Now is the time to embark on that backyard remodel you’ve been dreaming about. Dive into our guide on upgrading your backyard with luxurious features like natural stone paving, built-in kitchens, and more, making it your personal retreat for relaxation and entertainment.
Choosing the Perfect Patio Flooring: Natural Stone Paving
For your patio flooring, consider going with a natural material such as a domestic quarried Bluestone. A dense quarzitic sandstone, Bluestone can read modern with a flamed finish in a monochromatic blue select color. Or it can lean more classic when using the full range natural cleft color and texture. And because it is a harder stone, Bluestone is less likely to stain as quickly as some softer stones might. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can spill food and just leave it sitting for weeks. But don’t worry—even if you do get a stained it’s not the end of the world. Buy a good stiff bristle brush and a high-quality cleaner from companies like Drytreat or Prosoco. Then add plenty of elbow grease. If you still can’t get the stain out, call us and we can refer you to a professional stone cleaner who can help.
Create a Culinary Hub: Outdoor Kitchens
Speaking of entertaining, if you’re keen on having guests over then we encourage you to feed them generously. And there’s no better way to keep your guests fed than cooking in your new outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens can offer not only a convenient place to cook, but also a central point for your guests to hang around and nibble on whatever may be coming off your new built-in grill. Consider using prefabricated outdoor cabinets to assemble the skeleton of your new kitchen. Or perhaps stick with CMU’s for the core. Don’t forget to select a stone veneer to finish your walls. Choose between manufactured stone, stone panels, and individual pieces of natural stone thin veneer. Need inspiration? The project in the picture shows silver travertine veneer, Belgard Origins pavers in Victorian color, and an Alaskan Grey granite countertop.
Warm Up the Evenings: Outdoor Fireplaces and Firepits
As the sun ducks below the fence-line and the air begins to cool, it might be nice to offer your guests a warm seat around your new firepit. Consider going with a firepit kit from Belgard for ease of installation. Prism and Kindred offer precast fire units that are compatible with either natural gas or propane, depending on your needs. We especially love the Tavola series by Prism with its sharp modern lines.
And you can always build your own custom firepit using natural stone thin veneer for a more rustic look. This firepit utilizes a radius Bluestone wall cap for both the firepit and sitting wall.
Go Green with Drought-Tolerant Landscaping
With California facing water challenges, many projects these days are leaning toward plants with low watering requirements. Succulents, cacti, lemon trees, and sage are all good options. Consider adding a swath of rocks like Fresno Cobble or Mexican Black Pebbles through your yard as a dry creek to define the landscape. Or place a couple boulders as accent pieces. Admittedly, we here at PBM are big fans of stone. And since stone has a watering requirement of zero, we think it a wise choice for those looking to help the environment.
