Patio and Deck Renovations for Our Second Place Winners
A couples weeks ago, we announced Rick and Merea Bentrott as the Grand Prize Winners of our Dream Backyard Makeover Contest, but they weren’t the only winners! When evaluating the Facebook and panelist votes, second place was a very difficult decision, so we settled on two second place winners! One will receive a patio renovation with Belgard pavers and one will receive a deck renovation with TimberTech decking.
The patio renovation will go to Amanda Hall out of Illinois. Amanda and her husband purchased this house as first time home buyers in 2012, just three days after the birth of their first child. As Amanda explains,
“it’s the ‘forever house’ where we will raise our family. It’s a great house, but it needs some TLC here and there. One of those places is the backyard. Our house is on a corner lot and the house is situated at such an angle that the back yard is very exposed to the street. The exposure makes the curb appeal for our backyard as important as our front yard! We would love to have a beautiful new back yard to have parties and hang out with our friends and get to know our new neighbors.”
We are excited to help the Halls enhance their backyard with the design and installation of a Belgard patio. David Berryhill of Archadeck of Chicagoland will work with the family to design a patio that fits their needs and tastes. As always, I’ll be updating you on the progress of the project.
Our second second prize winner comes to us from Ohio. Stephanie Carll submitted the following description along with her photo description:
“My family and I are fortunate to live in a wonderful neighborhood surrounded by beautiful trees and great neighbors, but our fixer-upper leaves much to be desired. We recently purchased this home with stars in our eyes, creativity in our hearts and a shoestring budget. The first words that came out of my husband’s mouth when we were viewing the backyard with our realtor were: ‘someday this will be the most amazing spot for a deck.’ Our dream is magnificent, but our reality is daunting. The current state of our backyard makes me cringe every day when I open the curtains, or chase down my toddler and tell him ‘no no, you can’t go back there.’ Our dream deck would replace vines, a pile of concrete, construction debris, and other unsightly features that make the space unusable. We envision a tiered outdoor living space where we can grill, unwind, entertain, get to know our neighbors, let our toddler out to play, and enjoy the natural beauty of our neighborhood. We have a blank canvas on an amazing lot that is full of possibilities. We just need help to turn our dreams for this space into reality!”
The Carlls will be receiving a new TimberTech deck designed and built by Archadeck of West Central Ohio. Tim Stephens and his team are sure to take good care of this family. And hopefully that little boy of theirs will have a beautiful and safe place to play!
Our third place winner, William Jakes, lives in the Columbia, SC area. He and his family will be receiving an outdoor lighting system from our sister company, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives. Outdoor Lighting Perspectives designs, installs and maintains custom outdoor lighting systems for residential and commercial properties. They even do holiday lighting!
I hope to share all the details of all the projects as they go on. Congrats again to our winners.
Have Your Deck Checked During May’s Deck Safety Month
The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) declared May as Deck Safety Month back in 2006. May is the month that many homeowners start to spend extended time outside on their decks as the weather turns nicer. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners don’t have their deck’s safety evaluated properly. Just because it is standing, doesn’t mean that it is safe! Read More…
Outdoor Kitchen Tools that Enhance Your Cooking and Dining Experience
At Archadeck, we love creating custom outdoor kitchen designs that fit our clients’ needs, tastes and budgets. The majority of the outdoor kitchens we build include a built-in grill and counter space. Having a space outdoors to prepare and cook your food is great, but a set of simple tools will enhance your outdoor cooking and dining experience even more. Here are some tools and accessories that we find incredibly helpful.
A good grill set. When it comes to cooking outdoors, you need more than just a spatula. At the very least, we recommend a high-quality grill set that includes a spatula, tongs, basting brush and grill fork. There are some sets that have upwards of 10 pieces, but these four pieces will cover the majority of your grilling needs. When choosing your grill set, make sure that they’re sturdy (stainless steel is a popular choice) so they last for multiple seasons.
A good grill brush will clean away this built up grime and crust
Grill brush. Have you ever looked at a grill that had the burnt crust on the grates? I sure have. That happens when a grill isn’t properly cleaned before or after cooking. A grill brush with steel bristles will remove the majority of if not all built up dirt. The grates should be cleaned off after each use to make it easier as you go.
Meat thermometer. This is especially important for those picky eaters. It can sometimes be difficult to determine how well cooked a piece of meat is while grilling. A reliable meat thermometer will ensure your meat is prepared just how you like it.
Grill Basket. When it is grilling season, I like to cook the majority of my meal components right on the grill. That, however, can be difficult without a good grill basket. Baskets for the grill come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I have a simple square one that I use to cook veggies, but there are options for specific purposes as well, like fish and corn. Baskets make sure that whatever you are cooking doesn’t fall through the grates and become inedible.
Barbecue Light. Don’t let the sun going down stop your grilling fun and keep it going with a grill light. Custom outdoor kitchen designs often include some type of lighting component, but there are plenty of light fixtures that are specifically designed to be around the grill. When looking for one, make sure that they are indeed built to withstand the heat (there are specific barbecue lights, like these, that are made for grilling).
Unbreakable dishes and glasses. For me, it’s always easier to use unbreakable dishes when entertaining or eating outdoors. You never know when something may slip and fall and it’s more difficult to clean up glass outside than in. Just because you aren’t using glass dishes doesn’t mean you have to abandon your sense of style, however. There are a ton of great outdoor dishes, like these options from Pottery Barn. Melamine and plastic are both good materials for outdoor dining.
These are just a few of the outdoor cooking accessories that are available, but we at Archadeck are big fans of anything that makes your outdoor living experience more enjoyable. If you have questions regarding outdoor kitchens, contact your local Archadeck office.
2013 Outdoor Living Trends
As Spring is just around the corner, it is time to look at what is hot in the outdoor living category for 2013. Every year we at Archadeck Outdoor Living find our clients asking for different finishes or types of projects that would enhance their outdoor living spaces. The America Society of Landscape Architects, or ASLA, recently released survey results on what is hot for this year. Here are some of the highest ranked projects:
Ninety-seven percent of respondents rated fire pits or outdoor fireplaces as in demand. We’ve discussed the growing popularity in fire features over the last few years. As outdoor living spaces have evolved into true extensions of the home, we see that outdoor fireplaces are being added to include the homey feeling outdoors. Not to mention they allow homeowners to use the space well into the fall. Who doesn’t enjoy bundling up by the fire and enjoying s’mores or hot cocoa? I know I do.
Rated just under outdoor fireplaces and fire pits were grills. Grills have been popular additions to outdoor living spaces for years. When it comes to grills, and outdoor kitchens, the possibilities are endless, but they should also be planned for. We’ve all seen grills that are placed on a deck or patio but don’t really seem to have a place. Even if the grill isn’t built into the outdoor structure, make sure to tell your patio or deck builder to create a space for the grill. When it has a designated space, it increases the flow and design of the space.
Third and fourth on the list were seating and dining areas and outdoor lighting. This doesn’t surprise us at all. For an outdoor living space to be an extension of the home and to be used, it has to have purpose. No one spends time in the empty rooms of their house, why would they outside? When considering adding a deck, porch, patio, sunroom, screened porch or other outdoor structure to your property, make sure you tell the designer how you intend to use the space. You may find that you want separate areas for different purposes: one place to sit and read a book and another to dine with friends and family. And, if you want to use the space after dark, add outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting can be added to outdoor living spaces at any time in most cases, but will be more seamless if you plan to add it while the project is being built.
The trends in outdoor living spaces do change, but as Nancy Somerville, ASLA’s executive vice president and CEO explains; “In this uncertain economy, homeowners want to get more enjoyment out of their yards. They want attractive outdoor spaces that are both easy to take care of and sustainable.”
If you are interested in enhancing your outdoor living spaces, contact your local Archadeck office.
And in case you’ve forgotten, it’s not to late to enter Archadeck’s Dream Backyard Makeover Contest! The first set of finalists will be announced in just a few days. Make sure to submit a photo of your backyard and let us know why your yard deserves the $70,000 grand prize!
Outdoor Kitchens – the perfect addition to your outdoor living space
This past weekend brought my college reunion. To make sure that we got the most out of having everyone in one place at one time, a friend of mine hosted a barbecue on Saturday. He has a large deck that provides a great place to sit back and relax, but what we learned was it wasn’t great for entertaining 15 or so people.
To make sure that our host wasn’t doing all the work, all of our friends brought food to snack on or throw on the grill. The problem was there wasn’t a convenient place to put it all. There is a small table outdoors that could fit some of the food, but everything else was balanced on the railing of the deck, resulting in some close calls for the burgers.
Whether it’s the lawn, bathroom or furniture, the host of this party is constantly updating his house. During the party we talked about his plans for the future and he mentioned that he’s interested in adding an outdoor kitchen to make it easier in the spring and summer months when he grills out four or five times a week.
Outdoor Kitchens have become more popular in the last few years as people have looked to upgrade their outdoor living spaces. They provide the perfect place to prepare food for friends and family when the weather is nice and can be as multi-purpose as you’d like. While many outdoor kitchens have some counter space and a grill, refrigerators, sinks and ice makers are becoming more popular for added convenience. If having a place for your friends to sit and chat with you as you cook is important, an eat-in bar can be added as well.
One benefit of including an outdoor kitchen in your space is that you can easily incorporate it into your already existing outdoor living structure, whatever it may be. The size, shape and finish can be completely customized to your outdoor space so that it fits in seamlessly. At Archadeck Outdoor Living, we have designed and built outdoor kitchens that include tile, granite, brick, stone and more. Check out these outdoor kitchens:
This L-shaped outdoor kitchen includes a built-in grill, burner and seating to provide a lovely place to prepare food for friends and family. It’s finished with stone and tile for a clean look.
The brick base of this L-shaped outdoor kitchen complements the brick finish of the home perfectly. It has granite countertops for easy clean up and a built-in grill and warmer.
Who wouldn’t enjoy an outdoor kitchen like this? This a classic galley style kitchen. Since it is under a porch providing some protection from the elements, a TV is mounted to the back wall for the viewers pleasure. It has a gas grill, sink and dishwasher so you don’t have to carry the platters, dishes and utensils back and forth. Instead, what’s meant for outdoor dining can stay outdoors.
Lastly, this is a custom-shaped outdoor kitchen with everything that a chef may need. Not only does it have, a grill, sink, burner and dishwasher, it also has a wood burning pizza kitchen for that perfect pizza. Yum!
With outdoor kitchens like this, I’m not sure I would need an indoor kitchen (just kidding). If you are interested in learning how an outdoor kitchen could be added to your space outside, please contact your local Archadeck location.
Outdoor Dining Rooms – the Perfect Place to Host Friends and Family
This past Tuesday I got together with a bunch of my girlfriends for dinner. It had been a while since we were all in the same place at the same time, and we decided to take advantage. We all went over to my friend Kerri’s house where we prepared the food together while nibbling on appetizers and sipping on some cocktails. It was a great time until I realized, there really wasn’t a whole lot of room in her dining room for all of us. Just when I was about to say something, Kerri ushered us outside.
Off the back side of their house, Kerri and her husband have small deck that is set up perfectly for outdoor entertaining. It has a large dining table that easily fit 8 chatty ladies and the tree lined fence along the side of the yard provided privacy. It was lovely.
Outdoor rooms, as opposed to just some plastic furniture on a deck, porch or patio, have been gaining popularity in recent years. With all of the furniture and accessories that are now available from both big box stores and specialty store, it is easy to create the same homey feeling you have indoors, out. In the case of Kerri’s outdoor dining room, the table was lovely and she had placemats and accessories that were made to stand up to the natural elements. She finished off the space with candles and flowers that made it feel like a true room.
In warmer months it’s nice to spend time outdoors and the opportunities are endless. Check out some of these outdoor rooms that were created on some Archadeck Outdoor Living Structures:
This outdoor living room looks over the backyard of this homeowners property
This Archadeck deck has both living and dining spaces to entertain outdoors
And this covered porch in Austin? With an outdoor kitchen, fireplace and TV, why would I want to go inside?
Archadeck uses creative hardscaping to build functionality and style into our designs
Belgard hardscape seating wall incorporated into surround of this retaining wall
When thinking about building a memorable hardscape such as a patio, outdoor fire pit or outdoor fireplace or even an outdoor kitchen, it is the details and subtle nuances present in the design that make it a cut above the rest. Seeking areas to add design oriented touches and beauty can not only make your hardscape a pleasure to look at, but sometimes adding these touches can also add to the functionality of your structure as well.
This hardscape seating area is an ingenious and beautiful addition to your fire pits enjoyment
We like to call these nuances and design details, creative hardscaping. Thinking outside the box when it comes to creating a backyard hardscape takes experience, and design expertise. One example of creative hardscaping is creating a seating or relaxation area with little more than an idea and additional hardscape material. For example, you can create a seating area to complement an outdoor fireplace or fire pit by incorporating a roomy hardscape ledge or hardscape bench seating. With this added seating area, there is no longer a need to bring in outdoor furniture for a place to sit while the fire pit is in use.
The little ones in your family would enjoy a modernized "sandbox" area like this one shown incorporated into your hardscape patio design
Using hardscape materials in an innovative manner is not exclusive to fire pit designs. There are endless possibilities of ways to use hardscapes to enrich and expand your outdoor living enjoyment through design. A simple patio can become a place of enchantment for a child by extending the patio area to include an area that shines new light onto the typical playful sandbox of yesteryear. An outdoor kitchen and grilling area becomes an outdoor bar perfect for entertaining with just a little imagination.
Have a round of style, with a custom hardscape bar area designed to compliment your outdoor kitchen or grilling area
If you are planning an outdoor structure with hardscapes in your near future, contact Archadeck to plan, design and build a hardscape that uses the art of creative hardscaping in each and every design. Not only will you be the envy of the neighborhood, but the functionality it will add to your backyard enjoyment will astound you as well. To find an Archadeck location close to home visit our locations list, located on our website.
See more stunning hardscape designs by visiting our patio and hardscapes gallery also located on our website.
Put a little holiday in your step with a new deck by Archadeck
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Archadeck focuses on the joy of the season with this “Christmas deck” by Archadeck of Greater Atlanta, which is truly a deck for all seasons packed with functionality and style. A deck like this can be yours with Archadeck.
Archadeck of Chester County provides these Kennett Square, PA homeowners with a little less deck and a lot more action
This photo shows how the details use of stone combined with outstanding design work perfectly together to create an outdoor oasis for these Kennett Square, PA homeowners.
It is time to turn the spotlight on another Archadeck location that is doing spectacular outdoor living designs that are not only beautiful but functional as well. This creation by Archadeck of Chester County includes a sunroom, deck, outdoor kitchen and a custom fire pit located on the lovely patio. It also includes a stone trimmed built-in spa, not to mention a gorgeous pergola for the icing on the proverbial cake. This combination of outdoor structures gives new meaning to the term “stay-cation” because with a outdoor living area as well-appointed as this, who needs to leave the comfort of their backyard home to renew and relax?
This view of the sunroom shows the intricate stonework and fluidity of the entire design
When Juan Cardona and the design team at Archadeck of Chester County met with these homeowners in Kennett Square, PA, which is known as the mushroom capital of the world, to create this masterpiece in outdoor design, they had an existing deck that was in dire need of replacing as well as an open deck at the rear of the home with an unsightly concrete slab patio under the deck. The homeowners wish was to create an outdoor area that incorporated a sunroom, less deck and a patio on the lower level. They also wanted to include a built-in cooking area, spa area, and a custom fireplace or fire pit to accommodate their desire to have room and suitable entertaining areas for larger gatherings down below as opposed to having an all-open deck on the second level. The obstacle that had to be overcome was the fact that their yard was on a rather severe slope. In order to deliver the outdoor oasis the homeowners desired, we would have to install some retaining walls to make it happen.
This design offers less deck and a lot more action
Archadeck of Chester County, PA teamed up with a professional stone mason and together, they quickly put together an integrated plan to totally re-build and re-structure the entire rear of the home. The extensive use of stone walls was used to match the overall look of the existing home, since the entire front of the home was already finished in stone. The suggestion of using stone within the new design offered a dramatic look that harmonized well with the existing property.
This image shows the details of the sunroom and pergola and how it harmonizes with the home and landscape.
The deck was constructed using low maintenance TimberTech XLM in Mountain Cedar which harmonizes perfectly with the old world appeal of the stone used throughout the project. Archadeck of Chester County used black Fortress iron railings on TimberTech posts for continuity and fluidity in the deck’s design. On the interior floor of the stunning sunroom they used IPE tongue and groove flooring. The exterior of the room was finished with a stone veneer to match the rest of the patio which includes stone retaining walls, an outdoor kitchen and a custom fire pit. The sunroom also includes Anderson windows. Under the sunroom there is a built-in custom spa also trimmed with stone. The finishing touch to the project was the addition of a maintenance-free pergola of AZEK composite that was painted to match the decking color. The whole design flows effortlessly from structure to structure and looks and feels original to the existing home, which requires perfection in the design and the execution of the design in order to achieve.
If you are ready to turn your backyard into an orchestrated oasis of beauty, style and relaxation, contact Archadeck today and you will be on your way to creating beautiful harmonies within your own little slice of heaven. Schedule a free design consultation or contact us by calling 804.353.6999 or emailing us at info@archadeck.netto locate an Archadeck near you to get started.
See more awe-inspiring images of before and after completed jobs by visiting our web site photo galleries
This image shows the progression of the construction from start to finish.
Outdoor Fireplace or Outdoor Fire Pit? Some Considerations.
This custom fireplace is big on style and has plenty of radius for entertaining by the firelight.
Fall is in the air, maybe you have noticed it in the wisp of the wind that seem a little crisper than usual, or the way night is upon us sooner with each passing day. There is no denying that the masterpiece that mother nature paints for us each autumn is just around the corner. With cooler temperatures come less insects, less humidity and more time to enjoy the outdoors. Certain outdoor structures just seem to be tailor-made for the fall. Custom outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are among the best candidates for fall focal points within the landscape. Imagine the crackling fire, roasted marshmallows, hot cocoa and conversation. Even though both of these structures offer the warmth and glow of one of natures most intoxicating elements, they differ in many aspects. Deciding which kind of structure is right for you all depends on what you most want to get out of the structure in terms of functionality.
Even though it might seem simple, there is a lot more to it. Most folks think in terms of their budget, they assume that if they have more to invest they will go with the custom outdoor fireplace as opposed to having less, in which case they assume that a fire pit is the lesser investment. Both structures have their advantages, and both structures can be constructed as elaborate or as simple as you wish.
This screened porch by Archadeck of Maryland incorporates a beautiful stone fireplace in its design.
An outdoor fireplace makes a statement within the landscape, or when used in conjunction with another outdoor structure such as on a patio or even a covered porch. The fireplace offers a more intimate setting to its users with a typical 90 degree radius of room for entertaining, or to gather around the structure. Outdoor fireplaces require the use of many elements such as design, position, stonework, masonry, gas and plumbing. An experienced licensed builder can assist you in making many of the decisions, but there are many options available with today’s fireplace that can make a simple fireplace an amazing fireplace. From customized mantel pieces, to compartments custom-built within the fireplace to store wood and accessories. Fireplaces can be built in all shapes and sizes and in a variety of beautiful hardscape mediums such as brick, natural stone, and man-made hardscaping materials such as those offered through Belgard. The source of the fire itself can be obtained through gas or propane with a ceramic log that looks like real wood without the messy cleanup , or in some cases a wood burning fireplace may be your best option. Your fireplace design is only limited to your imagination, whether you choose a modern streamlined fireplace with no hearth, or a rustic beauty of natural stone, an outdoor fireplace can really heat up the conversation and the intimacy when entertaining, as a focal point of beauty and relaxation.
This fire pit by Archadeck of Fort Worth makes for unforgettable evenings among family and friends.
Custom fire pits have become a work of art within the world of outdoor structures in their own rite as well. A fire pit can offer you that same ethereal glow and ambiance , and can lend itself to dazzle a larger crowd. Fire pits offer a typical radius area of 180 degrees for entertaining and enjoyment. The addition of a ledge can add seating and a vantage point to enjoy the glow of the fire without having to purchase additional furniture. Fire pits can also be constructed with a large selection of materials, much like the fireplace but can also serve double and even triple jobs that can change from season to season. A fire pit can be easily equipped with a drain which makes it possible to be used as a planter during the summer. It can even serve as a tranquil water feature as long as there is an exterior outlet nearby. Archadeck of Austin wrote a story about a homeowner who created an “all season” structure with her fire pit, you can read the story by visiting http://austindeckandpatiobuilder.com/2011/03/14/a-flame-of-many-colors-a-fire-pit-with-multiple-personalities-integrated-into-the-design/ Custom fire pits can also be equipped with a dazzling array of glowing glass fire rocks that come in a wide variety of colors. Fire pits that are powered by gas can even have a gas star installed where the flame is emitted in a unique star pattern.
This unique custom fire pit by Archadeck of Austin, is a chameleon in its ability to transform each season.
Even though both these fireside outdoor structures differ greatly, they both have the ability to set a mood and change a mood for the better. Archadeck can plan, design and build a custom outdoor fireplace or fire pit that is ablaze with quality and style, and can turn your autumn into something really “wonderfall”. Contact us today to learn more 804.353.6999 • info@archadeck.net
You can also see more tantalizing outdoor fireplaces and fire pits by visiting our photo galleries at http://www.archadeck.com/pickYourProject/PatiosAndHardscapes.html
