Elite Landscape Outdoor Living and Pamela and Rich Cutshall (with children and four-legged family member Koda) gave Highlands Ranch City Lifestyle a sneak peek at their newly renovated backyard. These Chicago transplants love Colorado's outdoor living and called on Elite to help maximize their views in their BackCountry home.
Give our readers a description of the space before and after the changes made.
Elite: The homeowners built this home in 2019. The original deck was small, and the yard sloped, making it unusable.
The Cutshall Family: The original deck was only functional for a meal outside but not truly functional for entertaining. The ground-level patio had a fire pit, which we rarely used. The heavily sloped yard contributed to our disinterest in sitting there.
Elite: The Cutshalls wanted a fresh new look that would maximize the use of their outdoor space, create a more inviting atmosphere, and seamlessly blend with their home's aesthetic and BackCountry’s natural environment. Design elements included moving the stairs and installing a sleek, contemporary handrail. A deck expansion using high-quality, low-maintenance decking designed for Colorado’s weather conditions expanded the deck further around the house to maximize the view. Adding square footage and natural light, a stylish and functional space allows year-round use and a comfortable seating area with a fire pit to entertain guests.
The family loves the outdoors, with growing children and a recently adopted new puppy added to their clan. We leveled the lower yard to remove the significant slope. New lighting was installed above and below the deck, as well as recessed stair lighting to create a warm, inviting ambiance.
The upper deck created space for grilling and dining, while the lower level featured a lounging and playing space.
Cutshalls: We replaced grass with pet-safe turf for aesthetics, water conservation, and to prevent wildlife issues like voles. The turf is visually appealing. We now have three-direction views: the mountains, the windmill, and open space views. The wire railings opened our view and helped us feel a part of the open space beyond our yard.
Elite helped us install a massive hanging swing under the covered deck on the lower patio. They added lighting which creates beautiful aesthetics in the evening. The side fencing and new plants help keep our new puppy enclosed and safe.
Tell our readers what makes projects in BackCountry unique.
Elite: The community of BackCountry in Highlands Ranch is known for its breathtaking mountain and city views, natural landscape and trails, expansive open space, and architectural diversity. Our projects here are designed to enhance these natural features, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments to maximize the beauty of the surroundings.
Homes and structures in BackCountry are designed to blend harmoniously with the natural environment, so we use materials that complement the landscape, such as natural stone, wood, and earth-toned finishes. The goal is to create a seamless transition between the home and its surroundings while creating space for families to grow over the years.
The emphasis on outdoor living is a hallmark of BackCountry projects, and projects here often include expansive decks, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, patios, water features, landscaped gardens, and lighting designed for entertaining. These spaces make the most of the area’s stunning views.
Why did you choose BackCountry as a place to live?
Cutshalls: The overall feel of the neighborhood, the incorporation of nature and natural features throughout, the available amenities, and the larger Highlands Ranch community.
How do you use your new deck and backyard space?
Cutshalls: We love it for family time and spending time outside with the kids and puppy. We’ll certainly do more entertaining. The kids go outside daily to run in the (now flat) yard and the patio.
Elite Landscape & Outdoor Living is a leading landscape design, construction, and maintenance firm founded in 1990. A generational family business, it brings its clients' visions to life by creating extraordinary outdoor spaces, delivering exceptional quality, and exceeding expectations. denverelitelandscaping.com
Laura Tarket-Johnson, owner of T is for Table, designed the autumn tablescape pictured here. Located in the Streets of Southglenn since April 2017, they offer one-of-a-kind products and customer experiences, along with customized concierge shopping. shoptisfortablecolorado.com
A fresh new look to maximize the use of their outdoor space, create an inviting atmosphere, and seamlessly blend with the home's aesthetic and BackCountry’s natural environment.
We love it for family time and spending time outside with the kids and puppy. The kids go outside daily to run around in the yard.