At Archadeck of Austin, we design and build many single-structure projects, but creating beautiful outdoor living combinations is what we love doing the most. The Steiner Ranch project featured here is a perfect example. Creating this cohesive outdoor living environment with a sunroom, a deck, and a series of stone planters was rewarding work! The harmony present in this space says all is right in this little corner of the world.
Austin Outdoor Living is More than the Sum of its Parts
The work we did here fits in so well with this Steiner Ranch home, it’s hard to believe the sunroom, deck, and hardscapes are new on the scene. In the “before” photo, the original patio looked fine—somewhat plain, maybe, but fine. Now, after seeing its replacement, we see that patio was a blank space yearning to be filled with something exquisite.
This sunroom, full of windows, full of light, accomplishes its mission: to bring the outdoors indoors. Instead of tying into the home’s HVAC system, the sunroom is climate-controlled by a single split ductless heating and cooling system. Year-round, the homeowners can enjoy the view from this peaceful room, always comfortable here regardless of the temperature outdoors. The sunroom is just off the husband’s study and features a charming wood-burning stove, which the homeowners installed.
For the sunroom flooring, the clients chose AZEK porch flooring. The energy-efficient windows and doors are all from Milgard, and we built the beautiful ceiling with Synergywood, our favorite. Notice the recessed lighting in the ceiling, and the ceiling fan that blends with the ceiling itself!
Nestled in between the sunroom, the back of the home, and the stone planters, the deck feels like a private retreat. For convenience, the deck has two entrances from the home. For symmetry, it has two entrances from the yard.
Notice that the steps leading from the deck up to the back entrance of the home are wider and more shallow than typical deck steps. Also, you can see that each step is 3 boards wide (or deep) instead of the traditional 2 boards. We worked out this design because the homeowners talked about getting older and anticipating potential mobility issues. They specifically wanted the steps to be more gradual than most. For safety, we added lighting to the deck steps, and that lighting will create a beautiful ambiance at night as well.
The homeowners chose low-maintenance AZEK Vintage synthetic decking in Weathered Teak. There is no sense taking on the chores of deck maintenance when you’re already thinking about the potential mobility issues that can come with age.
For convenience, we installed Lutron’s Pico Wireless Control system for the lighting and other components. This wireless system will allow the homeowners to control these elements from more than one location.
Much of the charm of this sunroom-and-deck combination comes from the custom stone planters that border the deck. We used white limestone chopped stone for the outside of the planters and Lueders stone caps along the tops. White stone steps descend between the planters, into the back yard. At the center of the stone planters is a fountain. Archadeck of Austin prepared the masonry for this water feature, and Hill Country Gardens installed it.
At Archadeck of Austin, Client Relationships are Key
Archadeck of Austin was not the first company these Steiner Ranch homeowners contacted about their outdoor living project. They had originally engaged an architect to draw up some plans for what they wanted to do, and then they chose not to go down that path. They decided to work with Archadeck of Austin because they wanted to use a company that they had confidence in. They trusted us and valued our relationship. We felt like they chose to work with us for all the right reasons. You could say we formed a “mutual admiration society” because we found these clients wonderful to work with—a perfect example of the Archadeck of Austin customer if there ever was one.
Call Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 886-8367 to schedule your free design consultation.
— Jim Odom, Owner of Archadeck of Austin
