We'd Never Leave Home With A Patio Like This

An outdoor oasis doesn’t have to be a mirage if you have an older home. Bill Dysert, owner of Exscape Designs, matched this patio to a 1911 Shaker Heights Georgian-style home, which included a recently built addition and covered porch area. “Everything had to interact with this area and the doors coming off of the home,” Dysert says. He walks us through what makes this refuge the perfect staycation spot. 

1 Fireplace: The shape of the fireplace — from the stone shoulders to the interlocking masonry of the corners — is meant to interact with the lines and details of the house. “Everything in our design pulls cues from the design and architecture of the home,” Dysert says. “It’s a continuation of the home into the outdoors.”

2 Built-in Speakers: The grates on either side of the fireplace are Bluetooth speakers. “A lot of homeowners want to incorporate sound into their outdoor space,” Dysert says. The speakers can broadcast music playing in the house, sound from the TV inside or a queued up Spotify playlist just for outside. 

3 Plants: The plant life connects the space to the backyard. Because of Northeast Ohio winters, Dysert uses a mix of year-round bushes and flowering plants. Placing the plants densely in the space cuts down on needs such as mulch. “The upfront cost is more,” he says. “But it eventually costs less over time.”

4 Bluestone Tiles: The shades of red, brown, blue and gray match similar colors on the house to keep continuity. In addition, bluestone doesn’t get slippery when wet as opposed to something such as sandstone. “Bluestone takes on the look of the space,” Dysert says. “It can work in a modern and also rustic environment.”

5 Built-in Spa: A spa offers more year-round potential than a swimming pool. The waterfall adds a touch of fun that can be seen (and heard) from the covered porch, while the fountain provides additional seating and privacy between the tub and the fireplace area. “It creates a nice backdrop to the spa,” Dysert says.