Gallery Explore the Details
Key Features
The Difference Before & After
01 — The Challenge A Historic Property Held Back by an Outdated Backyard
The clients owned a historic stone farmhouse on Mill Road — a property with real age and character — being renovated into a dedicated guest house. The existing outdoor space was deteriorating: failing pool deck, cracked hardscape, outdated infrastructure. They wanted an outdoor environment worthy of the farmhouse and designed as a true retreat. The primary challenge was grade — the pool deck sits elevated above the surrounding lawn, the hillside rises steeply behind it, and the pool house sits perched on the hillside just above the pool — all requiring full demolition and regrading, with tight equipment access. Their priorities: a clear flow from guest house to pool to pool house, materials that felt authentic to the historic character, and a project that wouldn't leave the property in extended disruption.
02 — Our Approach Honoring the Stone, Reimagining the Space
The space was designed to match the character and stonework of the farmhouse and to look like it belonged there. We worked with the grade to define distinct zones at each level — a bluestone walkway running the length of the property at lawn level, stone steps rising to the pool deck above, and a separate stair continuing up the hillside to the pool house. Natural stone retaining walls match the farmhouse's original stonework and create a continuous planting bed along the front edge of the pool deck. On the deck itself, the pergola and outdoor kitchen/bar anchor one end and the fire pit lounge with sectional seating anchors the other, with a raised stone spa and waterfall feature as the centerpiece in the middle.
03 — The Transformation A Historic Farmhouse Designed to Welcome Every Guest
The result is a true guest retreat. The flow from a poolside afternoon to a soak in the spa to outdoor dinner to an evening by the fire happens entirely outside, with no reason to step back in. The bluestone walkway connecting the barn to the house pulls the whole property together, and the terraced steps and landscape lighting keep the path to the pool house safe and inviting after dark.