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Before shot showing the front of the house. Holly trees obscured the side porch and the planting was over 20 years old and was struggling due to lack of sunlight and maintenance. The homeowner had many large trees removed from the front and back lawn areas prior to bringing us on board.
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Evening shot highlighting the landscape and pathway lighting. The color and texture of the natural bluestone walkway pops out, while the Fernspray False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Filicoides’) add interesting shadows and shapes to the front of the home.
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Before shot showing the front door, hidden by two large Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum dissectum) trees. A narrow and curving walkway was uninviting for visitors approaching the house.
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The new dry laid sidewalk and mortar set landing at the front door are welcoming and inviting. The old concrete landing had to be removed and was replaced by the mortar set bluestone which sits under the wood trim around the door.
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Before shot showing the front of the house and the side porch, where the family goes in and out every day. The side porch steps were obscured by an overgrown holly tree. Narrow concrete steps were treacherous every time it rained because of a concrete paint which someone had applied to prevent cracking and chipping years ago.
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The side porch is now accented by shrub plantings and path lighting. The 7’ wide brick and bluestone steps provide a comfortable transition from the porch to the walkway and excess steps were eliminated when the front yard was graded and leveled.
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This was the area behind the home before we started the project. An old set of concrete steps from the porch was in disrepair and was dangerous to walk on. This back corner of the house had a considerable slope requiring retaining walls to level the area for the patio. Existing steps and a brick wall were maintained in the new design, but they were veneered with American Granite to match the new walls and fireplace.
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The finished patio showing the fireplace, bench walls, outdoor kitchen and the bluestone slabs which form the stairs to the porch. The patio is dry laid Pennsylvania bluestone.
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Stainless steel appliances and a granite counter top provide space for cooking, serving and making drinks. The otherwise underutilized corner made the perfect home for the grill with its ‘L’ shape, located right off the screen porch and steps away from the indoor kitchen.
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The bluestone boulders that form the steps to the porch had to be trimmed by hand to fit together. Larger cuts were made with diamond blade saws and then the cuts were burned with a welding torch to remove saw marks. Smaller details were chiseled by hand to give the steps a rustic and natural feel while still maintaining a safe and comfortable stair tread.
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The steps leading up from the driveway and parking pad under the screen porch were existing when we started, but in need of a major overhaul. The steps were originally brick construction, as were the walls on either side. All of these surfaces were covered with a mortar scratch coat and American Granite stone veneer was applied so all the walls, both new and old, tie together seamlessly.
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The wood burning fireplace is the centerpiece of the outdoor living area. The homeowner chose furniture that was comfortable and inviting and guests love to gather around the fireplace, especially in the cooler spring and fall evenings. The large firebox and short chimney draws easily and efficiently for hot, fast burning fires to warm up a chilly night.
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The site plan shows the new proposed front walkway to the side and front doors, as well as the bluestone patio out back. The patio design included an outdoor kitchen, wood burning fireplace, retaining walls that double as bench walls and lighting under the wall caps. New boulder steps were incorporated to transition from the existing porch down to the new patio.