which was designed by Cohen, took about two to three weeks to finish. First, the team applied white color hardener to natural gray concrete and let it cure. They used an oyster white stain from Kemiko Concrete Staining with a touch of acrylic stain for the color of the ball.

Then, they made a template for the Titleist logo, engraving the letters with a KaleidoCrete engraver system from Engrave-A-Crete. They stained the letters with a black stain and the number with a red stain, both from Kemiko. They followed by engraving the circles, which took on the grayish color of the concrete, making the golf balls’ dimples stand out.

This home was also featured in Concrete Decor Magazine and WaterShapes July/August 2010