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"    &amp;quot;What made me love my house was the yard,&amp;quot; says the homeowner of this 1970s contemporary house in Noyac, New York. The trees along the perimeter were beautiful, and the backyard framing the pool had a great lawn. &amp;quot;I wanted to add a patio for entertaining that would extend around the pool,&amp;quot; he says. But there was the problem of the existing wood deck: It was in bad shape because the foundation posts had been set improperly, so a new deck that included some kind of cooking area was added to the wish list. Builder Amos Ericson, also of Noyac, worked up a design with the homeowner for a patio as well as a new cypress deck whose space, though only slightly larger than the old one, was more suitable to outdoor living, relaxing and entertaining. To transition from indoors to out, Ericson added 8-foot-wide sliding doors to access the deck from the living room and kitchen. Then, using hand-sawn cypress, he built a latticework wall that turned a corner of the deck into a cozy dining area. At ground level, that same latticework covers the basement foundation. Just beyond the deck, a bluestone patio replaced part of the lawn. It extends the full length of the house and then runs outward to embrace the existing in-ground pool. What now links the patio and the deck area above it is a wider and more sensibly placed stairway and a stone chimney that rises 18 feet from the ground. In fact, the chimney is the focal point of the yard. It houses not only a fireplace at ground level (with a cubby for wood storage), but also a built-in barbecue on the deck one story above. &amp;quot;We used New England fieldstone veneer to cover the concrete block foundation,&amp;quot; says the builder. The stones, which vary in thickness from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches, proved less costly than solid stone and they&amp;#039;re also less labor-intensive to install\u2014music to the ears of any remodeler minding a budget. The final entry on the homeowner&amp;#039;s wish list: a hot tub placed as close as possible to the pool. Once installed, the spa was fitted with 18-inch-tall benches on three sides, plus steps to allow easy access. These were fashioned from materials similar to what&amp;#039;s on the house to provide visual continuity. Now finished, the yard has a completely new look and new purpose as noted by the happy homeowner: &amp;quot;The patio and pool are perfect for socializing, and the fireplace has become a wonderful gathering spot\u2014especially at night.&amp;quot; He adds, &amp;quot;Of course, that deck is now where we do all of our outdoor cooking and dining in warm weather. It feels like being up in a tree house.&amp;quot; What Was Done \u2022 Replaced the old deck to attain more space for lounging and entertaining.  \u2022 Added 8-foot sliders to improve the indoor-outdoor connection.  \u2022 Built a tall stone chimney with a fireplace at ground level and a barbecue on the upper level.  \u2022 Laid a bluestone patio that extends all the way around the backyard pool  \u2022 Installed a poolside hot tub Click here to view the resources. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/home-remodeling-renovating/home-makeovers/a1397/a-brilliant-patio-addition-49410/>