The dynamic duo of Molly Kay Johns of MK Interiors and her husband, Thomas Johns, a builder and woodcraftsman, designed a brand-new farmhouse for a family on 3 acres in Paeonian Springs.
“There are many large trees and pretty views in the backyard, so we wanted to design a special patio outside that sits nicely in the middle of everything,” she adds.
The patio, which can be accessed by a trio of French doors, runs along the length of the farmhouse off a covered back porch. For materials, Johns selected cement pavers for the ground and edged them with a low wall of Pennsylvania flagstone mixed with boulders from the property.
“We wanted to have a modern patio space where the homeowners could relax by the firepit or eat outdoors without overtaking the views or overpowering the space,” Johns says.
She laid out the patio in a series of “outdoor rooms,” with a furnished sitting area tucked beneath the porch’s overhang in case of a spring shower; a round table and dining chairs, with a large umbrella to provide a modicum of shade as needed; and four Adirondack chairs set about the firepit for s’mores nights. The palette was high-contrast black-and-white, in keeping with decor elements inside.
“Outdoor spaces have become especially important to people now so that they can feel like they have safe gathering spaces in their homes,” Johns says. “I like to design them with as much thought and detail as indoor spaces in order to look good and function optimally.”
This story appeared in our March issue as part of a roundup on luxury outdoor spaces. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
