Marsh Landing Backyard Sanctuary

September 14, 2012

The neglected backyard before the hardscape project began.

The backyard at this Marsh Landing home had been neglected for many years, we weren't sure if anyone had been back there in quite some time. You could just barely see that there was a golf course and a wrap around lake surrounding this peninsula of land that shaped the backyard. The new homeowners immediately recognized that this backyard showed enormous potential. Moderna was delighted to be part of the process.

The finalized hardscape plan, showing the seat wall, columns and fire pit. — The finalized hardscape plan, showing the seat wall, columns and fire pit.

The design of the project was focused on integrating the patio and walks in the most advantageous placement between the trees, maintaining the natural, tree covered environment.

The design includes raising the fire pit portion of the patio and building a seating wall on one side, anchored by two columns on either end.

Gracefully curved walkways lead you to the patio and connect the dock, screened in pool, and driveway at the front of the home. Because of the large scale of this project we kept the walkways at 4' wide, this also allows two people to walk side by side ont he walks.

The upper patio was planned so that guests could use the seating wall to enjoy the fire or pull up a chair between the wall and fire pit.

The fire pit is plumbed with gas from the home's main tank with a stainless steel control module which houses a flame height selector and electric igniter.

The completed hardscape patio with fire pit, seat wall and columns in Marsh Landing.

The pavers used are Tremron's Mega Olde Towne, a three piece cobble paver with a slightly pillowed edge. The color of the pavers, wall, cap, columns, and fire pit are Sierra- a blend of Sandstone, Tan and Charcoal.

Before and after of the side area.

From the homeowner:

Being out on the patio is a truly special experience. We sit and watch the birds under the canopy of the trees as the summer breeze comes off the ocean, down the fairway and across our raised patio rustling through the leaves of the palms & tall pines. A serene place, profoundly connected with nature.

Creating an Outdoor Room in Jacksonville

August 1, 2012

The completed jacksonville outdoor living project.

The homeowners started their project by constructing a typical glassed in Florida Room- a room designed to bring you closer to the outdoors. The room is climate controlled, lets in lots of light and suited a excellent purpose. But the Florida room didn't quite bring them close enough to their wonderful Florida outdoors and Jacksonville backyard area.

The next phase of the project was creating a new space- the Outdoor Room. Outdoor living as a concept has grown extensively in Jacksonville and North Florida over the last decade. The new vision of the outdoor room is the transition from a simple concrete slab or wood patio with a few folding chairs and a picnic table to a more elaborate outdoor living space with a kitchen, pavers, walls, fire pit... limitless possibilities.

The homeowner approving the final layout before the paver construction begins.

Before we got started the backyard was pretty basic, with a small wood deck off to one side. The homeowners gave us a list of the features and amenities that they wanted to include and shared with us that they wanted to be able to gather in a larger group, but also have several quaint areas that would accomodate smaller, more intimate groups of people.

The first thing to get installed was the pergola. A rough cut cedar structure built with large posts and accents to suite its large scale size. The pergola was pre-stained to reduce future maintenance and prewired for ambient and grill lighting and an outdoor ceiling fan.

The kitchen components were set- including gas, electrical, plumbing etc. and we were ready for the brick pavers. We used a product called Mega Olde Towne which is a three piece cobble paver, meaning the sides and corners of the pavers are pillowed slightly to give a cobblestone like appearance, though the surface of the paver is still flat and smooth. The color chosen was Sierra, a blend of Sandstone, Tan, and Charcoal- accenting the home, pergola, and kitchen. These brick paving stones are manufactured locally in Jacksonville.

The three tiered seat wall is also constructed in the Sierra color, providing permanent seating for the fire pit on one side. The seating wall utilized a five piece landscape wall system called Country Manor, which is both textured on the surface and tumbled for an old world, antiquated look.

The completed outdoor room construction project.

After the brick pavers were installed and finished, the outdoor kitchen could be built on-site complete with a grilling station, refrigerator, lots of storage and counter space for food preparation, and a bar.

Here is the conceptual design from Creative Design Space and the finished product. — Here is the conceptual design from Creative Design Space and the finished product.

Pre Party Planning in Marsh Landing

August 1, 2009

Before we started, the backyard was almost a blank slate.

The owners of this lakefront home in Marsh Landing, a prestigious gated subdivision in Ponte Vedra Beach, needed a multi-functional backyard space. Each year, they throw two big parties during The Players Championship. When not entertaining large groups of people, they use the space as an extension of their house – an outdoor living room in temperate weather. “It’s an area to read under the oak tree, have cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with a few friends or coffee in the morning,” owner Anna Dennis explains.

The completed patio with tiered planter boxes.

After getting a quote from a landscape architect and bids from five contracting companies, Dennis knew what she was looking for out of the space and out of the people she wanted to execute the project. “I felt an architect would just be an additional cost that I could transfer to larger privacy shrubs, or more pavers,” she says. “What started as just an empty space of grass and beds began to take shape in my head.”

The chaise lounge area with inlayed plant beds and a seat wall.

Dennis decided to meet with Linda from Moderna Pavers out of Jacksonville. She says she enjoyed working with Moderna because they were willing to put in the time to come up with several different design ideas. After a month of going back and forth with computer-aided design (CAD) ideas – tweaking curves and planter sizes, Dennis settled on her ideal backyard patio space, but not before adding a driveway apron, path along the side of the house and path to the front door.

In just a few days, Moderna transformed the Dennis’ bleak backyard into a beautiful and multi-functional outdoor space including a travertine lanai with a step that extends outwards, three built-in planters, a seating wall and irrigated beds for an herb garden, flower gardens and even a space to plant a few veggies.

The hardscape planter boxes can also be used as a small seating wall.

Before the project even started, Dennis knew exactly how she wanted to furnish the space. She was looking to incorporate four chairs and an ottoman, a hammock and a double chaise lounge so that she, her husband and their dog could read and relax together. “I got everything I wanted,” she says. “We use the space everyday. Whether we're entertaining a big group, a few friends or just ourselves, it is perfect.”

A small stoop from the bedroom & a path that leads from the patio to the front yard.