Quality Backyard Makeover Pulls Out all the Stops
Pulling out all the stops of an organ increases the sound so an audience can hear everything — every grand sound, in all its lovely variations.
You might say that the two Long Island homeowners who planned this backyard upgrade also “pulled out all the stops” to orchestrate a wonderful experience in outdoor living. Their completed project included:
— a free-form pool and surround renovation
— new custom pool pavilion
— refurbished multi-level Techo-Bloc patio
— new multi-faceted water feature (several sets of waterfalls and stream)
— new koi pond, and
— a new hot tub (Bullfrog Spa) wedged in-between the upper and lower patios.
“The totality of these amenities create a beautiful paradise,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But the homeowners didn’t stop there. They asked that their multi-faceted water feature (which they can enjoy on the upper patio, from the house and poolside) be extremely eco-friendly. For example, Town water is not used to keep the stream and waterfalls supplied.”
To ensure no use of Town water, Deck and Patio installed a ‘pondless’ reservoir system below the lower-level waterfall. The spills from the waterfall pass through river rock and gravel and is collected underground. Inside the reservoir, a pump recirculates the filtered water back up through the system.
Also, by letting gravity pull the flowing water downward, the whole system is turned into a complete ‘green’ maintenance-free water source that can enjoy throughout most of the year.
The Pool Area
“We designed the overall look of the refurbished pool area to appear organic so it blends with the property’s beautiful natural surroundings,” adds Dave. “The pool construction included a 24-by-42-foot free-form concrete wall.”
Deck and Patio’s toughest challenge was accurately measuring and cutting the vinyl liners needed for the pool itself and its in-pool stairs. However, having done many vinyl-pools over the years, Deck and Patio's team knew it would just require patience and steady attention to detail.
“All this was done so as to create bodies of water that would be in harmony with the patio area, with its outdoor kitchen, and with the waterfalls, stream and koi pond. Not only is the end result beautiful to look at, but the sounds of moving and spilling water can be appreciated at every section of the outdoor retreat. For sure, these clients pulled out all the stops.”
One last thought. The Waterfalls, stream, double steps, moss rock and plantings along the change in grade together create a natural looking retaining wall — a great way to cut costs while increasing the aesthetics of a beautiful graded property.
The following photos highlight many of the project’s elements.
You might say that the two Long Island homeowners who planned this backyard upgrade also “pulled out all the stops” to orchestrate a wonderful experience in outdoor living. Their completed project included:
— a free-form pool and surround renovation
— new custom pool pavilion
— refurbished multi-level Techo-Bloc patio
— new multi-faceted water feature (several sets of waterfalls and stream)
— new koi pond, and
— a new hot tub (Bullfrog Spa) wedged in-between the upper and lower patios.
“The totality of these amenities create a beautiful paradise,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But the homeowners didn’t stop there. They asked that their multi-faceted water feature (which they can enjoy on the upper patio, from the house and poolside) be extremely eco-friendly. For example, Town water is not used to keep the stream and waterfalls supplied.”
To ensure no use of Town water, Deck and Patio installed a ‘pondless’ reservoir system below the lower-level waterfall. The spills from the waterfall pass through river rock and gravel and is collected underground. Inside the reservoir, a pump recirculates the filtered water back up through the system.
Also, by letting gravity pull the flowing water downward, the whole system is turned into a complete ‘green’ maintenance-free water source that can enjoy throughout most of the year.
The Pool Area
“We designed the overall look of the refurbished pool area to appear organic so it blends with the property’s beautiful natural surroundings,” adds Dave. “The pool construction included a 24-by-42-foot free-form concrete wall.”
Deck and Patio’s toughest challenge was accurately measuring and cutting the vinyl liners needed for the pool itself and its in-pool stairs. However, having done many vinyl-pools over the years, Deck and Patio's team knew it would just require patience and steady attention to detail.
“All this was done so as to create bodies of water that would be in harmony with the patio area, with its outdoor kitchen, and with the waterfalls, stream and koi pond. Not only is the end result beautiful to look at, but the sounds of moving and spilling water can be appreciated at every section of the outdoor retreat. For sure, these clients pulled out all the stops.”
One last thought. The Waterfalls, stream, double steps, moss rock and plantings along the change in grade together create a natural looking retaining wall — a great way to cut costs while increasing the aesthetics of a beautiful graded property.
The following photos highlight many of the project’s elements.
