Hedgesville, West Virginia, is located a mere two hours from Washington, D.C. by car.  The perfect distance for a summer/winter home.  John Fitzgerald (Fitz), a Partner at Tenacity Group, a leading real estate and development company based out of D.C., found this town while searching for a seasonal escape from his high pace city life.  Hedgesville stays cool in the summer while D.C. boils in the heat.  The  pace is slower, the people are friendlier, and it isn’t all that uncommon to find deer a few feet from your front porch (though they will most likely be eating your shrubs).  So, after narrowing his search down, Fitz purchased this modest little cottage in Hedgesville and officially had himself a seasonal getaway.

The inside of the house is quite nice, a basic open layout, three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, full size washer and dryer- all the buzz words one could need in a second home, but it was seriously lacking in usable outdoor space.  These two images show the cottage in the beginning…  It had a simple screened in porch at the back, a small deck connecting to the master bedroom and an entry deck that lead down to the driveway.  Though it might seem sufficient, no more than 3-4 people could comfortably spend time outside without utilizing the yard.  Something had to change.

Fitz contacted me and asked if I would be interested in helping him to design a large deck and screened in porch, as big as the site setbacks would allow for- and I accepted.  After several weeks of design, my business partner and I, with Fitz’s input, were able to come up with a plan that included a massive wrap around deck with a separate screened in outdoor living room, and an outdoor shower.  We designed the deck structurally to be able to withstand large groupings of people and also enough strength to support a hot tub (which would be added at a later date).  The idea of the deck was to create different areas where people could gather, both inside the screened in porch, where there is a living area and a dining area, and outside on the deck itself.  Privacy screens were strategically located to shield views of neighboring homes while still retaining the beautiful views of the forest.

Directly above and below are what the deck looked like right after it was completed, about two years ago.  The screened in porch was furnished with Crate and Barrel outdoor furniture.  Electricity was installed throughout the deck and porch including multiple zones of lighting, ceiling fans, and outlets.   Fitz was very happy about the results.

At night, there are approximately 14 lights to guide your way around the space, making it possible to use at all hours.  It also creates a great deal of soft light around the perimeter of the cottage, which is very nice when viewed from the inside considering there are no street lights close by and you are largely surrounded by dark forrest.

The porch completely enveloped the cottage, creating a new view as you head down the long gravel driveway.  There is now a large welcoming deck to the right, and the privacy enclosure around the outdoor shower to the left.

These last two images were taken very recently- when I asked Fitz if he would mind me writing about the project he sent me a few pictures to show me how things were developing out there.  It is obvious from the plants, hot tub, and extra furniture that he is growing into the deck and it is as much a part of his home as the house itself.  Who knows, he might even be out there enjoying it right now as you are reading this!