For this family in Chatham, NJ we were hired to build them a bluestone patio at the rear of their home. The patio includes a modern gas fire-pit, built-in grilling station, a bar complete with built-in refrigerator and kegerator, (2) light piers, a sitting wall around the perimeter and (2) sets of steps. In order to give the home continuity from front to back, we used matching natural blue bluestone tiles of random sizes, matching real stone veneer to all stair risers, structure sides and walls. 2" thick bluestone caps were used for the walls and stair treads. We installed LED strip lighting below the lip of the wall caps to give them some night lighting. The counter top material for the grilling station and bar is 1.25" Quartz. The finished product was a great success and we couldn't have asked to work for a better family. We wish them many good times ahead in their new outdoor living space! #GreatWorkForGreatPeople

Toby Gomez
Example of a classic pool design in New Orleans

Magic Landscaping, Inc- New Jersey Landscape Designer & Contractor.
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This visually simple, modern solution is unique within its suburban context, and gives this family the custom landscape of their dreams. The homeowners’ wish list included a modern design and clearly defined spaces: a larger dining patio, firepit patio, hot tub, and a 4-season sport court (which gets flooded for ice hockey in the winter). Circulation and screening were key in Ground One’s landscape design. A sport court could overwhelm the entire backyard, so it was raised three feet above the primary backyard to physically separate different spaces, and minimize its visual impact. Rectangular bluestone in a running bond pattern was used in all the gathering spaces (dining, firepit, hot tub). Bluestone walls reinforce a simple material palette. A larger dining patio was installed near the house for greater entertaining flexibility. Plank paver paths connect to a private hot tub area and allow kids to don hockey gear and enter the sport court without messing up the house. The firepit patio is at the back of the property, nestled into the existing hillside under a large oak and below the sport court terrace. Plantings reinforce the geometry of each gathering space, provide focal points, and create layers of screening and separation from any given vantage point. Hardy species were selected for their low-maintenance requirements and various seasons of interest. Landscape lighting was incorporated to provide way finding between the patios, accent various hardscape elements, and highlight the trees.

Photo: © Jude Parkinson-Morgan
This is an example of a mediterranean drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard stone landscaping in San Francisco.

Ground One designed and built a deck off the back of the house for casual sitting, mirroring the house’s front porch. This deck and the screened porch steps descend to a patio terrace. To expand the entertaining space and accommodate the setback restrictions for a permitted gas firepit, we excavated the lot’s back slope to gain bonus space and create a rustic campfire spot. Large boulders found on the site during house construction are incorporated into a retaining wall. Colonial bluestone fills the gaps between these large accent stones and surrounds the firepit. Additional boulders hold up the patio and a slab of bluestone bridges the terrace and patio, preserving the overall drainage pattern. Bluestone is the common thread throughout the project, but it is used in different forms; clean lines closer to the house transition to a more weathered look as you move toward the natural area. The swale is a variety of boulder sizes and river rock to create a more visually-compelling creekbed. The firepit patio is comfortable for just two people, but can also accommodate a larger group. It is close to the dining space, but physical separation allows for entertaining in different configurations: pre-dinner cocktails around the fire, a roaring flame as backdrop during dinner, kids roasting marshmallows while the adults linger within sight at the dining table, or the gang huddled around a bonfire.

Located in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, this project creates a welcoming driveway and arrival area that leads to a relaxing outdoor living area with natural pool shape with bluestone decks and unique boulders. The garden also features a covered pavilion, fireplace, decorative iron gates, steps stones, lush landscaping and shade arbor. Completed with Naud Burnett & Partners.

Rhonda Blackey
Inspiration for a large timeless backyard stone partial sun patio kitchen remodel for summer in Boston with no cover

Toby Gomez
Example of a classic home design design in New Orleans

Toby Gomez
Example of a classic home design design in New Orleans

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC
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This house, located in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a variation on a center hall colonial home. The owner loves to cook and entertain and had a strong desire to have an open plan for the entire rear of the residence. The oversized kitchen flows right into the dining area and continues into the family room giving approximately 70 feet of open floor plan. Other features on the first floor include an "adult living room" for privacy, a study, a two story foyer, a mudroom area and a three car garage. The second floor features four bedrooms paired in a fashion allowing for two jack and jill bathrooms, a master bedroom suite with oversized his and hers walk-in closets along with a masterbath with an oversized arched feature window above the garage. The front exterior is a red brick with quoining and a decorative motif over the arched garage doors. It is complemented with a bluestone porch and walkway. The rear of the residence has an expansive yard, great for parties, and features a beautiful patio and a bocci ball court.

All photos by Linda Oyama Bryan. Home restoration by Von Dreele-Freerksen Construction
Design ideas for a mid-sized rustic front yard brick driveway in Chicago.

Toby Gomez
Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in New Orleans

New dry-stacked lannon stone walls and steps were designed to replace the crumbling existing walls. A new concrete patio with inlaid bluestone runnels mimics the angle and materials of the larger upper patio. Renn Kuhnen Photography

Ground One designed and built a deck off the back of the house for casual sitting, mirroring the house’s front porch. This deck and the screened porch steps descend to a patio terrace. To expand the entertaining space and accommodate the setback restrictions for a permitted gas firepit, we excavated the lot’s back slope to gain bonus space and create a rustic campfire spot. Large boulders found on the site during house construction are incorporated into a retaining wall. Colonial bluestone fills the gaps between these large accent stones and surrounds the firepit. Additional boulders hold up the patio and a slab of bluestone bridges the terrace and patio, preserving the overall drainage pattern. Bluestone is the common thread throughout the project, but it is used in different forms; clean lines closer to the house transition to a more weathered look as you move toward the natural area. The swale is a variety of boulder sizes and river rock to create a more visually-compelling creekbed. The firepit patio is comfortable for just two people, but can also accommodate a larger group. It is close to the dining space, but physical separation allows for entertaining in different configurations: pre-dinner cocktails around the fire, a roaring flame as backdrop during dinner, kids roasting marshmallows while the adults linger within sight at the dining table, or the gang huddled around a bonfire.

Ground One designed and built a deck off the back of the house for casual sitting, mirroring the house’s front porch. This deck and the screened porch steps descend to a patio terrace. To expand the entertaining space and accommodate the setback restrictions for a permitted gas firepit, we excavated the lot’s back slope to gain bonus space and create a rustic campfire spot. Large boulders found on the site during house construction are incorporated into a retaining wall. Colonial bluestone fills the gaps between these large accent stones and surrounds the firepit. Additional boulders hold up the patio and a slab of bluestone bridges the terrace and patio, preserving the overall drainage pattern. Bluestone is the common thread throughout the project, but it is used in different forms; clean lines closer to the house transition to a more weathered look as you move toward the natural area. The swale is a variety of boulder sizes and river rock to create a more visually-compelling creekbed. The firepit patio is comfortable for just two people, but can also accommodate a larger group. It is close to the dining space, but physical separation allows for entertaining in different configurations: pre-dinner cocktails around the fire, a roaring flame as backdrop during dinner, kids roasting marshmallows while the adults linger within sight at the dining table, or the gang huddled around a bonfire.

Mid-sized elegant backyard tile patio photo in DC Metro with a fire pit and a gazebo

Located in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, this project creates a welcoming driveway and arrival area that leads to a relaxing outdoor living area with natural pool shape with bluestone decks and unique boulders. The garden also features a covered pavilion, fireplace, decorative iron gates, steps stones, lush landscaping and shade arbor. Completed with Naud Burnett & Partners.