A Neglected Space Reimagined
Design by
Michael Blazing
In Rochester, MN, we are raising the bar for outdoor living, and that includes helping homeowners utilize their backyard to its fullest potential throughout the year.
This home is a perfect example.
In this landscape tour, we transform an underutilized backyard into a revitalized living area to gather outdoors throughout the seasons. The existing backyard included a concrete patio, an old wooden privacy fence, and a non-functional hot tub which created a lackluster outdoor living space.
Our Rochester clients saw potential in the backyard and approached our Weller Brothers team to reimagine the space and bring it to life.
Designing a Central Hub
Our first step was to identify and create a focal point, and we did so by centering the outdoor living space around the windows of the house. This connected the indoor and outdoor areas and provided a seamless flow.
Framing the space on one side is a large fireplace, featuring a large central hearth. Two accent gas fire pits add another unique element to the space.
Across the patio from the fireplace is an outdoor kitchen, positioned closer to the home’s door for easy access.
The outdoor kitchen was a standout feature, custom-designed to meet our clients’ specific entertaining needs. This has all the features you could possibly need in an outdoor kitchen, including:
- Beautiful stone masonry
- Grill
- Ample storage
- Pizza oven
- Pergola for shade
- Task lighting for nighttime use
Selecting High-Quality Materials
Quality is one of our Roots, and this extends to every product and material we use in our projects.
- The patio: we formed the foundation of the patio using Techo pavers, featuring Blu60 slate pavers. The pavers complemented the natural stone elements in the kitchen and fireplace, creating a harmonious color palette. We also used Techo Valet pavers as an accent in the paver pattern, to provide a cobble-like paver to tie in the style of the masonry stone.
- The fireplace: we selected Warming Trends stainless steel burners, which put out large flames and a lot of heat.
- The kitchen: you’ll find Summerset stainless steel accessories, including the Summerset 36” grill. When it’s time for a slice, the Alfa Moderno 2 gas pizza oven is speedy and easy to use.
- The pergola: we selected a natural rough-sawn cedar pergola, as the raw material blends well with the style of stone used for the kitchen area.
Overcoming Challenges
No transformation comes without its challenges, and our experienced team is well-equipped to problem-solve for nearly anything during a landscaping renovation. With this project, we found solutions for the following scenarios:
- To accommodate the gas-powered features of the outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and pizza oven, we coordinated with the plumber and gas company to increase the gas meter size.
- We had to adjust a couple of vents on the side of the house to accommodate the steps leading from the rear door. A custom-built steel vent integrated into the steps provided a solution
Client Satisfaction – Now It’s Your Turn!
We are honored that our clients trusted us with their backyard transformation, especially because they were away for much of the time as we installed the design.
We communicated regularly by sending them progress photos, and their excitement grew with each update.
Upon returning to home for the summer months in Rochester, they were overwhelmed by the quality and thoroughness of our work and were excited to use their new outdoor living space.
Do you wish your backyard was more functional? Does it need a remodel like this one did? Whether you hope for a pizza oven and cozy fireplace like these homeowners, or you envision a peaceful garden oasis, we have the expertise to design and build a space you’ll love.
Designed