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Outdoor Elegance

Backyard patios and decks add liveable space to a home.

Steve Raphael
Special to the Jewish News

T

his isn't your father's backyard
anymore.
The wooden deck, once a
staple of respectable outdoor
living, is quickly giving way to ritzy, elab-
orately designed stone patios, replete
with fireplaces, fire pits, waterfalls, wet
bars and sitting walls. Even the swim-
ming pool, once the litmus test of out-
door status, pales in comparison to what
designers are creating these days.
All that is missing is the grass and a
lawnmower.
First a subtle definition: a patio is not
precisely a deck. A patio can be free-
standing or attached to a house. It is
versatile, and though a little more formal
than a deck, can easily be combined
with a deck and feel right at home. The
deck portion could be used for cook-
ing and entrance and exit to the home,
whereas the patio portion could be
used for comfortable seating.

A deck is made of wood, and for local
contractor/patio builder and designer
Domenico Encolani, owner of Domenico
Brick Paving in Birmingham, that's
where his work often begins. "Thirty-five
percent of my jobs start by tearing out
wood decks," he says.
What a deck may lack in sizzle it
makes up for in substance. Just ask
Susan Borin.
The West Bloomfield resident replaced
her 900-square-foot wooden deck in
2006 with another 900-square-foot
wooden one that is "spacious, large and
comfortable," she says, and admittedly
"larger than typical decks." Borin does
a lot of entertaining in the summer and
says the deck acquits itself quite well.
The deck is large enough to accom-
modate a lot of furniture in two differ-
ent entertaining areas. A large, square
table, seating eight people, commands
a major portion of the deck, while a
smaller table with four bar-height stools
holds down the other part. In total,
Bonin says her deck can seat as many

as 15 people for dining.
The outdoor furniture is Italian rustic
and complements her Italian Tuscan-
designed kitchen.
The deck is home to a gas grill and "a
real cool stand," that holds eight flower
pots. Two chaise lounges come with
cushions matching similar cushions on
the large dining table.
Bonin built her new deck in time to
host a reunion for members of West
Bloomfield-based Temple Israel who
had traveled to Israel together 10 years
earlier. She estimated that at least 30
people attended and were able to mix
and dine comfortably.
Though the deck takes up a good
chunk of her backyard, Bonin wanted an
unobstructed view of the woods behind
her property. She also planted spring-
blooming crab apple trees to add color
and warmth to the yard.
If you've decided to take the next
step into the dizzying world of patio or
deck decor, be prepared to make a lot
of decorative decisions. Patio designs

come in every geometric shape imag-
inable and the brick paving comes in
every conceivable color.
When designing your patio, take
nothing for granted and make sure you
have room to expand. For example, if
your dream is to eventually add a hot
tub to the center of a patio, consider
leaving that area as an open space
until you are ready to use it.
You must also take into consider-
ation the summer and winter suns,
airflow and existing views to maximize
the advantages and beauty of the out-
door setting.
And you can do all this by yourself.
Homeowners can design their own
patios in the dead of winter or any
other time from the comfort of their
family room thanks to commonly avail-
able do-it-yourself kits.
Or you can hire a contractor.
Encolani does brick paving and
landscaping and carries with him a
four-color, 84-page catalogue, dis-
playing some of the most beautifully
designed back yards imaginable and
featuring a variety of patio fixtures.
Features can include fire pits to
waterfalls, a gas or natural fireplace,
lighting, permanent planters, fountains
and any other item that you desire.
Encolani's average price for a stan-
dard patio is $5,600, which includes
400 square feet of paver, a sitting wall
and one step. A waterfall can cost
from $3,500-$4,500 extra.
Last year, Domenico Brick Paving
won Unilock's 2009 Awards of
Excellence for Best Residential Project
for a patio he built in the Keego
Harbor/Sylvan Lake area. It fea-
tured a new porch, steps, pillars and
patio built with Brussels Block and
Copthorne paver. Unilock is a national
manufacturer of patio products.
Why waste such elegance on a
short, fickle Michigan summer?
Many Detroiters are able to enclose
their patios for use in the spring,
summer and fall. Though Encolani
does not, he says other contractors
can enclose the patio with walls or a
greenhouse with radiant glass.
And don't forget the finishing touch-
es, such as awnings, arbors, trellises
and even landscaping. Wisteria or other
lush flowering vines can cover the
top of the patio, providing shade and
beauty. Vines that climb the posts and
intertwine throughout the top of any
surrounding trees can provide needed
shade.
Last but not least, plants and shrubs
should be added to provide a truly out-
door feel. Li

May 20 • 2010

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