September 2022

When Classic Meets Coastal

Mark and Desiree wanted to create a larger and more functional outdoor living area for their family. They hired landscape architect Josh Mihaly to transform their back yard, expanding the terrace and adding a pool and spa. They sought a traditional look, built to weather the challenges of the intracoastal environment.

During the process, the couple consulted with the original homeowners to honor the 30-year-old house. The original back yard was narrow and sat on a steep slope. The terrace was small and had been constructed using a unique, multi-color slate that was very difficult to match.

Dean’s Quality Masonry constructed an extensive retaining wall to capture the land necessary for the new footprint. Desiree worked with Emily at Stone Garden and chose Sterling Gray Sandstone to complement the classic white house with its Vermont slate roof. The patio, installed by Grandpa Masonry, mimics the lines of the traditional home. It is anchored by a grill station at one end and a fire pit at the other.

It’s great how outdoor materials have improved over last 20-30 years and that Stone Garden can source them for us.

From the patio you can see the slate roof so we pulled off that texture and its purple, blue and gray hues.

The pool and spa, installed by Caribbean Pools, is a magnet for their teenage children and friends. It’s surrounded with Creme Travertine coping which is smooth and cool on their feet.

Element Outdoor Living and Vista Landscaping helped us with the greenery. Now we get to enjoy it every day.

The family relish grilling and dining out with a spectacular view of the waterway. The best memories and moments are when they gather together to decompress around the fire pit on quiet evenings.

On chilly Fall and Spring nights we enjoy quiet time to reconnect as a family. We’re all so busy, it’s nice to have a breather. It’s a very personal and intimate space without any background noise.

There’s something magical about being outside, surrounded by nature, watching the playful dolphins and passing boats.
We feel very fortunate.

We trust you’ve enjoyed this tour and thank Mark and Desiree for sharing their story with us.