You don’t have to travel to California or Italy, or even too far from home to see some stunning backyards – we have plenty right here in Ulster County! From functional retaining walls to create space and provide seating, to beautiful patios that set the stage for your next gathering. Here’s a little inspiration from some of our favorite backyard getaways right in our own backyard.
New Paltz, NY
- Features: Patio, retaining wall, walkway, fencing, native plants.
- Products: Cambridge Ledgestone Pavers, Rosetta Kodah Wall
- The Story: This little piece of paradise is proof that you don’t have to go big to have an idyllic backyard getaway. They kept it clean and rustic, with a geometric paver and stone-faced rectangular steps and wall stone. A gently curving walkway entrance and some small boulders from around the yard as a border softened all the angles. A small Kodah retaining wall was constructed to accommodate the grade change between the new patio and the driveway. But what really takes this patio tot he next level is the plants. We went native and drought-tolerant with a mind toward seasonal interest. Black-eyed Susans, stonecrop, catmint, and hydrangea offer so much bright color and texture. Paired with the rough-hewn cedar post-and-rail fencing, it has a laidback mountain home vibe perfect for grilling and gathering.
Highland, NY
- Features: Patio, Retaining Wall, Built-In Grill, Firepit, Water Feature, Outdoor Lighting
- Products: Cambridge, Rosetta Outcropping Wall, CAST Lighting.
- The Story: It all started with a deck. This family wanted to turn their backyard into a dynamic spot for family gatherings, but their location at the foot of a steep hillside limited their room to grow, leaving them with a small wooden deck beside their pool. We cut back the hillside, expanding the flat space behind their home with a tiered Rosetta Outcropping and Belvedere wall. All that new space meant there was room for a sprawling patio, a firepit, and outdoor kitchen, and lots of built-in seating. We put on the finishing touches with niche and path lighting and some greenery too. Our favorite detail? A custom waterfall to fill the air with a bubbling brook ambiance.
- Learn more about this project here.
High Falls, NY
- Features: Patio, Retaining Wall, Built-In Seating, Drainage
- Products: Natural cleft bluestone, Rosetta Outcropping Wall.
- The Story: This homeowner came to us with a vision and a roughly graded pile of dirt outside her backdoor. We worked from the ground up, creating a terraced wall system with Rosetta Outcropping complete with a complex drainage system within to ensure longevity. For the patio, we used natural cleft bluestone pieces which perfectly complement the stone texture of the retaining wall. To really tie the design together, we added a couple free-standing Outcropping pieces as built-in seating. To complete the look, the homeowners added a pergola and plenty of flower shrubs and trees for texture. Add in some natural boulders and lots of sweet stonecrop, and voila, an outdoor living space you’ll wish you could use year-round.
- Learn more about this project here.
Gardiner, NY
- Features: Patio, Entryway, Seating Walls, Fire Pit, Native Plants, Built-in Seating, Drainage
- Products: Natural bluestone, reclaimed brick, Belgard Ashlar Tandem Wall, Rosetta Fire Pit.
- The Story: We started with a blank slate for this project in Gardiner. This modern farmhouse needed an entryway, plus the homeowners dreamt of extending their outdoor gathering space from their screened in porch. We matched the slick contemporary lines of the home with geometric cut bluestone and kept it rustic with reclaimed brick inlays. One of our favorite details is the seating wall around the patio. It’s a precast concrete Belgard wall that offers the aesthetic of stacked bluestone without the costly installation and maintenance. The finishing touch? Native shrubs and trees to screen the surface drainage system in place to keep the patio dry. Grab a drink, take a seat on a bench by the firepit, and watch the sunset over the mountains. Does it get better than that?
New Paltz, NY
- Features: Patio, Retaining Wall, Fire Pit, Custom-Built Seating
- Products: Rosetta Old Mission pavers, Rosetta Belvedere Wall Stone and Fire Pit, Rosetta Outcropping Wall
- The Story: This project came together in phases. We started with a front entry late in the season one year and came back the next to add a patio onto their new deck. Some tricky grade changes around the back of the house meant we had to start with the retaining wall that stabilizes the deck and the patio. For the patio surface, we used Rosetta Old Mission, a smaller-scale paver that perfectly complements the Belvedere stone of the fire pit and those built-in benches. A row of coreopsis, a couple hydrangea, astilbe, and a flowering tree were all they needed to bright-up the space with some color.
Want a little more backyard inspiration to help you design your perfect getaway? Check out our work.