Landscape Architect Articles

Natural Stone in North Carolina11-02-16 | Department

Natural Stone in North Carolina
By Tucker Beeninga, Next to Nature Landscape Design, and Charbel Zogheib, Universal Stone Imports

At this residence in North Carolina, Next to Nature Landscape Design worked with the homeowner to redesign the outdoor patio space into a 1,300 square foot dining and entertaining area for groups of 20-30 guests. In addition to the fire pit and fireplace, Next to Nature's president Tucker Beeninga designed an outdoor kitchen area with pizza oven, grill and more.

Landscape architect Tucker Beeninga, president of Next to Nature Landscape Design, was contacted by the Baker family to recreate their outdoor patio space. Their small patio lacked adequate room to meet the family's needs and desires. At their first meeting, the Bakers and Tucker discussed the design features for the new 1,300 square foot outdoor living space. The Bakers wished to have a larger area that could accommodate groups of 20-30 people. They wanted an outdoor fireplace, fire pit and kitchen that would feature a pizza oven along with a grill, trash receptacles and storage space. They wanted to comfortably seat eight people at a table as well as include countertop bar seating. The Bakers wanted a partially covered patio, but at the same time, did not want to block the natural light entering their home.

After the first meeting, Tucker analyzed the site to determine the existing conditions and constraints that would need to be considered when designing the project. To accommodate the patio, existing trees would need to be removed or protected. The grade sloped away from the house, which would require retaining walls to create a level surface. Maintaining privacy for the new patio area from the neighborhood street had to be addressed. Natural light to the home's interior needed to be maintained, as did the view of the wood line from the interior.

Once the analysis was complete, Tucker began creating the preliminary 3D design rendering. The 3D designs used by Next to Nature allowed the Bakers to see realistic representations of their project so they could discuss various points of the design and whether the project satisfied their vision. After several meetings and revisions, final design blueprints were completed. The blueprints and 3D images provided a complete view of the project, allowing team members at Marshall Stone, the material supplier, and GLS Landscaping & Maintenance, the installer, to order materials and begin planning the installation. It took approximately two months, from initial planning to installation, to complete the project which included a natural stone patio with a built-in grill, outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, fireplace, fire pit, and seating wall; electrical work including custom landscaping lighting; irrigation; and accompanying landscaping. Over 20 GLS employees, in addition to hardscape and electrical contractors, brought this outdoor living space to life.

The existing grade sloped away from the house, requiring the installation of retaining walls to create a level surface. The walls are comprised of cinderblock and "creek side blend" sawn real stone veneer. Because a natural look was important to the homeowner, USI buff flagging and treads were used for the patio and steps that lead down to the real stone veneered fire pit.

The main outdoor living space and kitchen area serve as extensions of the home's living room and kitchen. The fireplace, located to the side of the living space, allows for uninhibited views of the wood line. The stepped-down fire pit breaks the expanse of space, allowing for a transition to the lawn. The outdoor kitchen provides separation and privacy from the neighborhood street. The pizza oven, placed in the corner of the kitchen, balances out the fireplace on the opposite side of the patio. A future addition will include building a roof over the kitchen area, creating a space that can be used year round without blocking the large living room windows, allowing for unfiltered natural light.

Given the personalized features of this outdoor living space, there were several factors to consider ensuring a superior outdoor space for the homeowners. A natural look to the patio was of top priority. Unlike man-made stone products that are mass-produced and identical, natural stone can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. When using high-quality natural stone, it is important to consider the flow of shapes and colors of the stone. When considering the expectations this project required, it became clear that Marshall Stone would be the very best stone company capable of providing the options required to meet the Baker's expectations. Marshall Stone understood how important it was that the Bakers didn't just like the material they selected, but that they love it. With that in mind, countless hours and resources were spent reviewing the different stone options that would prove to be the perfect fit for this project.

When Marshall Stone customers are asking for high quality natural stone, Universal Stone Imports is their main source. USI offers a variety of patio stone with matching steps, treads and slabs. The stone and granite used in this project were meticulously selected to guarantee a visually pleasing space and enjoyable experience for the homeowners.

GLS enhanced the beauty of the project with a variety of aesthetic changes to the yard, including back-filling 40 yards of topsoil, planting fescue sod, and adding a variety of plant life: bloodgood Japanese maple, sunspray gold cypress, vintage jade distylium, "Encoure' azaleas, "Steeds' holly, "Feedback' bearded iris, Nantucket blue hydrangeas, Otto Luyken laurels, roseum elegans rhododendrons, Schip laurel, "Summer Snowflake' viburnum, and mixed ferns. North Carolina long leaf pine needles were also installed.

Team List
Landscape Architect - Next To Nature
Supplying Dealer - Marshall Stone
Hardscape Contractor - NR Masonry
Landscape & General Contractor - GLS Landscaping
Photography - Jim Schmid
Stone Source - Universal Stone Imports, Inc.

As seen in LASN magazine, November 2016.