Home Front: Bring the Indoors Out

The owners of Pittsburgh Stone & Waterscapes can help you incorporate natural elements and patio features into your outdoor space to make it feel like home.

photos by Dean M. Beattie photography
 

Pittsburgh Stone & Waterscapes began in 1982 under the name Garden Graphics. Founder Robert Blunkosky says no one likes to change the name of a successful business, but as the company’s services expanded, the name evolved as well.

“It started off as landscape, installation and maintenance,” says Jeff Blunkosky, Robert’s son and the company’s owner and president. “Each year was progressive.”

The company still offers residential landscape design but also works on 3-D design of fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, ponds, waterfalls, outdoor lighting, pavilion areas and paver patios, among other features. Father and son pride themselves on providing full service, from custom design to construction. They can update an outdoor space or renovate it completely to make homeowners feel as if they have created a resort in their backyard.

“It’s an extension of the home but also kind of like an outdoor oasis,” Jeff says.

Three features to consider for summer landscaping from Pittsburgh Stone & Waterscapes:

patio roofs. They allow a transition space from inside to outside and help to provide a shield from the elements — whether it be rain or extreme heat, Jeff says.

water feature. “I definitely think a water feature is something people want to consider,” Jeff says, noting that the sight or sound of water from a fountain, waterfall or Koi pond serves as a focal point.

outdoor kitchens/grill space. “Everybody needs a grill area, but what’s been really big for us is the innovation of materials [that allow] us to bring everything from the inside of the house outside,” Jeff says. “You can do refrigerators, icemakers, storage areas — you can incorporate any of that into outdoor kitchens.”