Patio of the Week: Rustic, Modern and Japanese-Inspired
A landscape designer found on Houzz outfitted this cozy space with a fireplace, a gas fire pit and an outdoor kitchen
These two busy doctors in Richmond, Virginia, love to unwind outside, whether working in the yard or lounging. But their small existing patio only had enough room for a dining table. “This area of their yard was the bane of their existence,” says landscape designer Greg Koehler, whom they found by searching for landscape design pros on Houzz. They could never quite get grass to grow there. The shady area was soggy and their dog often mucked it up. A wood-burning fireplace, outdoor kitchen, lounge area and a beautiful view from their house were all on their wish list.
A Modern, Rustic and Japanese Garden Style
This photo shows the home’s modern architectural style and the living room’s expansive windows. The project included adding a new stepping-stone walkway along the left side of the house that leads from this new patio to a smaller existing patio around the corner. The new patio’s style is transitional, mixing clean modern lines on the patio’s surface and furnishings with a rugged outdoor aesthetic.
The area where they built the patio was mostly clear of plants, and Koehler was able to save most of the plants that were removed from or adjacent to the patio during the construction process. He reused the removed plants around the new patio and along the new path. These included Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum cv.), dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’) and spreading plum yews (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Prostrata’). New plants include ‘Kanjiro’ sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua ‘Kanjiro’), hosta (Hosta ‘Patriot’) and ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).
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This photo shows the home’s modern architectural style and the living room’s expansive windows. The project included adding a new stepping-stone walkway along the left side of the house that leads from this new patio to a smaller existing patio around the corner. The new patio’s style is transitional, mixing clean modern lines on the patio’s surface and furnishings with a rugged outdoor aesthetic.
The area where they built the patio was mostly clear of plants, and Koehler was able to save most of the plants that were removed from or adjacent to the patio during the construction process. He reused the removed plants around the new patio and along the new path. These included Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum cv.), dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’) and spreading plum yews (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Prostrata’). New plants include ‘Kanjiro’ sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua ‘Kanjiro’), hosta (Hosta ‘Patriot’) and ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).
Work with a landscape designer
The new outdoor fireplace was inspired by a much larger one the clients had found on Houzz and shared with Koehler. The fireplace flanked by wood boxes provides a focal point. And having a toasty new outdoor lounge lets the owners stay comfortable out here through the colder seasons.
Fortunately, the former homeowners had passed along a thorough catalog of all the materials used on the home. To tie the patio to the home’s architecture, Koehler was able to track down the exact stacked ledgestone product on the home’s facade and use it on the patio’s fireplace and walls. This product is a cast veneer, a molded concrete product made to look just like natural stone. Due to more good fortune, it was still in production over 20 years after the home was built.
“Always order a sample first because a product may have the same name but the colors may have changed over the years,” Koehler says. He also advises ordering extra in case of any damage from falling trees or other disasters that may occur down the line. In this case he was especially glad he did, as the product was discontinued shortly after this project was completed.
Drystack Ledgestone (discontinued): Suede color blend, Cultured Stone
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Fortunately, the former homeowners had passed along a thorough catalog of all the materials used on the home. To tie the patio to the home’s architecture, Koehler was able to track down the exact stacked ledgestone product on the home’s facade and use it on the patio’s fireplace and walls. This product is a cast veneer, a molded concrete product made to look just like natural stone. Due to more good fortune, it was still in production over 20 years after the home was built.
“Always order a sample first because a product may have the same name but the colors may have changed over the years,” Koehler says. He also advises ordering extra in case of any damage from falling trees or other disasters that may occur down the line. In this case he was especially glad he did, as the product was discontinued shortly after this project was completed.
Drystack Ledgestone (discontinued): Suede color blend, Cultured Stone
Browse outdoor lounge furniture
The hearth, chimney and wood boxes are capped in Pennsylvania bluestone treads with a thermal finish. The plants atop the wood boxes are ‘Degroot’s Spire’ arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’).
Beyond the home’s modern style and ledgestone, a few other factors influenced the patio’s style. The original landscape design had a calm Japanese-inspired sensibility. The black netting to the right of the Japanese maple is protecting a lovely existing koi pond from autumn’s falling leaves.
In total there are 3 tons of Virginia Fieldstone Boulders bringing a natural look to the edges of the patio.
Wood-Burning and Gas Options
Because they were installing a large fireplace, Koehler had not considered a fire pit. But while shopping for other patio items, his clients happened upon this massive stone with an integrated gas fire pit from Fireboulder. “They fell in love with it,” he says. It is a solid stone piece that weighs around 1,500 pounds. There is a gas line that runs underneath the patio to the fire pit. The piece also functions as a coffee table that fits the scale of the lounge nicely.
Because they were installing a large fireplace, Koehler had not considered a fire pit. But while shopping for other patio items, his clients happened upon this massive stone with an integrated gas fire pit from Fireboulder. “They fell in love with it,” he says. It is a solid stone piece that weighs around 1,500 pounds. There is a gas line that runs underneath the patio to the fire pit. The piece also functions as a coffee table that fits the scale of the lounge nicely.
“It’s great to have both wood-burning and gas options,” Koehler says. “The wood-burning fireplace takes more effort — building the fire, getting it started and keeping it going. But if they want to go out and just have one glass of wine, they can flip the gas fire pit on for a little while and turn it off when they’re done.”
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Shop for an outdoor fire pit
Patio and Wall Materials
The walls around the patio are covered in the same stacked ledgestone product as the fireplace. Koehler capped them in another cast concrete product that looks like natural stone. The capping complements the hearth but has a more rugged look along the edges. Both the walls and the hearth provide additional seating options when the couple are hosting larger groups.
Wall capping: Flat cap in gray, Cultured Stone
The walls around the patio are covered in the same stacked ledgestone product as the fireplace. Koehler capped them in another cast concrete product that looks like natural stone. The capping complements the hearth but has a more rugged look along the edges. Both the walls and the hearth provide additional seating options when the couple are hosting larger groups.
Wall capping: Flat cap in gray, Cultured Stone
The patio pavers are 24-by-36-inch natural quartzitic sandstone slabs placed in a running bond pattern. Koehler advises avoiding trends with the expensive permanent design elements. “When it comes to outdoor spaces, you want to go classic, and a running bond pattern is classic. If you want to do something trendy, do it with something less permanent, like furniture, planters and accessories,” he says.
The dry-laid patio (meaning no concrete or mortar was used) is permeable thanks to the material Koehler used in between the pavers and the grouting compound he used. “The foundation of the patio is composed of 6-inch open-graded No. 57 gravel. The foundation is stabilized using a layer of biaxial geogrid through the middle of the foundation. The stone pavers are then laid and leveled on a 1-inch layer of No. 8 gravel. The joints are then filled with the EasyJoint grouting compound, which hardens and allows water to flow through,” he says. For extremely wet conditions, there is also a drainage system along the fireplace and the outdoor kitchen.
Patio slabs: Blue Ice, Oakville Stone
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The dry-laid patio (meaning no concrete or mortar was used) is permeable thanks to the material Koehler used in between the pavers and the grouting compound he used. “The foundation of the patio is composed of 6-inch open-graded No. 57 gravel. The foundation is stabilized using a layer of biaxial geogrid through the middle of the foundation. The stone pavers are then laid and leveled on a 1-inch layer of No. 8 gravel. The joints are then filled with the EasyJoint grouting compound, which hardens and allows water to flow through,” he says. For extremely wet conditions, there is also a drainage system along the fireplace and the outdoor kitchen.
Patio slabs: Blue Ice, Oakville Stone
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Outdoor Kitchen and Bar
To the left of the fireplace is the outdoor kitchen and bar area.
To the left of the fireplace is the outdoor kitchen and bar area.
A Summerset 38-inch grill with a rotisserie and drop-in sear burner is the star of the outdoor kitchen, which has plenty of countertop space for prepping and serving. The door underneath was required by code for access to the gas line. Koehler recommends pairing the required door with a pair of drawers to store tools, serveware and other grilling supplies as he did here. To the right of the grill is a handy trash bin.
He set up the bar area around the corner from the grill at bar height. “We often do this because there is a much wider selection of outdoor bar stools than counter stools available to choose from,” he says.
The outdoor kitchen countertops are Silver Pearl granite with a leathered finish. “The leathered finish gives the counters a more rustic look than a polished finish would have,” Koehler says.
Countertop fabrication: Classic Granite & Marble
The outdoor kitchen countertops are Silver Pearl granite with a leathered finish. “The leathered finish gives the counters a more rustic look than a polished finish would have,” Koehler says.
Countertop fabrication: Classic Granite & Marble
In addition to the glow from the fires and lanterns, Koehler installed a complete landscape lighting scheme. There are four small uplights on the fireplace hearth, three lights under the caps on the walls, five lights under the kitchen counters, seven uplights that illuminate the surrounding trees, four path lights around the patio and main walkway, and seven path lights along the new stepping-stone path.
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More on Houzz
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Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Patio at a Glance
Who uses it: Two doctors who like to relax outside
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Size: 590 square feet (55 square meters)
Designer and builder: Outdoor Dreams
Before. The living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto this area, so the homeowners wanted to create something that would vastly improve the view. Koehler kicked off the design process by presenting a Houzz ideabook he’d made that showed a variety of different styles and ideas he thought would work well in their space. “I used their reactions and feedback to guide the initial round of sketches,” he says.
How to Create and Use Ideabooks