We went with stamped concrete in both the front (walkway) and back of our house (patio). The results were striking and, aesthetically, far superior to a basic gray concrete slab. It was one of the best choices we made when building our house. Since you can choose the color, it can really pull the presentation of the house together in a way that simple concrete cannot. In our case, we coordinated it with the color of both the house and the rockery. You can not only choose a base color, but an accent color as well. In addition, it provides visual interest not only through color and pattern, but in texture as well. It is critical that you find a subcontractor who is excellent at doing this work, however. If that is not available, it would be better for you to go with a concrete slab, since stamped concrete is pricy. It is really important to do your homework and to see as many actual samples of the personÂs work as possible. Be aware that different color combinations are priced differently. For example, red colors are much more expensive than those closer to grey. It snows here quite a bit, and I have not had any trouble shoveling our stamped concrete but there are a couple of things to consider. First, you cannot use an ice spade or a metal shovel on it (we have always used plastic anyway, so not an issue). Second, you cannot use salt on it to melt the ice. We use kitty litter instead, which works ok but not as well as salt. In terms of being in or out of vogue, you should do a bit of reading in the Kitchen forum, where avocado appliances are actually discussed and where the kitchen obsessed are seriously concerned about such things. Comments are made all the time about how granite countertops or stainless steel appliances or cherry cabinets will be the next avocado appliance. I have all three and laugh when I read such things. The consensus response to such worries really gets to the heart of the issue: go with what you like or enjoy. What matters is not how cool your neighbors or your friends or your family thinks your house is, because they do not live there. What matters is that you get to live in a house surrounded by things you love. If you make choices based on what "they" think, you will end up living in "their" house... not your own.

"one of my friend's parents wants me to help design the landscape" this phrase may be the key to your approach Audric. When working for friends you must assume that they are asking for your input because you are good at what you do and not because you are cheap. Thank them for their confidence in you at the prequel to the initial consultation to avoid any messy sequel. Now to what it is you are good at. Do you have the ability to draw up a working drawing together with the specification a contractor will need to bid on? The answer to this is probably no (trying to be realistic here NOT unkind) so then exactly what would be your input? In the past you have shown an ability to solve problems and a mind open enough to turn a bunch of disconnected ideas into one, if I am correct then this is the strength you should play to, in another field this would be the job of the Artistic Director. This is, in fact the 'design' part of landscape design or should I say the 'imaginative' part and perhaps you could concentrate on this, remember that you have been asked to "help" with the design. Therefore, once again, if I am correct in my asumptions, you should base your consultation on this. Consequently, in your first meeting do not touch on the practical, establish your fee (probably an hourly rate) for sure but then do what susan suggest with some of what cady says and this way you (the Artistic Director) get a feel of the desired yarden. You will get all the answers you need within this three week (just joking) meeting. What you get will be scattered and unclear, but then isn't this what you are good at, you reassemble this into a couple (no more than three) of plans, concepts for your next meeting. If you go to your meeting with a questionnaire attached to a clip board you will blow it.

I am a stamp collector and might be able to help you. Email me and I can check them out on the American Philatelic Assoc. You can do that also, but just searching. You need to be a member to buy and sell. Are the US or foreign? Countries? Check with your local place, but do watch out. It is like any collectable. Many will offer you next to nothing. Marie. I am a member of the APS, meaning American Philatelic Society and they do have real strict rules. My son is also very knowlegable, but no computer. I collect several countries.

Tendrac, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. Much appreciated! I have two architects on my list to contact this week. Hoping for a much better experience. I do want to clarify the part about copyrighting. I do believe the man's intention was for us to purchase a set of plans from somewhere like Southern Living and then he would charge us for modifications. When he first began discussing this, I wanted to run out of his office. Why do I need an architect if this is what I plan to do? Why not work with the original architect who designed the plan to make the modifications? I made myself sit still and try to finish out the meeting politely. I probably also need to clarify a little bit more what a new old home means to us. While I would love to build a replica of a historical home, or even better, purchase a historical home, I know that our budget is not completely in line with those options. I do hope to build a home that keeps some of the traditional concepts of the homes built early in southwest Mississippi and adjacent Louisiana. I think what we are looking for would be much like the dogtrot style and/or raised cottage style common in the area, but with a twist. One of our main goals is to build a house that takes into consideration the climate and topography of our site. I spent a lot of time in my great-grandmother's home when I was a child. She never had central air or even a window unit, but her house stayed cool due to the siting and the design. I don't want a home without central air now but I would like to capture some of those same benefits. I loved her big front porch and spent many hours in the swing as a child. Where we would differ from a house like hers is that she had her formal front rooms and then daily life happened in the back of the house. My husband and I don't really need or want those formal rooms, so that's been the difficulty in finding what we need in a stock plan in a home with a more traditional exterior. As examples, John Tee's Louisiana Garden Cottage is a style that we love, but the floor plan does not match our needs/wants. Allison Ramsey's Holiday House is more of the type of floor plan that we like. Both designs are about the size that we would like, 2500-3000 square feet, but both are missing some important priorities. Where we live now, there are exceptional architects who could design something grand and beautiful. I'm just not sure how willing one of them would be to take on our much smaller, less ambitious, project. Again, thanks everyone for the great comments and tips. This thread has really been helpful for us! I definitely feel more prepared to sit down with another architect.