20+
Farmington backyards transformed
13
Years working in your area
5.0
Star rating across every platform
What Farmington backyards need most
Farmington divides into two distinct hardscape worlds. The historic village (Main Street, Mountain Spring Road, the streets near Miss Porter’s School) holds some of the oldest and most preserved homes in the state. Hardscape projects in this part of town demand restraint, natural materials, and design that respects historic character. We’ve built bluestone patios in Farmington village that look like they were laid in the same era as the houses they sit behind.
The other Farmington is Unionville and the streets running west toward Burlington. These are mid-century and newer construction, more standard suburban lots, mixed architectural style. Hardscape in this part of town tends toward larger paver patios, more contemporary materials, and the kind of suburban-backyard transformation that turns a generic lawn into an entertainment space.
Across both worlds, Farmington homeowners ask us about three things more than anything else: bluestone work for historic-feeling installations, water features that turn smaller lots into retreats, and integrated lighting that extends the use of the space into evenings.
What we build most often in Farmington
Full-thickness bluestone patios
Bluestone is our most-installed material in Farmington. Real Pennsylvania bluestone, full thickness (1 to 1.5 inches), set on a proper compacted base with sand-leveled joints. The color is the deep blue-gray that ages beautifully. The texture is the natural cleft surface that gives the stone its distinctive look. The patina deepens over years rather than fading. It’s the right material for a town like Farmington.
Bluestone costs more than premium pavers on a square-foot basis. The reason it’s worth it for the right home: pavers always look like a manufactured product, even when the design is beautiful. Bluestone looks like stone, because it is stone. For historic Farmington homes, that distinction matters.
Compact water features for smaller lots
Many Farmington lots, especially in the village area, are smaller than what you’d find in Avon or West Simsbury. That doesn’t preclude water features, but it changes the design. We build bubbling boulder features, compact pondless waterfalls (4-6 foot runs), and formal wall-mounted spillway fountains that take minimal footprint while delivering full acoustic presence.
Integrated lighting design
Farmington backyards tend to be used into the evening more than most Connecticut backyards we work in. The town’s character (historic, social, walking-oriented) seems to put homeowners outside after sunset more often. Integrated low-voltage lighting becomes especially valuable in this market. We design lighting that fits the architecture of the house (which means more concealed, less aggressive than what works in newer suburbs), illuminates paths and steps safely, and gently highlights features like a water feature or fire pit.
Privacy plantings and screen walls
Farmington lots tend toward closer property lines than Avon or Simsbury. A surprising number of Farmington projects we build include some kind of privacy element. Stone screen walls with integrated planting. Tall planted hedges anchoring back property lines. Combination wall-and-planting designs that create separation without feeling fortified. This is one of the design areas where Farmington’s specific lot character shapes the work.
Recent Avon transformations
The Patterson Transformation
West Hartford
The Mountain Laurel Build
Avon
The Hillside Retreat
Simsbury
What a Farmington backyard transformation typically costs
- $20,000 to $38,000: Smaller bluestone patio plus walkway plus basic planting, typical historic-village scope
- $38,000 to $70,000: Larger patio plus water feature plus integrated lighting plus drainage
- $70,000 to $130,000: Full backyard transformation including outdoor kitchen, multiple seating zones, complete lighting
- $130,000 to $180,000+: Major estate-level builds on the larger Farmington Avenue and Mountain Road properties
The Farmington neighborhoods we work in
- Farmington village (Main Street area): Historic, restrained, natural materials. Highest detail per square foot of any neighborhood we work.
- Mountain Spring Road: Older estates, generous lots, often supporting ambitious transformations with restraint
- Farmington Avenue corridor: Larger properties, contemporary design language possible
- Unionville: Mid-century neighborhoods, more standard lots, paver and natural stone both work
- Streets around Miss Porter’s School: Historic character, tight lots, careful detail work
- West Farmington toward Burlington: More rural feel, larger lots, often combined with drainage and grading work
What Farmington homeowners say
How to start a Farmington backyard project
Call (860) 200-3506. Ten-minute conversation with John. We’ll tell you whether your project fits and book a property walk if it does.
What Farmington homeowners ask most
Ready to transform your Farmington backyard?
Ten-minute call with John. Honest conversation, no pressure.