New residents, the Plemmons wasted no time revamping their outdoor spaces to better suit their family of four. “Although the house was in great shape, we knew we wanted to add some outdoor living areas for our enjoyment,” wife and mom Chrissy says. “We wanted to add an oasis where we could enjoy dinners and the firepit but also easily play games in the yard.” This oasis includes a patio, two new decks, and a landscaping overhaul.  

When they first moved in, the space was entirely unusable and overgrown. The one benefit: beautiful, mature trees. “We wanted something that felt integrated into the mature wooded area and flowed easily from the inside of the house,” Chrissy shares. “The patio extended our living area and provided a cohesive outdoor and indoor play space.” The original deck was rotted, so the Plemmons removed it and added two smaller decks coming off the sunroom. They also added flower beds around the house with exterior lighting. 

Prioritizing play was also key for Chrissy and Jay’s daughters, nine-year-old Georgia, and seven-year-old Hadley. While there are plenty of play spaces throughout the yard for the pair, the girls also love the patio like their parents. After all, the retaining wall makes a great tightrope. Chrissy and Jay have their own fun entertaining around their new fire pit and hosting parties and dinners in their newly integrated indoor/outdoor space. 

Chrissy is a Finance Director at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Jay is a Federal Account Manager at NETSCOUT Systems, Inc. The busy schedule of two working parents made recruiting help crucial to the renovation. Daniel at Riverside Custom Hardscapes, a company that has rejuvenated many yards throughout Salisbury, was exactly what the Plemmons needed. “We generally knew what we wanted in terms of placement in the yard and flow, but Daniel helped bring the vision to life!” she says. 

The outdoor revamp is just the first step in a complete home renovation. With so much experience under their belts already, Chrissy has some great advice. “Think about how you currently use your space, what you are missing, and how space planning can benefit your needs,” she advises. Heeding her own advice, Chrissy and Jay have successfully transformed their once-overgrown space into an area the whole family can enjoy and plan to build on in the future.