Building a ‘Forever Home’

This client in the Baltimore suburbs came into the project with the goal of designing and building their “forever home” on a lot which they purchased and planned to remove the existing home and start fresh. The outdoor living space would play a critical role in the functionality and appeal of that home. The client and landscape contractor were introduced through a mutual business contact as the client was designing and preparing to build their home. Many of the home’s details had already been decided by the time the landscape team was brought on board, but the backyard was an open canvas, which allowed input from the Landscape Architect and Landscape Contractor to create a space that would fulfill the goals for the new home.

The landscape contractor worked alongside a local Landscape Architect who designed the outdoor living space for the backyard. The clients planned to entertain a lot in their new home so they wanted room for guests both inside and outside.  Wish list items included a water feature which could be seen and heard from inside the home, outdoor dining space off the kitchen area, and a large area for entertaining, including an outdoor fireplace.

Because the client had bought a property and demolished everything but the foundation of the original home and the garage, the original landscaping had been removed or destroyed during the demolition. Only a single Japanese Maple was saved. The homeowner wanted to incorporate this tree into the new landscaping, and the tree was transplanted to its new location above the fountain on the first day that the landscape contractor arrived on site.

The home builder had salvaged several hundred square feet of Pennsylvania bluestone from a patio at the original home, and the landscape contractor had to acid wash and pressure wash this salvaged stone before mixing it with new PA bluestone to be used in the 2,000 square feet of new patio area.