Pennsburg, PA | 9 weeks

Koch-Olson Residence

The original backyard was very underwhelming for this family because it was a blank slate and didn’t even have stairs from the back sliding door! After a few years of wondering what to do with the space, they knew it was time to call in the professionals to realize its full potential. Knowing that they wanted to complement the home’s beauty and architecture, they just couldn’t visualize how to incorporate several entertainment areas and a specific wish list. This was the perfect opportunity for a MasterPLAN collaboration, full color 3D design and construction for an exquisite multifaceted outdoor living space.

Designer Comments

Purchasing this home in 2012, the inside was always what they had imagined.  However, the backyard was not developed because the vision was not quite there.  Thinking about it for over almost a decade they knew it was finally time to consult the professionals.

We started the process with a few deep conversations and questions to get to the root of what they wanted for their outdoor living space, how they wanted it to fit their lifestyle and how they wanted to feel when they were enjoying the space.  First and foremost, discussing a seamless transition deck off the rear back sliding door was paramount.  This seamless transition allows the homeowners and their family and guests to move outside of the home without any obstacles.  The decking selected was a TimberTech Pro Reserve Dark Roast, which allows the family to enjoy the deck without any maintenance of sanding or staining.  This feature was sized appropriately to have all three essential zones included in this space: cooking, dining and lounging.  Each zone was located near each other for an open concept without feeling cramped.

The first zone to accomplish was the covered lounge space where Clemson Football rules as king.  We designed this deck and roof area to be approximately 6 feet away from the house foundation to allow their existing utilities to remain in place.  The roof plays an important role in this area in that it allows shade in the hottest parts of the summer.  We incorporated four strategically placed skylights in the roof to allow natural light into the space as well as four recessed speakers and six recessed dimmable LED light fixtures.  The speakers are able to connect to Bluetooth and also the homeowners 55” outdoor rated television.  This television was installed on the custom masonry fireplace that connects the roof to the deck.  We designed the gas fireplace to be finished with a stone veneer to be cohesive with the stone at the front of the home.  With a flip of a switch, the fire is lit and ready to enjoy at any time of day and at any time of year.  The stone veneer carries over to the custom stone pillars in this space.  The lounge space pillar provides a structural purpose but also helps the space feel more like a cozy room inside of the home.

Knowing that the homeowners wanted to have a flexible seating plan, we designed a custom bar in the transition from the lounge space to the dining space for additional seating and to provide a multifunctional counterspace for any need.  This bar softly separates the areas and allows the seating to be on either side.  The bar countertop is Imperial Mahogany granite with an antique, textured finish which doesn’t compete with the surrounding details but still has its own personality.  We installed a hidden outlet underneath the bar for the convenience of a charging station, crock pot, or whatever they may need!

Just on the other side of this bar, we come to the dining area.  The homeowner didn’t want this area to be covered to preserve the existing light inside the home.  The interior secondary staircase is in this area has a grand window and they wanted to uphold the view of the backyard.  With this in mind, we proposed a custom white aluminum pergola in this area to provide dappled shade for the dining table with incorporated recessed lighting and ceiling fan for illumination and comfort.  Just beyond the dining table is where the outdoor magic happens.

The full custom kitchen has everything you would need to prepare the food for gameday or a tasty grilled meal in the evening.  Through comprehensive questions, we learned what was essential for this space and what wasn’t.  We designed the kitchen to include an undermount kitchen sink, a stacked drawer refrigerator, gas-fueled grill, ample storage and pull-out garbage and recycling bins.  The kitchen countertop is the same granite as used in the bar and the stone veneer the same as the fireplace and pillars for a full cohesion to the space.  At the far end of the kitchen is a feature wall not to be missed.  This feature wall includes a circle passthrough to replicate curve of the grand window and acts as the anchor for the pergola, finished in the same stone veneer.

Continuing on, the deck staircase has a continuous curve to match the curves in the nearby spaces.  This staircase leads to the Techo-Bloc Blu 60 HD2 Smooth paver patio.  As mentioned above, this space was meant to be a flex space to handle any type of party or entertainment need.  You will also find the same pavers in a walkway leading from the covered portion of the deck to the driveway!  Adjacent to this patio space, we needed to come up with a solution to mitigate the steep slope and erosion happening in this area.  Wanting to keep the natural feel of the space, we designed and installed a natural boulder staircase to curve around the meet the lower basement area. The boulders selected were naturally shaped but flat on top to create an easy and safe transition.

Connected to the boulder staircase is the second Techo-Bloc Blu 60 HD2 Smooth paver patio.  This patio is just outside of the basement door.  The backdrop to this lower patio area is an impressive 20+’ tall retaining wall that was built with the home.  However, the masonry block construction was left as is, creating what most would call an eyesore.  We finished this retaining wall with the same stone veneer as the pillar, fireplace, feature wall and kitchen.  The glow-up was real with this feature as it turned from a plain wall into a stunning masterpiece.

To soften all of the hardscapes, we installed plantings with seasonal color throughout the space as a whole.  Landscape lighting was also installed throughout the space to bring safety in steps and to illuminate the space at night creating a romantic atmosphere.

All-in-all this unused, underwhelming backyard went from a space that was avoided to a comprehensive outdoor living space that is not only remarkable but accommodates all uses and needs by this family.  They find themselves outdoors more than they ever thought they would and that is the best compliment we could ever receive.

Client Wish List

  • Covered seating area
  • Skylights in the covered area
  • Tv and speaker package
  • Open air living space
  • Full kitchen with ample prep space and appliances
  • Gas fireplace
  • Transform the plain retaining wall into a masterpiece
  • Seamless transition low maintenance deck
  • Stone accents to complement the home
  • Patio space as a flexible area for entertainment
  • Lower patio at the basement level
  • Colorful landscaping
  • Landscape and feature lighting

"EVERYTHING was handled for us working with MasterPLAN; I didn’t have to worry about a thing!"

Affiliates & Partners
Lehigh Valley Style
Lehigh Valley Business Association
Pennsylvania Builders Association
Qualified Remodelers
The Designer