When Tracey and Mike McGuire moved into their Westerville home about 10 years ago, their outdoor living spaces included a stamped concrete side patio and an uninspired back deck. Because there was limited room for large parties and they were in direct sunlight much of the day, both spaces were rarely used.
With dreams of a more functional outdoor space, they called on Jonathan Spayde, head designer of Landfare Ltd., to create a vibrant multilevel entertaining oasis. After two years of planning, designing and construction, the home now plays host to outdoor spaces that can accommodate cozy lounging, fireside relaxation, game-day sports viewing, and festive dining.
The architectural features, such as a stained cedar pergola and 16-foot-tall fireplace, connect the structure of the home to the landscape. The design incorporates stone decorative elements, as well as rich orange and brown tones often admired in Tuscan style. Copper accents bring in texture and personalized details throughout the space. Sand-formed bricks create a soldier course that flanks the terrace, walkways and fireplace stone.
“I wanted to create an imaginative space that provided a sense of wonder,” Spayde says. The tiered zones allow for a seamless design flow from the house to the outdoors.
The stone and brick fireplace showcases a towering chimney adorned with a stunning decorative mirror. The chimney height allows for smoke to clear the upper entertaining space, and there’s plenty of wood storage to keep fires stoked.
“We did a deep couch and chair-and-a-half in front of the fire, and I love to sit there with a glass of wine and listen to the rain chains,” Tracey says.
The rain chains are a water feature in the lounge area, made of a series of copper chains.
The custom design, created by Zachary Miller at Landfare, incorporates water sounds while providing additional copper design elements. “It’s very soothing, and it really fit the space. It’s just something you don’t see often,” Tracey says. “We thought this was a really unique and different idea that added a lot.”
Another copper accent in the outdoor space: A nautilus-shell-inspired table, designed by Spayde, which serves as seating space next to the bar and grilling station. Ornamental Metal Works created the custom copper table top, which sits on top of the counter’s stainless steel platform.
The outdoor kitchen includes a grilling station, outdoor refrigerator and ice bin, sourced through the McGuires’ company, Zink FoodService Group. Santa Cecilia granite provides the surface for the majority of the outdoor counter space and matches the home’s interior kitchen, as well.
“We wanted the outside to look like the inside,” Tracey says. The stone elements, Tuscan inspiration, copper accents and casual-but-elegant atmosphere match interior design choices.
The upper deck is constructed of ipe, a durable Brazilian hardwood, and includes a built-in gutter system crucial for keeping the lower area dry. Construction of the top level incorporated new steel I-beams for support. The nearby terrace and multi-level construction required grading the land, backfilling to elevate some of the space, and pouring a concrete foundation for the outdoor construction.
The lounge area below the deck includes concealed outdoor heaters and a large-screen television. Adjacent to indoor entertaining space, that area is a favorite game-day hangout for Mike, who is an ardent sports fan. “Mike was actually out in December, watching football games underneath the heater,” Tracey says.
The landscaping includes hemlock trees, which will add greenery and soften the masonry over time, as well as English ivy on the perimeter railings. The home’s previous side patio became an upper side terrace, featuring a cedar pergola and dining space. Stone walkways and patios are made of a mix of light and dark flagstone (about 20 percent is the darker Choctaw, and 80 percent is the lighter Woodstock variety). The space is furnished primarily with pieces from Restoration Hardware.
As a result of all of the careful planning, the McGuires have all the elements they need to spend time relaxing, entertaining and celebrating all year ‘round in their newly renovated outdoor living spaces.
“When something is as pretty as this is,” Tracey says, “it just really entices you to go out and enjoy it.”