The design and construction teams that crafted the outdoor living area at this Bowling Green, Ky., residence had just eight weeks to transform the backyard for viewing in a local "Parade of Homes" event. The main level includes a large kidney shaped pool with a basketball water court.

The expansive backyard project is comprised of multiple hardscaped tiers and includes a pool, hot tub, fire pit, an outdoor dining area and gathering spaces. Capped seat walls surround the circular fire feature, and a lower level beyond the pool leads to a hot tub sheltered beneath a pergola (left).

Kirby Builders in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has been building and remodeling homes since 2002. Led by Kyle Kirby, the firm has been involved with the Bowling Green Parade of Homes for many years, and in 2013, Kirby and his client wanted to make a splash in the event. The team wanted to create a backyard family retreat they would be able to showcase. Their timeframe was just over eight weeks for demolition and installation.

Kirby knew that teaming up with the right contractor and supplier would be critical to the project's success, and enlisted contractors Mark and Daniel Meador with Unique Hardscapes and Tim Martin at Lee Brick and Block to complete the installation. He had worked with both companies in the past, and knew they could be counted on to complete the project on time and create a unique area his clients would love.

Design
The design called for multiple levels in the large backyard. The main level included a kidney shaped pool connected to a basketball court, while a lower level nearby housed a hot tub covered by a pergola. An upper landing connected the garage to the main residence, and a raised deck defined a covered dining space with a seat wall and fire pit nearby.

An upper landing connects the garage to the main residence. Three semi loads of retaining wall blocks were installed for seat walls, planters, and definition of the various outdoor spaces.

More than 8,000 square feet of large Capriana pavers (Pavestone) were installed on the patio and near the pool. The light coloring of the paver's face comes from a mix that uses white cement, reducing the heat island effect and keeping the area around the pool cool.

The covered dining space sits just above the main patio, with the seat wall and fire pit nearby. A border of Venetian Stone pavers in a sandstone blend delineates the edge of the raised dining area. The tiered spaces allow the homeowners to entertain a large group, or create smaller, more intimate settings with separate "destinations" throughout the backyard.

Early in the design phase, Martin opted for a larger, slab-type of paver for the outdoor living area, which would fit in the expansive space better than smaller dimensioned pavers and speed installation. A request from the homeowners – reducing the heat around the pool – made the paver selection even easier.

"Pavestone was able to manufacture a light colored face mix paver utilizing white cement that greatly reduced the heat island effect." Martin said. "We went around with a heat gun and measured the temperatures of other concrete surfaces, and the Capriana• Caf????(R)???(C) product was the coolest of any we tested."

Installation
The installation began as a challenge, due to the tight timeframe and a firm open date, as the home was an advertised element of the Parade of Homes. Multiple workers from all trades were present on the job site, so space was at a premium. The front yard became a staging area for the backyard's hardscape products; there was not enough room to keep many pallets on site, however, so scheduling deliveries properly was another factor during the build phase. At any one time, crews were working on the house remodel, while other teams were responsible for plumbing, wiring, pool installation and construction of the covered eating area.

Another challenging factor was the tight confines of the backyard. Unique Hardscapes overcame the space concerns with a mini track loader, a Bobcat MT52, and a Bobcat M Series compact excavator, which reached areas that larger skid steers could not. This ultimately helped keep their work crews fresher and more productive, which was crucial to maintaining the project timeline.

In total, the hardscapers laid more than 8,000 square feet of large Capriana 3-piece combo pavers in a caf????(R)???(C) blend, with an inset border of Venetian Stone in sandstone blend, which gave the project its own signature look. Three semi loads of Anchor Highland stone 3-piece retaining wall system in chocolate tan completed the installation.

Kirby was happy to complete such an immense project on time, and he knew he had the right tradesman involved to make it a success. The homeowners, however, walked away the happiest. Hundreds of people visited their residence during the Parade of Homes, and many of them expressed renewed desires for an outdoor living space after witnessing the range of possibilities firsthand.