From Barren to Beautiful; How a Backyard Became an Outdoor Living Area

By Monica Helms, Consultant to Pavestone Company

This project has several levels around the pool. Crews used 8-inch DiamondPro???????(R)???? wall block on the lower wall that was created to support the main pool deck area. Six-inch high Highland Stone???????(R)???? wall block was used to create the upper wall above the pool to better fit the scale of the smaller upper paver patio and improve the appearance of the design. Photos courtesy of Pavestone Company

In the beginning, the Powells saw their Georgia-based backyard as ''unusable.'' To be fair, it was kind of true: it consisted partially of a small field, with a wooded area enclosing the quiet suburb they live in. That's not to say that it wasn't nice, but it wasn't that much to look at, either.

Additionally, residing in a Southern state means extreme weather: cold winters and excruciatingly hot summers. Given the record-breaking heat wave experienced by much of the country this past year, it seems perfectly logical that the Powells would decide to have a pool installed in their backyard.

That's when they called Chris Farr of ARC Outdoor Solutions. Along with Daniel Kalar of Pavestone Company, Farr worked in conjunction with the Powells to sort through a variety of paving stones and retaining walls in order to choose what would suit them best. The end result included a mixture of the harvest blends of Highland Stone???????(R)???? retaining walls, DiamondPro Stone Cut???????(R)???? retaining walls, and a mocha blend of Venetian Stone?EUR??,,????'?????????????? paving stones.

Workers spent roughly four months constructing the backyard living area, which included the pool, atrium, patio area, and retaining walls.

The Process

Like most projects, this one started out relatively small. ''They complained they couldn't really use the backyard, so they wanted a pool,'' said Farr.

So it began with just the pool, after which came the retaining walls. But it didn't stop there - eventually, the project even involved several fire pits, lamps, multiple lounging areas, and an outdoor living space, complete with stainless steel kitchen and seating. ''The project really expanded as we built,'' said Farr.

The first thing that had to be done was to prepare the landscape - holes had to be dug where there were none previously, and land had to be elevated that used to be flat. ''The whole thing was pretty straightforward; we had difficulty getting machines in and out because of the size of the work site, though. The site also had to be elevated so we could install buildings, and so we could get it leveled out,'' said Farr.

Formerly a flat backyard, retaining walls of three-feet high and six-feet high were added to help refine the landscape and elevate the yard. Terraces were added for lounging areas and walkways.

The Pool

The pool was built as promised, along with an atrium, lounging areas, and a fully furnished outdoor kitchen. Outdoor lighting was also installed, and not just the typical kind involving flood lights or a few strands of Christmas lights. Fire pits and lamps were set up around the pool, as well as a genuine outdoor fireplace in the atrium. An irrigation and drip system was also built around the pool; this system was purposely installed to help water the plants put in around the pool and deck area. The outdoor kitchen included stainless steel appliances, such as a cook top, warming drawers, and a grill. The Powells can now not only go swimming in their new pool, but they can now also prepare meals, relax, and sit by the fire place - during virtually any kind of weather.

An array of waterfalls pouring into the pool add to the sense of calm and serenity, as well as the gas-powered fire pit sitting within the back retaining wall of the pool. For privacy, a sliding barn door was added to the street-facing side of the atrium; with the completion of a project like this, it's no wonder that the neighbors would develop a slight tendency to stop and stare.

The Pavers

The paving stones used were chosen for their high quality and beautiful appearance; their texture is reminiscent of a slightly more old-world charm.

''The Powells chose the Venetian?EUR??,,????'?????????????? paving stones because they really liked the pattern and pieces; plus it was an upgrade over some of the previous pavers that had been used,'' said Farr.

The fire pot's gas line was stalled through the retaining wall and connected to the main gas line. The fire feature is a custom iron pot, and the gas burner is controlled and ignited by a wireless remote control.

The retaining walls also did a great deal to add to the ambiance of this new back yard living area.

''Most pools need some kind of wall around the outside to hold it up,'' said Kalar. ''We used the three-piece system for the back side of the pool, and for the front side we used another kind of wall, which is why there's a patio on the back side of it. So really, one of the other goals of the project was to terrace a part of the pool area to create more living space.''

The Polish

The outdoor lighting system installed around the pool was also a significant element.

''It's probably my favorite part of the project,'' said Farr. ''We set up lights around the whole perimeter and deck.''

Low-voltage lights were used in order help create enough light for the Powells to enjoy their new edition during night-time hours, but not too much light. Farr's intention was brighten the area just enough for people to navigate the pool, kitchen and bar area, but not so much as to attract insects and other nuisances.

There is no question that this was a project of significant size. A project of this magnitude also takes time; from start to finish, construction took roughly four months. But all in all, Farr considers the project to be a success; and he's certain that the Powells would agree.

''It started out as a much smaller area and a much smaller deck. But as we built, everything really grew, and I think they're really happy with it.''