Photography courtesy Earth, Turf & Wood
A unique gate discovered at the Philadelphia Flower Show was recreated (see middle right of photo) and integrated into a fabulous outdoor living environment in Lancaster County that includes an outdoor kitchen, living room, pool, hot tub, firepit and even a putting green.
It begins with a dream—the idea that a beautifully designed outdoor living space can reflect and enhance the lives being lived in and around the home.
It progresses with a thoughtful approach that addresses today’s needs while planning for the future.
It culminates with a space that is not just an addition to the home but also an integral part of it—inclusive, inviting and intuitive.
Today’s outdoor living spaces can accommodate everyone, from the grill-master to the kids to guests, but turning dreams into reality requires deliberation and strategy. A customized space can make a meaningful and functional addition to any home, as long as it’s done right.
Here, the experts of Earth, Turf & Wood, a premier regional landscape and hardscape design-build firm, share their approach for taking family life outdoors through spaces that endure.
Plan
The first question a designer should ask: Who are you?
It’s about more than your name, number of kids, and budget, says Mary Dresser, Registered Landscape Architect with Earth, Turf & Wood (www.earthturfwood.com, 717-721-3530).
“We spend time getting to know the client—what they want and what their vision is—and put all the pieces of the puzzle together,” she says.
Through relationship-building, the designer learns the homeowner’s wish list for the immediate future and the long term. As a registered landscape architect—a rigorous state certification—Dresser blends knowledge of the client with knowledge of the topographical possibilities and limitations of the land that will host the dream outdoor room.
“How do you take into consideration the slope and grade of the land, so you’re not purchasing more soil or hauling off the excess?” says Dresser, who also reviews municipal requirements such as setbacks and drainage systems. “We’re thinking in those dimensions so there’s not an ‘uh-oh.’”
Information-gathering leads to a master plan, including even those wish-list ideas that aren’t in the current budget—the someday pool or playground or spa, or perhaps a geothermal system that can be installed in its proper place next year without tearing up last year’s new patio.
“It’s not piecemeal,” says Earth, Turf & Wood president Jarod Hynson. The critical piece of the puzzle is trust in the designer. “One of the keys is getting inside the client’s mind and finding out how they want to use this space.”
Dresser recently designed a backyard pool and hot tub that won’t be built for some time. The final project “will not look exactly like it, but it’s a starting point to reflect the specific needs and desires of the clients.” The hot tub faces a scenic vista. A roofed shade structure will protect grandparents from the sun while they watch their granddaughters swim. The pool and patio placement recognizes municipal restrictions on impervious coverage, or paved land. The entire layout is visible from a house window.
“I’m a mom,” says Dresser, who understands the need to watch the children. “What can I see when I look out that window? The designer needs to think about those things. How does it flow? Are there dead spaces?”
Inspiration
Inspiration for the design can come from an architectural detail of the house, some favorite patio furniture, or most commonly—magazine spreads. Designers consider things like field of vision—what do you want to see from where?—in this new space. One of Dresser’s clients loved football and was also the family cook, so he wanted a view of the television screen from the grill. Another client found a local fabricator (“If you can’t get it built in Lancaster County, you can’t get it built anywhere,” notes Hynson) to duplicate a metal gate she saw at the Philadelphia Flower Show, and Dresser designed a line of sight to make it highly visible. “If it’s that important, you want to place it where people can see it.”
Earth, Turf & Wood offers clients its “Dream Builder Workbook,” which lays out the entire process, from initial consultation, design and approval through construction and enjoyment of a whole new experience in outdoor living. Consider the specs of every and any feature you want—all the appliances, plantings, green features, outdoor fireplaces, sound systems, televisions and lighting. Hot tubs remain popular, and there are options to consider, such as whether it’s freestanding or integrated with a pool.
Consider your lifestyle and the type of entertaining you prefer. Does the space require accessibility and privacy? Does your budget allow an abundance of natural stone and tiles—the best for durability—or can the designer manage a few luxe touches while accommodating more affordable materials?
“You’re always looking at the details to make it a unified project,” Dresser says. “With experience, you can offer options. You can switch designs or materials and never compromise quality or safety.”
Consider your timeline, too, and try to approach the designer and contractor well before the desired grand-opening date, especially if the space is meant to host a milestone celebration, such as a graduation or wedding.
Overall, a careful planning process empowers the homeowner and paves the way for a smooth construction phase.
“It helps the client really get a better grasp on the project,” says Hynson. “To have the greatest effect, you’ve got to have a targeted program.”
Progress
The client with the flower-show gate wanted a grand space—pool topped with a stone rim, firepit-fountain combinations inspired by a trip to Africa, a new gazebo to complement an existing structure, a fireplace, a big-screen television, a sound system, a bar and table seating, and a grill that didn’t segregate the cook from the action.
That’s called an “outdoor living environment”—the fully encompassing space allowed by a sky’s-the-limit budget. But it’s not the only space possible in the world of customized outdoor living. A modest budget in the $20,000 to $40,000 range allows a medium-sized patio with sitting walls, a small countertop, and some lighting effects. The $40,000 to $70,000 mid-range project adds levels for interest, pool hardscaping, natural surfaces, arbors or pergolas, and prewiring for grills, lighting and speakers.
In essence, budgets don’t have to keep the dream from coming true. But they are an essential piece of the puzzle (see “Dreaming is Easy, Budgeting is Hard," page 73).
The Build
Moving from dream to plan, and from plan to completed project, encounters a big speed bump in the middle—the construction phase.
“A lot of people don’t understand that this is major construction,” says Hynson. “It’s going to be an inconvenience.”
The reputable contractor understands the impact on the homeowner—construction can take a week or two, or a month or more—and “tries to minimize the inconvenience,” Hynson says. Keeping the client informed with progress reports, sticking to the timeline, and hiring respectful and background-checked workers are all the responsibility of the contractor.
“This is why it’s so important to plan everything out,” says Dresser. Even something as simple as installing the utilities for holiday lighting will go more smoothly, for “a minor expense,” if it’s communicated in advance.
This is also when the advantages of planning in phases are showcased. Some homeowners mistakenly believe that a grill and fireplace have to be built together. Not so, says Hynson. Pipelines and the foundation can be set in place, and when it’s time for construction, installation is smooth because the contractor simply pulls the pavers and “builds the structure up.”
Homeowners can also decide in advance the types of greenery that will be planted. Some prefer mature plantings, so the space looks fully formed when the last tile is laid. Others want to watch their shrubs and trees grow. Some want low-maintenance landscaping, while others enjoy gardening. Dresser features native plants whenever possible, for their environmental friendliness and hardiness, but they’re not the only option. The plantings are all part of construction.
Creating the customized outdoor living space can be an integral part of building a new home, Hynson adds. The outdoor space specialist coordinates with the home builder “to work as a team”; although the sooner the landscape designer is involved, the better. And once again, the whole design doesn’t have to be implemented at once. This is the time for retaining walls, decking, walkway, patio and pool area installation and plantings. Advance planning can lay the groundwork—literally—for a perfectly complementary span of home and outdoor living space.
Enjoy
When the work is over, the fun begins. Typically, clients may have been “married to that project for a year and a half,” Hynson says, but careful planning yielded the space that’s perfectly suited to the family. The final space can be a big party area, or it can be a restful retreat. The customized outdoor space expands the living possibilities, so families can commit to the homes in the communities they love without constantly moving for more or different space. The never-ending search for a suitable property comes to a satisfied halt.
In some cases, perhaps the homeowner went to a resort and wanted to recreate the experience at home. And whether the final, customized project emerges from an unlimited or a limited budget, homeowners typically use the spaces according to plan. These are not spaces for the occasional cookout. They are an integral part of the home for life.
“People come home from work, and now they don’t have to drive three hours for a relaxing experience,” says Hynson. “When you sit down and think about how many ways you can do something like this, it becomes more practical than just building a deck.”
Dreaming is easy. Budgeting is hard.
A comprehensive budget is key to a successful outdoor living project, say the designers and builders of Earth, Turf, & Wood. When they know budget parameters, they can craft their services to fit your needs.
Still, budgeting can be the most awkward part of any renovation project. Putting a number to a project feels final—as if the number will dictate everything that follows. Just remember that avoiding the question out of fear or embarrassment can create more problems in the long run.
Follow these tips from Earth, Turf & Wood, and be assured that your dream outdoor living space is built on a secure, well-crafted budget foundation.
- Budget early: Design, landscaping and hardscaping are expensive and time-consuming. When the contractor knows upfront spending parameters, the design phase produces the right results without costly redrawing.
- Find a contractor you can trust: Nervous that an unscrupulous contractor will run the bill to the top of your budget scale, and even beyond? Thoroughly check out any contractors you approach. Check references, and follow the Pennsylvania attorney general’s advice to verify a listing on the state contractors’ registration.
- Budget in phases: If your dream clearly outpaces your budget, work with a designer who will create a unified plan that can be built in phases.
- Ask the contractor: If you haven’t a clue about what your vision would cost, talk to the contractor. They can put estimated price tags on your ideas, providing a ballpark figure for comparing the project vision with how much you have to spend.
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Entertaining flows naturally between a dining area and the fireplace
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A few basic steps become beautiful with a mix of materials and textures
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Integrated outdoor design succeeds when there is cohesive interaction of surface materials with water features, structural elements, entertaining spaces and furniture. Both functionality and form must be balanced so that water features not only look great, they work well
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Outdoor lighting plans create dramatic moods and provide safety
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Structural elements like pergolas provide a touch of shade from the sun
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Gone are the days of the standard rectangular pool. Many pools today integrate unique shapes with inset whirlpool seating areas.
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This outdoor living room with columns provides the illusion and comfort of an indoor room—but without walls.
