This Dallas family room and outdoor living addition project has come a long way since our first behind the scenes look. What started as an open area of grass is now a beautifully finished family room that connects to a new outdoor patio and pool, perfect for the homeowner’s entertaining needs. Our previous update ended with the installation of flooring, which left us with mainly just the finishing touches to complete in the family room. For this final behind the scenes look we’ll start with those finishing touches in the family room and then highlight the deck and pool construction for a complete look at the final stages of the project.
Family Room Finishes
Our next step in completing the family room was to add stairs connecting the room to the existing house. The house is set on an elevated foundation several feet above ground level. The homeowners wanted the new family level with the new patio and backyard to make the transition between the indoor and outdoor areas easier to navigate. This decision meant that there was a multi-foot drop from the existing house into the family room. The homeowners decided to add wooden floating stairs to bridge the distance. The stairs tie in well with the existing wood floors in the main house and provide a smooth transition between the two rooms. Lighting was installed underneath each step to make them easier to navigate.
Next came the finishing of the fireplace, easily one of the most prevalent design features in the room. The off center setting of the firebox adds visual interest and makes the room appear not quite so cookie cutter perfect. The mantle and hearth have a modern design that reflects the homeowners contemporary leaning tastes. They are both finished with a quartz material that includes bits of metallic and reflective pieces in the material, giving it extra sparkle and shine when the light hits. Both the mantle and hearth extend to the wall in front of the dummy side door, allowing more seating area and continuing to promote the asymmetrical feel of the fireplace. Surrounding the fireplace is round blue mosaic tile with a blue tinted grout which standout well against the other neutral finishes used throughout the room. Wiring was added above the firebox prior to drywall so that a television could eventually be hung there.
While the overall design aesthetic of the room leans towards contemporary, there are some elements that incorporate a more rustic design within the contemporary. The mixture of these two design styles can be best seen in the light fixtures used throughout the room. The overhead chandelier has a tree branch like appearance that translates well to a more rustic feel. However there is still a distinctly modern feel to it due to its unique design and construction. Two matching over the door light fixtures by the fireplace also have an older look that juxtaposes well against the more contemporary fireplace.
The Deck
Adjacent to the family room is a new deck area. It is sheltered on three sides by the house with the fourth opening up to the new pool. Eventually the deck will be home to the homeowners’ outdoor cooking equipment. The majority of the work on the deck took place towards the end of the overall project’s construction in order to coordinate with similar work taking place in the family room. The pouring of the concrete foundation, addition of doors from the master bedroom to the deck on one side and from the new family room to the deck on the other, and replacing the kitchen window along the back wall with a larger window all took place in conjunction with similar work being done in the family room during earlier stages of the project.
Apart from those items most of the additional work on the deck did not restart until the installation of tile flooring. The homeowners chose a neutral gray colored tile that complimented the exterior color of the home and will allow other outdoor features to shine. A small fire pit, about the size of one of the tile pieces, was built in when the foundation was poured. Filled with red lava rocks, it will allow the homeowners a convenient way to stay warm during cooler months (or be a great place to roast marshmallows for s’mores any time of the year).
As with the family room, accommodations had to be made to account for the height difference between the master bedroom foundation and the deck due to the new doors that were added to transition between the two areas. The solution was to add a wooden stair and bench feature along that side of the deck. The top step was extended towards the house to allow for a small elevated deck for seating. On the other side of the doors the wooden steps were extended to create a bench with built in storage underneath.
The Pool
The family room and deck additions were two parts of a larger outdoor living remodel. And here in Texas a full outdoor living remodel is often incomplete without one key element: a pool. The pool was designed by Randy Angell and built by Pool Environments. While we at Key Residential were not involved with the pool addition, its construction took place alongside our work, and the outdoor living area cannot be fully appreciate without also considering the pool. It features a larger main area with an extended wet deck and a connected smaller lounging section separated by three concrete walking pads that hover just above the water’s surface. The back side of the pool that borders a new fence has a bright green architectural feature and built in flower beds.
What's Next?
At this point the scope of work for the original project has been completed. The deck provides area for additional outdoor cooking options that the homeowners may decide to add at a later time. But with winter over half over and summer fast approaching, the homeowners will be busy enjoying their new outdoor living areas with or without the eventual additional work. Next up for us at Key Residential will be the official completion photos which we will be sharing as soon as they are ready.
Behind the Scenes of a Dallas Addition Blog Series
Part One: From Site Prep to Framing
Part Two: From Framing to Mechanicals
Part Three: From Drywall to Flooring
Part Four: From Finishing Touches to Completion