River Valley created Comprehensive Design and Installation of Hardscape, Lighting and Planting. The homeowners requested an outdoor living space that had to include a swimming pool, pool house, patios, and an outdoor kitchen. The space and pool had to be large enough to accommodate large gatherings. Several challenges had to be solved during the design phase such as the uneven grade of the backyard, water runoff, the restrictions imposed by the drain field on one side and the reserve drain field on the other and the building set back at the rear. These restrictions provided a very limited area of usable space. Measurements and elevations had to be absolutely precise in order for the project to remain within the imposed boundaries. The grading issues were particularly challenging so substantial retaining walls were used to elevate the pool and patio surfaces. This allowed minimizing the number of steps between the various levels in order to maximize the usable square footage of the patio while simultaneously staying within the allowable area. The design also dictated that the pool house line up precisely with the main house so its placement was particularly important. The materials chosen for the wall surfaces were dictated by what was already present on the house. Travertine stone was chosen for the patio surface to fulfill the homeowner’s desire for real stone and compliment the colors and textures of the wall materials. The careful choice of materials resulted in a cohesive, unified and comfortable outdoor living space.