Excellence in Outdoor Living Space Design

Photo by Dan Cutrona

Craigville Beach Retreat is a Mediterranean oasis on Cape Cod. This stucco house with European flair is not your typical Cape residence – and its recently updated, luxurious outdoor living space is far from typical either. From the 20’ by 60’ saltwater pool and 14’ by 14’ infinity spa that match the grand scale of the house, to the Asian paving stone of the patio, pool deck and pool house that ties everything together, it’s easy to see why E.J. Jaxtimer’s landscape division was recognized by the 2016 BRICC Awards for their work on this outdoor retreat, winning gold in the Excellence in Outdoor Living Space Design category.

“This is a gorgeous piece of property,” says E.J. Jaxtimer, president of E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc. “One of the greatest assets is the view – the view is spectacular.”

In order to fully take advantage of the 270-degree waterfront view of Osterville, Martha’s Vineyard, and Hyannis Port, the team at Jaxtimer, along with landscape architect Bernice Wahler, needed to re-grade the site. They lowered the grade of the entire backyard by 18 inches, ultimately lowering the elevation of the remodeled pool by 16 inches. To disguise the necessary pool fence from view, Wahler says she designed an English ha-ha wall along the edge of the coastal bank. This involved dropping the grade right beyond the wall, creating an artificial depression that sets the fence down and out of view.

Picking the right stone to pave the terraces was key, says Project Manager Jonathan Jaxtimer, as the expansive outdoor space required extensive paving. The space previously consisted of uneven brick paving, which was too hot to the touch of bare feet. As a result, a light, buff-colored stone was chosen. Jonathan says the stones were accented in different finishes to help break up the space and add interest.

“Most of the stones were cut to fit – like a puzzle,” Jonathan notes. “It was neat seeing everything come together.”