A Space for Family & Friends to Gather

Creating an expansive and cohesive gathering space, while incorporating an existing pool.

Our clients in Auburn, Massachusetts wished to create an outdoor living space containing multiple entertainment zones. A partially covered, walk-out dining patio would lead to a large open-air space with a pergola and outdoor kitchen. However, an existing in-ground pool with an aging deck felt as though it would be isolated from their new gathering spaces.

Careful consideration needed to be given to the vast size of the project and the materials chosen to create it. Stamped concrete offers affordability for large areas, and manufactured pavers from companies like Unilock will elevate a hardscape while offering increased durability. Finally, the most elegant and high-end hardscapes will be constructed of natural stone pavers at an increased price point.

So which material would our Auburn clients choose for their project? Natural stone, manufactured pavers, stamped concrete… or all three? Mixing these materials in a single project may seem like overdesign, but when correctly applied, the contrasting mediums simultaneously define and unify sections of a large outdoor space.

Grigio Classico travertine stone pavers were selected for the walk-out dining area. In contrast, Unilock Beacon Hill Flagstone Pavers were chosen to build the adjacent open-air patio. To further define the patio spaces, poured-in-place stamped concrete steps and curbing would laid between them. Finally, stamped concrete of the same color and pattern would be used for the pool deck, tying the existing pool to the new patio spaces and creating a feeling of unity.

The result of this careful coordination was both the successful division and unification of the large outdoor living space. Furthermore, the use of stamped concrete for the pool deck enabled Dex to reign in the price tag of the project, allowing the budget to be spent on fine features including a full outdoor kitchen and bar, as well as a towering fireplace crafted with New England Rounds stone veneer.