Home and Garden of Jeff and Heather King * Sponsored by PMNA
Most warm days, you’ll find Jeff and Heather King, along with son Finn, enjoying their lovely backyard oasis. Inspiration from both California and the Turks & Caicos helped bring to life this year-and-a-half long project that now includes a saltwater pool, a fire pit for roasting marshmallows, even palm trees to complete the tropical ambiance.
Jeff and Heather met in California but moved in 2003 to Charlotte, where Heather actually grew up. They fell in love with Plaza Midwood, living in four previous homes here before undertaking the renovation of their current home. When this property came on the market, in the process of showing it to a client, Jeff realized that it was perfect for his family. He brought Heather to see it that evening and they decided right away to buy it. It had the amazing back yard they were looking for—large enough for both a pool and space for their children to play.
The Kings originally planned to rent the home for a bit before undertaking a reno project, but after a picnic in the back yard, Jeff and Finn knew, “We have to live here!” So began the transformation of the property and the house; luckily, it was a double lot—over a third of an acre right in the heart of Midwood and just steps from Midwood Park! A major renovation and addition of 1,400 square feet began in April 2013, including all new electrical, plumbing, windows, roofing, etc. The home was ready for the Kings to move into in December.
The following spring, they planned to landscape the yard, but wisely realized that when they eventually installed a pool, all the landscaping would be sacrificed. So they bit the proverbial bullet and decided to build the pool, garage and landscaping all at once – a project that was stressful and challenging, but worth it in the end. Note the travertine design in the pool decking; inspiration came from a trip to the Turks & Caicos Islands where they stayed with a lovely couple who made travertine lanterns—and a light grey pool plaster gives the water that beautiful, serene Caribbean feel.