Outdoor Living Spaces Designed for the Way You Live
Custom Outdoor Living Design & Construction in Grand Rapids and West Michigan
Your backyard can be more than an open space behind your home. With thoughtful design and quality construction, it can become a comfortable place to cook, entertain, gather around a fire, or simply spend more time outdoors.
Alfresco Landscapes designs and builds custom outdoor living spaces throughout Grand Rapids and greater West Michigan. With more than 40 years of landscape experience, our team can take your project from the initial ideas and site planning through construction and final installation.
Whether you want to add a paver patio and landscape lighting or transform your backyard with a complete outdoor kitchen and entertaining area, we'll design the space around your property, goals, and how you want to use it.
Projects of All Sizes
Custom-Designed Spaces
Form Meets Function
Proper Drainage & Installation
Built for Lasting Enjoyment
Complete Outdoor Living
Create an Outdoor Space That Feels Like Part of Your Home
No two outdoor living spaces need to look or function the same.
Some homeowners simply need a better place to sit outside and enjoy their property. Others want a complete backyard environment designed for cooking, dining, entertaining, and relaxing.
Our outdoor living projects can incorporate:
Custom paver patios
Outdoor kitchens
Built-in grills and cooking areas
Pizza ovens
Outdoor bars
Wine coolers and mini refrigerators
Gas fire pits
Outdoor fireplaces and fire features
Water features
Landscape lighting
Walkways and paver paths
Retaining and seat walls
Plantings and landscape beds
Drainage solutions
Irrigation
Outdoor audio systems
Your designer will help determine which features make sense for your property, lifestyle, available space, and budget.
Outdoor Kitchens & Entertaining Areas
An outdoor kitchen can turn a patio into a true extension of your home's entertaining space.
Alfresco Landscapes has created outdoor kitchens ranging from dedicated grilling and prep areas to larger entertainment spaces incorporating pizza ovens, refrigerators, wine coolers, bars, seating, lighting, and surrounding landscaping.
Instead of treating each feature as a separate addition, we look at how the entire space works together.
Cooking areas, seating, traffic flow, lighting, utilities, landscaping, and drainage can all be considered during the design process so the finished area looks intentional and functions the way you envisioned.
Custom Patios & Hardscapes
A great outdoor living space starts with a strong foundation.
Our team designs and installs custom patios and hardscapes that create defined areas for dining, entertaining, relaxing, and moving throughout your property.
Proper installation is especially important in West Michigan. Before the finished surface goes down, our construction team considers grading, drainage, base preparation, compaction, and the freeze-thaw conditions that can cause poorly installed patios to settle or shift.
The result is an outdoor space designed not only to look beautiful when it's completed, but to perform for years to come.
Fire & Water Features
The right feature can completely change the atmosphere of your backyard.
A gas fire pit or outdoor fireplace creates a natural gathering place and can help extend the amount of time you spend outside during cooler Michigan evenings. Water features can add movement, sound, and a relaxing focal point to the landscape.
Depending on your design, we can incorporate features such as:
- Gas fire pits
- Outdoor fireplaces
- Fountains
- Ponds
- Waterfalls
- Integrated fire and water features
We'll help position these elements so they complement the surrounding patio, plantings, seating areas, and overall landscape.
Landscape Lighting for Outdoor Living
Your outdoor space shouldn't become unusable when the sun goes down.
Thoughtfully placed landscape lighting can make patios, kitchens, walkways, steps, walls, and landscape features more functional and inviting after dark.
Alfresco Landscapes installs low-voltage LED landscape lighting that can include pathway lighting, planting uplights, patio lighting, and built-in step and seat-wall lighting.
Lighting can be incorporated into the original outdoor living design so fixtures and electrical requirements work naturally with the rest of the space.
Designed From the Ground Up
Beautiful finishes are only part of a successful outdoor living project.
What happens underneath and around your patio is just as important.
Our designs account for site conditions and proper installation techniques, including grading and drainage, compacted base preparation, underground utilities, transitions between hardscapes and lawns, and the effects of West Michigan's changing seasons.
Addressing these details during design and construction helps prevent problems such as standing water, shifting pavers, uneven surfaces, and drainage issues later.
We want you to enjoy your outdoor space for years—not spend your time fixing problems that could have been addressed during installation.
Creating a custom outdoor living space involves more than choosing a patio material. Our proven process helps bring the entire project together.
Our Outdoor Living Design & Construction Process
Consultation
We'll meet with you onsite to discuss your property, your goals, how you envision using the space, the features you're interested in, and a realistic budget for the project.
Design
Our team will create a personalized outdoor living design based on your property and the features you want to incorporate.
Review
We'll present the design and detailed proposal for your review. This is your opportunity to request changes and make sure the plan reflects what you want before construction begins.
Construction
Once the design is approved, our installation team will schedule the project and begin bringing the plan to life. Site preparation, drainage, underground components, hardscapes, utilities, lighting, plantings, and other features are coordinated as part of the overall build.
Completion
When construction is finished, we'll complete a final walkthrough of your new outdoor living space and make sure you understand the features and ongoing care of your investment.
Why Choose Alfresco Landscapes?
Outdoor living projects combine landscape design, hardscape construction, drainage, utilities, lighting, and detailed installation. Having one experienced team coordinate those elements can make a significant difference in the finished project.
40+ Years of Experience
Our team brings decades of landscape design and construction experience to properties throughout Grand Rapids and West Michigan.
Award-Winning Design
Our designers are recognized by the Association of Grand Rapids Landscape Professionals and have proudly designed for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
Design + Construction
From the initial consultation and custom design through construction and final walkthrough, we can manage the complete outdoor living project.
Built for West Michigan
We understand local soil, drainage, weather, and freeze-thaw conditions and incorporate those considerations into our designs and installation methods.
Quality-First Construction
We use proven installation techniques and quality materials with the goal of creating outdoor spaces that continue to perform long after construction is complete.
Patio Gallery
The Ridge House Gallery
Creating a custom outdoor living space involves more than choosing a patio material. Our proven process helps bring the entire project together.
Outdoor Living FAQs
How much space do I need for an outdoor living area?
Outdoor living projects can be designed for properties and budgets of many different sizes. A project might involve a relatively simple patio and lighting installation or a larger backyard transformation with an outdoor kitchen, fire feature, seating areas, landscaping, and other amenities.
Can you build a complete outdoor kitchen?
Yes. Alfresco Landscapes has created outdoor kitchens incorporating features such as built-in cooking areas, pizza ovens, wine coolers, mini refrigerators, bars, and surrounding patio and landscape elements.
Can landscape lighting be included in the project?
Yes. Lighting can be incorporated during the design phase and may include patio lighting, pathway lights, planting uplights, and built-in lighting for steps or seat walls.
Do you handle drainage around patios?
Yes. Proper grading and drainage are important parts of outdoor living construction. Site conditions are considered during planning and construction so water can be directed appropriately and the hardscape has a properly prepared foundation.
Can you add a fire pit or water feature?
Yes. Depending on the property and design, outdoor living spaces can incorporate gas fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, fountains, ponds, waterfalls, and other fire or water features.
Can you design the landscaping around the patio too?
Yes. Because Alfresco Landscapes provides landscape design and construction services, the surrounding plantings, beds, walkways, retaining walls, lighting, irrigation, and other landscape elements can be incorporated into the overall design.
Let's Create Your Outdoor Living Space
Whether you're envisioning a new paver patio for summer evenings or a complete backyard destination with an outdoor kitchen, fire feature, lighting, and landscaping, Alfresco Landscapes can help bring the pieces together.
We'll start by learning how you want to use your property and develop a design that fits your home, your goals, and your space. From there, our experienced team can handle the construction and installation required to bring that design to life.
Ready to start planning your outdoor living project? Contact Alfresco Landscapes to schedule a free consultation and custom quote.
lawn care
plant and bed maintenance
irrigation maintenance
chemical treatments
pest control spraying
Common Landscaping Pitfalls
Avoid these mistakes to ensure your landscaping project enhances your property and stands the test of time.
What are the biggest mistakes homeowners make with landscaping projects?
- Skipping proper drainage
- Choosing materials based only on price
- Not planning for long-term maintenance
- Hiring based on lowest bid instead of experience
Can bad landscaping cause foundation or water issues?
Yes—improper grading can direct water toward your home instead of away from it, leading to erosion, basement leaks, or foundation damage over time.
How do I avoid my patio sinking or shifting?
Proper base prep is everything. This includes excavation, compacted gravel layers, and correct slope for drainage. Skipping these steps is the main reason patios fail.
What should I expect in a professional landscaping quote?
A solid quote should include:
- Scope of work
- Materials used
- Timeline
- Payment structure
- Notes on potential variables (like drainage or soil conditions)
Do landscaping projects usually go over budget?
They can if unknown issues are found, but clear planning and communication minimize this. We will explain potential variables upfront.