Staycation-Worthy

“The idea was to not just create one huge rectangle,” says landscape designer Jon Zeyl of the area between the back of the house and a garage sidewall. “We wanted welcoming spaces, logically broken up by geometry, that people would want to to use.” Uniting all the areas are concrete pavers set in a variety of sizes and patterns.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Landscape Creations of Rhode Island

PAVERS: Unilock

COMPOSITE ROOF TILES: DaVinci Roofscapes

CLAPBOARD STAIN: Olympic’s Steely Sea

CLAPBOARD SIDING: LIFESPAN Solid Select

CEDAR SHINGLES: SBC Cedar

PLANTS AND TREES: Fast-Growing-Trees.com

MICROCLOVER SOD: Sodco

The Ultimate Amenity

This 7x13-foot pre-cast plunge pool was delivered in one piece, dropped into a 4-foot hole, and then faced with stone veneer and a bluestone ledge. With a built-in bench and water temperature controls, this right-size pool is perfect for a quick, cooling dip when the mercury climbs.

PLUNGE POOL: Soake Pools

STONE VENEER: Eldorado Stone

FURNISHINGS: Hayneedle

Well-Dressed Pool

Colorful mirrored gazing globes float on the surface of our right-size plunge pool.

POOL: Soake Pools

GAZING GLOBES: Mayan Dreams Imports

TOWELS: Hayneedle

Green Landscape-Without the Wait

Mature-looking plants, trees, shrubs, and sod were all ordered online and installed over the course of a single weekend, saving both time and money.

PLANTINGS: Fast-Growing-Trees.com

Low-Maintenance Lawncare

Microclover sod requires infrequent watering and zero fertilizer. To avoid over-watering, we chose an in-ground irrigation system that includes a timer that can be remote-controlled from a smart phone or computer and adjusts to local weather conditions.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM & TIMER: Orbit B-Hyve & Orbit Irrigation

Instant Water Access

The no-leak, no-drip, never-freeze outdoor faucet system features a twist-lock design that automatically turns the water on as soon as the connector is inserted.

HOUSE HYDRANT & HOSE: Aquor Water Systems

Shower Spot

Tucked into the far corner of the concrete-paver patio, the custom-built outdoor shower features a pergola roof, custom-designed privacy panels, and a door laser-cut with a design of schooling fish.

OUTDOOR SHOWER: Sweenor Builders

PLANTS: Fast-Growing-Trees.com

PLANTER: Hayneedle

For a Quick Rinse

Both fun and functional, an outdoor shower is a sought-after amenity at any house near the beach. Inside, the curved seat and plumbing wall got a natural accent with moisture-resistant knotty western red cedar.

SHOWER: Sweenor Builders Mill Shop

KNOTTY WESTERN RED CEDAR: Real Cedar

SHOWER FITTINGS: DXV

LIGHTING: Clarkson Lighting

Outdoor Kitchen

Perfect for casual entertaining, the outdoor kitchen and dining area sets the stage for al fresco meals. A lantern wired into the garage wall provides evening task lighting. A teak bar-height dining set with wicker-topped stools is just steps away, allowing the chef to enjoy the party too.

KITCHEN ISLAND and GARAGE WALL: Eldorado Stone

COUNTERTOP: Cosentino

LIGHT FIXTURE: Clarkson Lighting

FURNISHINGS, GRILL and APPLIANCES: Hayneedle

PATIO PAVERS: Unilock

Built-In Barbeque Station

To create the outdoor kitchen, builder Jeff Sweenor started with pre-fab cabinets and cut out holes for a gas grill, stainless-steel refrigerator, and ice chest. He then covered it with manufactured stone veneer, and topped it with a non-porous, scratch- and stain-resistant countertop.

KITCHEN BASE AND STONE VENEER: Eldorado Stone

GRILL, ICE CHEST, REFRIGERATOR: Hayneedle

COUNTERTOP: Dekton by Cosentino

Evening Lounge

Casual Adirondack-style seating, including a bench swing hung from an angled pergola—echoed in the circular paving design—offers plenty of options for gathering around into the wee hours.

PERGOLA: Sweenor Builders Mill Shop

FURNISHINGS, ADIRONDACK CHAIRS, SWING: Hayneedle

FIRE BOWL: Eldorado Stone

PATH LIGHTING: Clarkson LIghting

Fire Feature

On evenings when there’s a chill in the air, the courtyard’s gas fire bowl has a magnetic attraction. Mood, task, and path lighting illuminate the surrounding areas.

FIRE BOWL: Eldorado Stone

ADIRONDACK CHAIR SET: Hayneedle

Mood and Safety Lighting

Task and ambient LED path lights keep the party going after dark, and accentuate the landscape.

LIGHTING: Clarkson Lighting

Conversation Piece

Off the sunroom, a seating area outfitted with an all-weather synthetic-resin wicker sectional sofa invites lounging and conversation.

SECTIONAL, PILLOWS, PLANTER: Hayneedle

RETRACTABLE SCREEN WINDOWS: Scenix by Larson

Welcome Back

For convenient daily comings and goings, the back door connects to the freestanding garage via a covered walkway, offering protection from the elements. This secondary entry gets the first-class treatment with a small sitting porch that echoes the full-width porch out front, with a cedar floor and ceiling and tapered wood columns set on manufactured-stone-veneer bases.

CLAPBOARDS, WINDOW TRIM, AND SOFFITS: LIFESPAN Solid Select

WESTERN RED CEDAR: Real Cedar

EXTERIOR SEALER (ON CEDAR ELEMENTS): Olympic

WALKWAY PAVERS: Unilock

BACK DOOR AND INTERIOR SHIPLAP: Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods

PORCH FURNISHINGS: Hayneedle

OUTDOOR SCONCES: Circa Lighting

STONE PIER: Eldorado Stone