2013 NARI Capital CotY, Merit Award Winner, Residential Exterior under $100,000

A family of five, living in Chantilly, VA neighborhood, with a lot of improvement going on around their blocks finally decided to take on one of their own. Father coaching baseball and basketball teams of his kids, mom always involved with school projects, home gathering of her kids and friends, needed more space. In their opinion this was more important to be outside than inside. Their old deck was ragged, beat up and needed revamping.

Design Solutions:
• After the design team met with the couple and gathered their needs, we went to the drawing board to create an outdoor living space to better serve this family needs.
• Traffic flow and multi-entrance mattered the most to them, since the kids with muddy soles were dragging dirt all over the house.
• Our design team implemented plans for a mudroom behind the garage, with its own side entrance and back entrance to a large high ceiling covered porch.
• The covered porch then was connected to a large wrapped around the upscale deck with its entrances to the family rooms.
• Double staircase leading the deck into the large backyard, enabling a panoramic view of the parkland behind the property.
• Side staircase offering the kids a way to get in from the front corner into the covered porch and mudroom prior to entering the main house.
• The covered porch surrounded by large colonial style columns, beaded cedar (stained) ceiling, recess lighting, ceiling fans, large TV setting and equipped with outdoor surround sound system.
• Large deck covered with synthetic railing and stained grade decking, offered extended living space just outside of the kitchen and family room, as well as a grill space and an outdoor patio seating.

Challenges:
• The grade of soil in their backyard was poor and extensive excavation and grading was required.
• We had to dig down large 4’x4’ footing (some as deep as eight feet) to get to stabilize the ground and then pour large concrete footers.
• Drainage and run off were always a problem for this homeowner and we had to create run off, creek and French drain to resolve that issue.

Outcome:
• Seeing the husband lounging in the covered porch, smoking his cigar, enjoying the ball game with his buddies and the wife looking out the new French door of the kitchen, watching the children and their friends listening to the music outside and having the best time of their lives is priceless.
• This new outdoor facility has become the jewel of their neighborhood and now more than ever they get to enjoy their backyard and their activities.