When you work with a custom design and build firm, you get a one-of-a-kind end result tailored to your life. With every custom project we do here at Design Builders, there’s always something unique and special about the outdoor living space we create. With this amazing Rockville, Maryland,  porch and patio, there’s a lot to love, but the unique feature is obvious: the incredible view!

What Makes This Rockville Outdoor Living Space Stand Out?

Here are just some of the details and nuance that make this Maryland patio and porch project so special.

View Preservation

The main goal of this project was to preserve the home’s amazing view. As avid golfers, the homeowners were very interested in keeping their view of the golf course as intact and uninterrupted as possible.

That meant:

• No barriers
• No handrails
• No columns in the approximately twenty-foot expanse

To achieve this, all elevations had to be carefully considered and constructed in this build. This ensured the project was fully compliant with building codes while still fulfilling the client’s desire to preserve those views.

To safely create such a large opening without any support columns, an oversized horizontal beam was engineered into the design. This homeowner chose to leave that beam exposed, but it’s also possible to hide a support beam for anyone who wants a more minimalistic aesthetic.

Unmatched Stargazing

The homeowners were also interested in stargazing and asked for that to be integrated into their porch design. To accomplish this, a hot tub was strategically situated—half covered and half open to the night sky.

This meant the homeowners could look up and enjoy the stars on clear nights, but they also had protection if rain or snow made an appearance.

Patio Built for Entertaining

A large patio was also an integral part of this build. This gave the Rockville homeowners an entirely new area to sit and to entertain crowds. Because of its careful placement, none of the furniture or people using that space would block the views of the people above.

The patio was constructed from timeless and elegant Pennsylvania bluestone. For visual interest, that stone was laid in an irregular pattern, and planter boxes were built in for additional color and personalization.

Rounding out the aesthetic, the stone veneer gave the space an organic, earthy, rustic feel, and the bluestone thermal caps visually tied the space together.

AZEK Decking

AZEK was our immediate recommendation for this build because of the hot tub. Anytime there’s a high-moisture environment, AZEK decking is a high-quality, durable, beautiful solution.

Because it’s 100 percent synthetic, AZEK outperforms other forms of decking when water is present. (Composite decking does contain a very small percentage of organic material, and that can retain water. It’s a minimal chance, but these are the kinds of details we focus on at Design Builders. Every step is meant to ensure you get an outdoor living space that matches your needs and lasts for decades.)

Built-In Lighting

Throughout the project, we integrated outdoor LED lighting.

This:

• Made the space safer to use
• Increased the aesthetic appeal
• Extended the usability of the outdoor living space (during any given day and throughout the year)

Visual Continuity

The last thing you want is for a new outdoor living space to feel like an afterthought. But without the right attention to detail, it can definitely feel like a tacked-on addition rather than an integrated part of the home.

To make the space feel streamlined, material, layout, and design touches were made to be consistent throughout the area.

The flagstone patio, for example, wrapped around the house and tied into a paver patio driveway. This helped unite the front and back of the home and give the entire space that better sense of continuity. Other elements, such as the landscaping, were also wrapped around the porch to make everything feel like it flowed naturally from one area to the next.

Inspired by This Custom Rockville, Maryland, Patio and Porch?

Interested in adding a custom outdoor living space to your Northern Virginia or Maryland home? Want to talk to a team of experts about what’s possible with your property?

Then reach out to Design Builders today. For decades we’ve been bringing homeowners’ visions to life with outdoor living spaces that make homes more beautiful, functional, and valuable.

We’re always happy to answer your questions. Get in touch today!