Mountain High in Bluffs

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Story by Elizabeth Ann Wells

Photography by Jeffrey Bebee

There is a sense of coming home when arriving at the Elliff home in rural Pottawattamie County, Iowa. For Joni and Terry Elliff, it is both literal and metaphorical.

From the approach, a canopy of mature Bradford pear trees lines the lane to the couple's home. “Every time I pull in I say, ‘Thank you, Dad,'” Joni says. “It tells us he is still with us.”

Joni's dad and Terry (his nickname is Earl May) were partners in crime when it came to landscaping the property that once belonged to her parents.

The Elliffs purchased the home in 2008 after her mom's death. They had planned to build on two lots in Pelican Cove at Lake Manawa, but they had a change of heart. “It just felt right to fix up mom's house,” recalls Joni.

They asked Scott Carson, owner of Carson Enterprises, to help them convert this familiar house into their family's home. The property didn't have the usual residential constraints of power lines, easements, codes, and covenants. For Carson, “It was really great because we had a blank canvas” for creating a master plan for the yard.

The Elliffs's inspiration came from the Colorado landscapes they enjoyed while visiting family in the Fort Collins area. “There was a particular grove of aspen trees that just melted us,” says Joni.

Combining a Rocky Mountain flavor with their lifestyle of relaxed entertaining and water activities became the vision. Today, their project is nearly complete.

The outdoor living evolved over three years. The first phase was to put in a new backyard pool and a few fire and water features. “We centered it so you could see the pool and all its accents from inside the house,” says Carson.

Sounds from the pool's waterfall echo throughout the outdoor and indoor living spaces. Boulder bubbler fountains dot the backyard landscape and enhance the water's melody. Gas fire features pop through river rock that could be from a Colorado mountain streambed.

Choosing materials and colors for the pathways, waterfalls, pool liner and deck, fence columns, and outdoor kitchen took some care. Varying the materials and their hues helped to create the sense of barrier-free outdoor rooms.

“There are so many textures out here,” says Joni. “Like the interior decor, the outdoor decor had to blend and work together” — but on a much larger scale.

A free-form edge pool is a natural fit. “There are no 90-degree corners” to impede the natural flow of the landscape, says Carson.

While the home had several mature trees, dozens of new shrubs and plants fill in with texture and depth. The backyard has a wide variety of hostas, hydrangeas, quaking aspens, and evergreens, including contorted white pines, vanderwolf pines, and other species not typically seen in this area.

In 2009, the project's focus moved to the front lane. Plants identical or similar to those in the backyard were added to the undercarriage of the trees. Grass had been an issue under the majestic pear trees; the plantings softened the approach, creating a more welcoming “front door.”

Last summer, the Elliffs wanted to add an outdoor kitchen to their Colorado retreat. Carson introduced them to David Sipherd and Todd Lewis, co-owners of The Outdoor Room and Pond Doctors. In their discussions, the designers learned that the Elliffs wanted to be able to prepare food and beverages without leaving their guests to travel between the kitchen and pool.

A large granite bar with an inset fire pit allows the hosts to work without interrupting their conversations. A kegerator and bartending center make entertaining large groups a snap.

An existing 36-inch grill was incorporated into the outdoor kitchen wall. Built-in storage drawers and an outdoor refrigerator with marinating drawers complete this arm of the kitchen.

While the kitchen and the outdoor fireplace near the pool look as if they have traditional stonework, they actually are created from a double-welded-steel framework encased with hardie board faced with natural thin-cut stone. The framework eliminates the need for footings. “In a mason-built fireplace, the block must be completely sealed,” Sipherd says. “If there are air bubbles, it can explode. Our way is stronger, lightweight and impervious to water.”

Earlier this year, Carson enhanced the pool's backdrop with more trees and shrubs just beyond the fence. “It really finishes the look,” says Terry.

Because their home is a work in progress, the Elliffs have made a point to enjoy their backyard in whatever phase it's in at the moment. Their adult children and grandchildren typically gather for Sunday dinners prepared on the grill. Friends look forward to “Saturday Night Life” with the Elliffs.

“We have always been very open with our home,” says Joni. “I am so thankful for all the friends and family who come to relax and enjoy this with us. Friends and family really are the most important things in life.”