A porch in Lake Elmo is transformed into a year-round family gathering spot with a flexible indoor-outdoor room for all seasons.

Under most circumstances, an acre-and-a-half lot should be big enough for plenty of outdoor activities. In the case of a major, and prize-winning, renovation to the landscape of the Glad residence, it still proved to have a challenge — or two.

At Mom’s we believe that Mother Nature is the ultimate artist. That’s why we incorporate a variety of plants and natural materials into every outdoor environment we design and build. This season we are taking the approach to new heights by partnering with celebrated Irish roof thatcher William P. Cahill to offer Mom’s clients handcrafted water reed roofs for unforgettable landscape structures.

Every month the HGTV editorial team chooses a design professional to be highlighted as the designer of the month. We were selected for the month of December! What?! We are extremely honored and humbled to be recognized not just for our team, but for everyone in MN who enjoys outdoor living.

With exuberance, I would like to introduce to you our new name. In an effort to simplify and enliven the brand, Mom’s Landscaping & Design and BellaWood Builders now lives under one new name: Mom’s Design Build.

See how senior designer Heather Grossmann of Mom’s Design Build uses coastal hues and versatile outdoor features to create a relaxing, family-oriented space for the Mpls. St. Paul Magazine’s 2015 Showcase Home.

There’s no shortage of picture-perfect patios in the spring and summer months, but by winter, most people pack their outdoor spaces up. When it’s too cold to throw a backyard bash or take a dip in the pool, what’s the use, right?

Colder, darker days may be an inevitable part of the winter months, but they don’t have to diminish the beauty of your backyard. With the right features in place, you can ensure that your outdoor space remains green, warm and welcoming, even in the throes of winter weather.

Jim Sweeney, founder of Mom’s Landscaping & Design, has no clear recollection of why his company was originally contacted for what grew to become a massive hardscape/landscape project on the shores of Lake Minnetonka.

The Moultons built their house more than 10 years ago, with the intention of landscaping the 3-plus-acre site later. After living in the home for several years, they began enhancing their yard in stages, a process that took several more years to complete. To create their outdoor paradise, they turned to Mom’s and BellaWood Builders, its remodeling division. “They had a blank slate to work with,” Grossmann said of the Moultons’ site.

When Peter Taunton purchased a large lakeside lot in Minnetrista a few years ago, he knew he had a showcase property on his hands. Palmer Pointe occupies a busy corner of Lake Minnetonka, and the steep rise of the land makes it even more visible to passing boaters. Taunton, the founder and CEO of Snap Fitness, hired Eskuche Design and Denali Custom Homes of Wayzata, to build a stone-clad house at the top of the knoll, with a commanding view and an impressive aspect.