Wallace Case Study

Beautify Your Backyard with a Deck and Patio Design

LOCATION: Nazareth, Pennsylvania

THE OUTDOOR SPACE:

The Wallace’s backyard consisted of an old deck that has access from one main door, on the main level of the house.   There is a secondary door that was closed off and had no access because there was no decking.  The yard has a slope away from the house and is interrupted in the middle by a large septic mound.   A propane tank was buried with an access lid on the driveway side of the house.   Both sides of the house have pretty steep slopes with the front being the high end.  With the hope of trying to get a design together in the fall and winter months and then installing a project over the winter or spring, they had called us and inquired about a full landscape makeover for their backyard.

THE BACKYARD WISH LIST:

The Wallace’s were looking to replace the old deck and add more space for a fire pit area and hot tub in the yard.  They wanted to create immediate space from their main, second level dwelling, with creating a new deck and then add a large patio with landscape underneath the deck and an area for a firepit further into the yard.  They also preferred the hot tub to be located in an open area not under the deck.   For underneath the deck, they wanted to do a storage area and create a rainproof area under the deck.

THE OUTDOOR LIVING DESIGN:

We designed a deck and patio layout that achieved the vision they were thinking of.  We began this design by shaping the deck to expand from one door to the other. Doing this created two spaces with a narrow area in between to go from one side of the deck to the other.  The deck was also designed to go as far out from the house as possible with limited posts.   This would create a massive gathering spot underneath the deck, with limited posts to interrupt the area.  The deck leads to the large patio by a set of trex steps.   The stamped concrete patio has four spaces and an area for a large shed under the deck.   The large, main area of the patio is located under the main portion of the deck. It will remain dry because we added a Trex Rain Escape system.  This area will likely be the most used hangout spot for family and friends for the years ahead.  There is also the firepit area, the hot tub area, and an extra space that we shaped into the curves of the patio that will give extra room for smaller furniture or other uses.

THE FINISHING TOUCHES:

We designed landscape beds around the patio and up the sides of the house. To beautify the area, we designed large beds filled with Delaware river stone and a variety of perennials, shrubs, and trees.  We added a row of emerald green arborvitae for privacy on the one side of the hot tub area.

THE STAMPED CONCRETE  PATTERN: Fractured Earth

THE STAMPED CONCRETE COLOR COMBINATION: Buff Integral color with Colina (Pecan) Tan powder release agent

THE TREX ENAHNCE DECKING COLOR: Coastal Bluff

TECHO BLOC AVIGNON FIRE PIT COLOR: Chestnut Brown