Bluestone Entertainment
Home in Orono, Minnesota needed an update for it’s outdoor living space. Client’s wanted a covered place for a gas fire table, a grilling area, and dinning surrounded by a beautiful garden.
Under-decking with recessed lights that ran from the porch to the far end of the deck provided ample room for the fire table and four comfortable outdoor lounge chairs. The deck and porch pillars were wrapped in cedar and stone to for better scale.
In between two stone pillars with extended caps for placing drinks, a 42″ grill was placed that can be moved if needed. Extending out from on pillar is a 7-foot long slab of bluestone that rests on a reclaimed cedar beam. This table is used for grill prep or a buffet table.
Full color patterned bluestone patio connects the spaces and it’s permitter is lush with perennials and shrubs.
Front yard landscape was updated with new plantings.
Challenge
Bringing in fill to create a level back yard had to come through the woods.
Integration of the under-decking with elevation changes of porch and deck required some additional thought.
Solution
The original lawn was full of weeds and did not slope properly for drainage control so the lawn was removed and taken to a compost facility. Organic well draining soils we brought in through the woods, only a few saplings were removed in order to preserve the large trees. Once the grade was restored a lawn with a higher percentage of fescue was installed.
A lot of hidden detail in the carpentry of the under-decking was required to level the underside of the porch and deck. Recessed cans also proved to be a challenge since the original fixtures did not work as specified in technical specifications. Plan B required extra water protects and custom housing but the area is now well lit.