Outdoor Spaces Designed for Cooking and Dining

Now that the warm weather is hopefully here to stay for the season, the backyard becomes one of the most used spaces in the home. Whether you’re grilling for the family on a Tuesday or hosting a crowd on a summer weekend, having an outdoor space that’s designed for cooking and dining makes all the difference. Here’s a look at three projects where we did exactly that.

A Full Outdoor Living Environment: Patio, Pergola & Hot Tub

For the owners of a classic Tudor home, the goal was to transform an aging patio into a full outdoor destination — with dedicated zones for dining, grilling, relaxing by the fire, and soaking in the hot tub, all while preserving plenty of lawn.

*Separate zones for dining, grilling, fireside seating, and a hot tub — all tied together with herringbone brick that echoes the home’s Tudor exterior.*

The pergola dining area features a ceiling fan to keep things comfortable in the heat of summer, and the circular table with a built-in lazy Susan expands to seat up to 10 guests. The new brick seating wall and herringbone patio were designed to complement the brick exterior of the house, making the outdoor space feel like a natural extension of the home.

*The evening atmosphere — with under-ledge lighting, a Big Green Egg, and a Weber gas grill — makes this backyard a year-round destination.*

See more photos of this project: Patio & Pergola Portfolio

Multi-Level Must-Haves

This backyard oasis works on multiple levels — literally. An upper cedar deck with a pergola provides a shaded dining area with string lights and cable railings. Just a few steps down, the lower bluestone patio is anchored by a built-in stone grill surround with a low seating wall — the perfect spot for friends to pull up a seat while the grill is going.

*The built-in stone grill surround with seating wall makes the lower patio a natural gathering spot.*

A stone staircase connects the levels and winds down to a larger patio with a gas fire pit and generous seating. Extensive plantings keep the whole space in bloom throughout the season.

*The upper cedar deck with pergola and cable railing offers a treetop dining experience with easy access to the grilling area below.*

See more photos of this project: Deck Patio Oasis Portfolio

A Deck Built for Outdoor Living

As part of a Gold Award-winning whole-home renovation, this new deck was designed with seamless indoor-outdoor flow in mind. Sliding doors from the open-concept kitchen and family room open directly onto the deck, making it easy to move between cooking inside and dining outside.

*The new deck is accessed via sliding doors from the open-concept kitchen and family room — making indoor-outdoor flow effortless for cooking and entertaining.*

Spacious, classic, and built to last — this deck is the kind of space that earns its place as the most-used spot in the house all summer long.

*Plenty of room for dining, relaxing, and entertaining — with a lush backyard backdrop and easy access from the family room.*

See more photos of this project: Whole Home Renovation Portfolio

Ready to Make the Most of Your Backyard?

Whether you’re starting from scratch or reimagining an existing space, we’d love to help you create an outdoor area that works for the way you live. Reach out to start the conversation.