Outside
Pergola structure: Hollow structural section (HSS) steel 3-by-3s; headers are HSS steel 3-by-6sPatio cover: Cedar roof with standing seam steel (Galvalume) cover. Wood roof is 2-by-6 rafters at 16 inches on center and 1-by-4 wood cedar screens, with the Galvalume attached to it.Pergola dimensions: 19 feet wide and 15 feet deep; 10 feet, 6 inches tall at the highest point, and then slopes at a 1:12 grade back toward the house.Attached or detached: The roof angles down toward the house and connects to the house with a rain gutter, but the pergola’s structure is independent of the house. The rain gutter drains water from both of the roofs into crushed gravel in the side yard. The pergola extends 8 inches past the side of the house on one side so that the gutter can extend back and down to the drainage.
Other features:Planting: Vines, including star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, USDA zones 8 to 10; find your zone), climb up the wood fence; cable supports (called a green screen) will help the greenery fill in. The jasmine produces a sweet fragrance that the homeowners can enjoy when they’re sitting outside. Water feature: Custom made with a fiberglass basin and copper pipes; the team submerged a pump into the basin that they then filled with river rock. The sound of a running fountain always enhances the feeling of serenity, and this one also helps reduce the sounds coming from the street. Fencing: The Douglas fir fencing works to solve the sound and privacy problems; Krueger filled the double-sided wood fence with rigid insulation to reduce sound. Additionally, he spaced the slats at the top of the fence so that they let in light and allow the homeowners to look out at the street, but are high enough off the street that passersby can’t look in, without the fence’s looking like a fortress. This same Douglas fir was used for the house siding. Built-in seating: Ipe wood and custom cushionsOutdoor lighting: Outdoor lighting along the house, directional lights in the planting ...
The Nitty-Gritty Patio floor: The patio floor is a porcelain material made to resemble limestone. “The advantage of this material was that we could have the beauty of limestone without the discoloration that sometimes happens with a natural stone,” Krueger says. A slight slope drains all water from the impervious surface into the surrounding planters.The homeowners wanted the majority of the outdoor space to be paved so that it would be easy to move around as they grow older. Krueger softened the edges of the patio with plantings.Threshold: You step down 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) from the interior wood floor to the paved courtyard. The sliding glass doors lead to the front bedroom; the front door is between the sliding glass doors and the entry gate. Krueger maintained the home’s existing footprint and kept most of the original door openings and entry points.
Pergola structure: A steel frame that projects up from the fencePergola cover: The custom shade structure is composed of cables and four pieces of Sunbrella fabric. Each fabric piece is 28 feet (8.5 meters) long; the outer two are 3 feet (0.9 meter) wide, and the inner two are 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide. A small draw stick hooks into the fabric sails individually to open or close as much of the shade structure as is desired.Pergola dimensions: 471 square feet (43.8 square meters) Attached or detached? Attached. A steel structure extends up from the fencing that the cables feed into. Krueger also attached the steel frame to the house overhang and existing site wall to prevent it from bowing when the owners need to tighten the shade structure’s cables.
Other features:Outdoor kitchen: A concrete counter runs perpendicular to the house and tops the rough steel cabinets that were built onsite. The kitchen includes a sink, some cabinets and two Big Green Egg grills. The interior edge of countertop lines up with the exterior face of the house, framing and opening up the outdoor living space. Planters: Steel planters filled with cactuses and succulents soften the foundation and match the depth of the back stairs to create a seamless threshold to the patio. They also align with the posts of the pergola.String lights and ceiling fan: They are each wired separately and are wired back to the house.Fire pit: The concrete fire pit is aligned with the end of the kitchen countertop and is centered between the counter and the garage. It helps with the transition from patio to grass.Considerations: “Protection is the biggest thing that I would consider,” Zamore says. “The steel needs to be cared for with respect to rusting. We used Permaloc, which is a great product. The concrete needs to be maintained and cleaned. The countertop needs wax every month. The crushed gravel needs to be replenished over time.”See more of this backyardMore: Patio Lif...
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