Though many a landscaping project is straightforward in its design, the details of timing, the unique position of the yard, and even weather can make what seems simple very complicated. A hardscape-heavy project we took on in old town Carmel proved to be just that—a straightforward set of needs with a complicated execution. It was a small, older property, and the owners were in the midst of major renovations, extending their porch and removing their deck. They brought us in to design and install a raised patio that would connect to the new porch addition via a staircase. We also worked on their side and front yards, creating paved walks and stone steps between their driveway, patio, and doors.
The raised patio included a sitting wall and fire pit, as well as a stone staircase to the new porch. The goal was to create a small, cozy outdoor living space that connected to the front driveway. What made this simple goal complicated was in the details. Along with elevating the patio and path to connect to the driveway, we also had gas lines to run to the fire pit and grill, keeping in mind the patio’s drainage needs as well. Choosing materials for the patio and steps were also more complicated, as we needed to match the old style of the home. We worked with our client’s construction manager to coordinate all these details, and created a complete outdoor living space that met with all their desires.
Our clients’ garage is detached from their home, as is the case with many older homes.  We paved the space between the garage and their home, which attached their new concrete driveway to the back of the patio, making their back yard very easy to access.
A lot of our work was making everything accessible. The front door and side door face the driveway; here we used natural sandstone to create steps up to both. This material maintained an old world feel at the entries, a very durable and appropriate choice for the home’s style.
The most challenging part of the project was actually the softscape: getting the yard planted, lighted and installed between this summer’s monsoons! Our client partnered with us in developing the landscape and did some of the plantings and installations, while we helped to add two walls in the front that matched the new patio, and laying a planting bed in the backyard.
This project, like most landscapes, was completed over quite a few months and involved multiple teams, requiring excellent communication and coordinating. However, the project went smoothly, excepting the obstinacies of Mother Nature in the last few months.
What challenges have you encountered with your landscaping projects? Leave us a comment below!
