Luxurious Outdoor Makeover with Outdoor Kitchen in Clifton, Virginia

Summary

• The front of the home was revamped with a flagstone pathway with a brick border that matches the home’s façade and an accentuating Trex outdoor lighting package. Key-Link aluminum rails sit atop the new, custom-designed round portico, which shades/covers the elevated flagstone front porch, and features a hand-sanded cedar tongue-and-groove ceiling and Azek PVC trim. A stone pathway leads to both the main and alternative front entrances of the home.

• Stonework/stonemasonry: The curved Pennsylvania flagstone walkway continues to the back of the home. Two stone columns (mated to the fence & gate) form a gateway to the sweeping/curved rear path that meets w/ a curved retaining wall that spans the length of the backyard patio. Eldorado stone was installed on the exterior of the ground floor of the home (including the under-deck space) as well as in the outdoor kitchen area, custom fireplace, & retaining wall.

• Comfort & Entertainment....Electronics & Leveraging Technology
  • An elevated sun deck has room for distinct a dining and sitting area, while the large patio features its own cooking space (an outdoor kitchen with a Blaze Grill & fridge) and a covered sitting area with a Samsung television, outdoor audio speakers, Infratech infrared heaters and a timed outdoor lighting package shielded by retractable porch screens.
  • High-end technology is used to leverage comfort, safety, security, lasting beauty & design, entertaining, and more in a unique design, with the comforts of a recessed hot tub, desgigner ceiling fans, motorized patio screens, and outdoor heaters.

• Thematic Style and Design
  
  • An existing fountain was preserved and integrated into the updated design, while the original deck and stairs footprint was slightly modified to account for an improved design and better low-maintenance materials. Improvements accounted for in the design of this Virginia back patio and entertaining area including a drainage system integrated into the deck floor and the inclusion of an underdeck dry storage area.

Materials

• Low-maintenance Fiberon decking
• 25-piece Trex lighting package
• Outdoor kitchen cabinetry, stone with stainless steel cabinet inserts and dark granite countertops
• Minka-Aire outdoor ceiling fans
• Cedar tongue-and-groove ceiling
• Pennsylvania blue flagstone

• Leveraging Low-Maintenance Materials and Efficient Design
  • The high quality and low-maintenance materials like Fiberon decking, stainless steel accessories, PVC trim, and flagstone require minimum annual upkeep while promising longevity and beauty.
  • Reclaimed wood was used with the outdoor fireplace for style and where it’s more protected from the elements, while the Fiberon decking was installed using hidden fasteners (an advanced technique) so the deck appears smooth

• Security is granted in part by both the existing forested area bleeding from the wilderness into the backyard and the new gated perimeter fence around the backyard, as well as motion-activated floodlights. Outdoor lighting package integrates light fixtures into the deck, stonework, & other strategic places to ensure visibility/safety in all areas

• Privacy
  • The elevated deck and natural hill block protect the privacy of the recessed hot tub from neighbors on one side of the home, while the retaining wall, outdoor kitchen, and roofed fireplace area strategically shield the recessed hot tub from view from the other side of the home.

• Recap
  • This is a practical design with multiple entrances/exits to the home in the front and backyards. Drainage is accounted for and prevents pooling on the deck or patio space, and the new pavilion or covered porch area accounts for hot and cold seasons with fans, heaters, a fireplace, and motorized retractable screens to protect occupants from summer bugs, autumn leaves, and other nuisances that impede outdoor living, with seasonal flexibility in mind.