Patio, Stairs, Outdoor Kitchen
One of our latest projects involved the construction of a bluestone patio, natural boulder retaining wall, natural stone steps, seats, planters, and an outdoor kitchen.
The project was unique as the outdoor living area sloped steeply away from the home in the backyard. The home was in a deeply wooded area and the owners wanted to complement that look and feel with a natural-looking stone. The retaining walls were necessary to raise the grade of the land so that we could build a flat level patio. We designed and built the boulder retaining wall, and once we built it to the desired height, we backfilled the yard with stone and then built the patio on this new grade.
For the patio, we used natural bluestone set in mortar with mortar joints; this style of installation is also known as a wet-laid bluestone patio. The mortar gives the patio a more permanent structure and requires less maintenance, though it is more expensive initially. Wet-laid patios provide a cleaner, more pristine look than dry-laid. (Be sure to ask about the different options available for your patio project!)
The patio was built to entertain multiple guests. Our team used natural stone to create seat walls and planter boxes with bluestone caps on each to help accent and define the edges of the patio space. An outdoor kitchen was also installed, complete with a built-in grill and outdoor refrigerator. Natural stone was used to match the patio, steps, seats, and boulder retaining walls.
We finished off the project by installing minimal landscaping along the base of the wall and in the planters to help the space blend into its shady backyard setting. The result is nothing short of stunning!
