A Backyard Landscape for Teens in Kenilworth

As this family’s kids grew older, their parents wanted to give them a space they could enjoy with their friends. The result is a patio and pool house addition that suit their family’s summer lifestyle perfectly.

As this family’s children grew older, entering their teen years and moving into high school, their parents wanted to give them a space they could enjoy with their friends. They worked with the Van Zelst team to design and install the ideal teenage retreat in their own backyard. The result is a welcoming outdoor space, including a patio, pool house addition and outdoor fire pit that suit their family’s summer lifestyle perfectly.

While many Van Zelst engagements focus on an abundance of colorful perennial flowers and shrubs, this family wanted to place stone hardscape, turf grass and lifestyle features center stage. Drifts of single-color flowers and stone planters add pops of color to punctuate the expansive space, and trees with a variety of interesting types of foliage surround the backyard landscape, contributing to a sense of privacy and intimacy.

The family liked the idea of having a bed of grass underfoot, allowing people to stroll comfortably from the house to the pool or fire pit. In more heavily trafficked areas, strategically placed bluestone slabs guide visitors to their destinations. Tumbled concrete pavers were installed throughout the patio, pool deck and walkways to define and connect areas for large and smaller groups to eat, chat, play games or relax. The result is a polished look that remains friendly and inviting.

In an effort to lengthen the seasons during which the family can enjoy their outdoor living space, a flagstone fire pit with bluestone coping was installed, surrounded by comfortable seating. This combination of stone was selected to match the existing spa design, creating aesthetic consistency throughout the landscape. This backyard landscape, perfect for entertaining a few friends or a large party, has become a favorite place for the kids and their friends to gather late into the evenings, even as the weather turns cooler.