Under the existing deck, the team developed a new casual seating area that spills out into a secondary lounge area. A majestic stone fireplace (which matches the existing stone on the house) provides warmth and ambience to the area, all covered by a pergola with rain sensors that automatically close and redirect water when needed.

The centerpiece of the backyard is a casual lounging pool, illuminated with ambient light, perfect for adult entertainment and relaxation. Kraisinger introduced a new precast concrete paver to the pool deck, which is made with a white Portland cement and white aggregate, drastically reducing the heat on bare feet. The same material is used not only on the pool deck but also the coping and stepping stones that run through the entire project. The far end even includes a rectangle of artificial turf, something Wiltse said he was initially unsure about.

“But Kurt said, ‘Trust me, you’re going to thank me for that,’” he recalls.

Sure enough, the pad was not only the ideal location for chipping a few golf balls but also the perfect size for a 15-foot x 30-foot tent for food and bartending.

“Every single room here was built with not just the intention of the kids and the usage but also entertainment and gathering,” he notes.

If all that weren’t enough, the newly created area enjoys captivating views of the adjacent golf course, complete with waterfall, as well as the surrounding woods. Wiltse, an avid golfer, appreciates both the serenity of the greens—and the chance to holler down to golfing buddies—but also the seamless transition from the modern lines of the house to the natural setting that defines the area.

“It’s serene back here,” he says. “Cedar Creek really is one of my favorite backdrops.”

Of course, the front entry wasn’t forgotten. A large stone boulder (complete with relaxing bubbler), more Aspen trees, and stone inlays in the concrete create an experience far from typical and one that sets the same relaxing tone that carries through the house to the back.

The project finished last year, with Wiltse crediting Kraisinger for quarterbacking a team that looked after every detail.

“In my business, finding a way for the team to work together is something I’ve always valued,” he says. “This was one of the first times I’d seen it in construction. There was just a synergy and collaboration that happens when everybody gets together on the same team with a shared vision and understands the goals of the project.”