River + Ranch Magazine - Volume 6: Issue 3 June/July 2023

THE OUTDOOR LIVING AND LANDSCAPE ISSUE

DON’T BE CONFUSED, OUR HOMES ARE ANYTHING BUT PLAIN

Countertops, Interior Concrete, Flooring, Stamped Concrete Patios, Stained Concrete

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RIVER + RANCH

MAGAZINE

volume 6: Issue 3

River + Ranch Magazine is a collaborative effort to showcase the creativity and design of the West. The two publishers of Bismarck Magazine decided to embark on a new adventure and create a different magazine focusing on design, art, and western living.

Publishers

Hannah Haynes hannah@bismarck-magazine.com

Caroline Crary caroline@bismarck-magazine.com

RIVER + RANCH TEAM

Layout Editor

Copy Editor

Contributors

Cover Image

Advertising

Jenna Kluting

Jennifer Kranz

Maria Fleck NewAge Creative

Caroline Crary caroline@bismarck-magazine.com

River + Ranch Magazine Corporation, Copyright 2018 River + Ranch and riverandranchmagazine.com. All rights reserved. This periodical cannot be reproduced without the written permission of River + Ranch Magazine. River + Ranch Magazine will not be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. Bismarck Magazine Corporation accepts no liability for statements made by advertisers.

Hannah Haynes Publisher/Co-Founder

Jennifer Kranz Editor

Caroline Crary Publisher/Co-Founder Jenna Kluting Layout Editor

Karel Sovak Writer Maria Fleck Writer/Social Media Manager

NewAge Creative

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS

As the summer season kicks off, we can’t help but feel the excitement for all the outdoor adventures that await us. In this June/July issue of River + Ranch Magazine, we’re celebrating the beauty and serenity of outdoor living and landscape.

From inspiring stories of individuals who have transformed their backyards into stunning outdoor living spaces to tips and tricks for creating a functional and inviting outdoor paradise, this issue is sure to provide you with all the inspiration you need to create your own outdoor oasis.

We explore the importance of landscape design with insights from experts in the field, from Mitch with Next 2 Nature, Jason from Backyard Escapes, Heidi with Myhre Concrete, and Mike with Keller Hearth ‘n Home. We dive into the ways in which outdoor spaces can help make the most of our short summers and take full advantage of the outdoors. These experts are so creative, taking time to draw and design your dream space. Before they even start the project, the amount of work and innovation that goes into these outdoor oases is truly impressive.

As always, we are grateful for your continued support and readership. We hope that this issue inspires you to make the most of the beautiful outdoor spaces that surround us and encourages you to seek out new adventures in nature.

PERFECT POOLS &

Our summers in North Dakota can feel short, this year in particular it feels like we are already behind on getting outside. This forces us to capitalize on the time that we do have. Taking advantage of your outdoor spaces is crucial, so whether you’re thinking about adding a pool, patio, outdoor kitchen or all of the above, we have the inspiration for you.

PATIOS

LEGENDARY HOMES

A pool was always the dream for Casey and Lacey Olheiser, but when they built their first house, they decided to hold off. Then, the sale of their first home and construction of a second meant they could decide again whether they wanted to put in a pool or not. “We didn’t put our first house up for sale, but someone offered to buy it, and we sold it. I don’t know if Lacey was super impressed, so she said the only way I’m moving is if we get a pool for the kids. It was all in the works from then to do it,” explains Casey, owner of Legendary Homes.

STORY: MARIA FLECK | PHOTOS: NEWAGE CREATIVE

While Casey built his family’s home himself, he also employed the help of several skilled sub-contractors, including Associated Pool Builders who installed the pool. “They were very helpful,” says Casey. “They gave us a lot of good ideas.” Many of the home’s plans were shaped by the Olheiser’s desire to build a pool in their spacious and private backyard. The pool and backyard were finished in the summer of 2021, right before the Fourth of July, and the family has been taking full advantage of their fun outdoor space ever since.

The pool is 16x32, and Casey designed the patio to parallel the same dimensions. The backyard is the family’s favorite place to spend time, especially for Casey and Lacey’s four-and-a-half-year-old twins, Greyson and Kaia. “The kids love it. They would go in it every day if we let them. Honestly, they go in it almost every day,” admits Casey, laughing. When asked his favorite part of the pool, Casey responded with the slide which was a new addition last summer. “The twins probably go down it a thousand times a day,” he describes. The pool also features a basketball hoop and underwater lights.

To keep their children safe, Casey had a motorized vinyl pool cover put in that can hold the weight of a few adults when it is in place. In addition to being a necessary safety measure, the pool cover keeps the pool clean and acts as a natural heater in the summer. The pool is also vinyl which meant Casey and his family were able to choose the pattern of their pool from a nearly unlimited selection. Vinyl pools have a life span up to 12 years in North Dakota, before the lining needs to be changed out again, a perfect way to refresh the look of your backyard from time to time.

James A. Nelson, DDS

Kristin R. Schoch, DDS

Kourtney A. Grace, DMD

While Casey and Lacey love the pool, their other favorite part of the backyard is the custom grill island they built with the help of Keller Hearth ‘n Home. The island features a Green Egg, a grill, and a fridge. The couple enjoys hosting, so this kind of outdoor gathering space has been at the top of their must-haves list for a while. “We always wanted that in the other house, but never did it,” says Casey. Keller Hearth ‘n Home also helped them install a fire table to match. The area, complete with cozy sectionals and chairs, has become a popular gathering place for the family, from eating breakfast in the morning to stargazing at night.

In the future, Casey hopes to figure out a way to get a motorized screen around the outdoor patio area to keep the mosquitos away during the summer months. Future plans may also include a finished non-slip pool deck surface. Right now the surface is simply unfinished concrete, which is also non-slip, making it a safe surface for young children to play on around a pool. Altogether though, Casey is very pleased with how the pool and backyard as a whole turned out. “It came together well,” he says. “We’re very happy with it.”

BACKYARD ESCAPES

“We’ve just been dream building for a long time. It all started when we laid out the house, and the patio there, and this space in the middle. I was like, this would be perfect for a pool,” describes the homeowner of this featured home’s backyard. From there, the idea grew to reality with the help of Backyard

Escapes by Kerner Pools and

Spas.

STORY: MARIA FLECK | PHOTOS: NEWAGE CREATIVE

The timing for the homeowners was perfect for a pool when they were building their new home. With kids still at home, the pool has been used frequently since it was installed last summer. The pool is a pool-spa combo with added water features like waterfalls and fire bowls. It is also a “Smart Pool” and comes with automation features.

The homeowner and Jason Kerner, owner of Backyard Escapes, worked together closely to come up with the design and layout of the pool area for the backyard. Jason explains, “Not only is the homeowner excited about getting a pool, but I am just as excited. I do a site visit with all the homeowners and ask them what they have in mind and offer my expert guidance as well… In just about every pool installation the design is a collaboration of the homeowner, landscape contractor, and us. Multiple heads and ideas lead to a great end result with a happy customer.”

Commercial and Residential: Construction Specialists focused on New Design-Build and Remodeling Services. "We believe cooperative work and your continued satisfaction is the key to our success for over 21 years."

After discussing layouts, locations, potential obstacles, and any other features the homeowner wants, the actual installation can begin. This pool install only took two weeks. The first week was spent on site layout, underground utilities, excavation, pool setting, and pool backfill. The second part involved plumbing, pool equipment installation, concrete decking, pool cover preparation and cleaning the pool. Some additional features like water bowls were added in the following spring once the larger landscaping was complete.

The pool itself is fiberglass, a kind of pool Jason says has many benefits. “Fiberglass swimming pools give you the lowest lifetime cost of any other pool on the market,” he explains. “They are easier to maintain, require less chemicals, less energy to heat, and do not require resurfacing or liner replacements every 7-12 years. A quality pool shell will last for 30-40 years or more, even with our rough North Dakota winters, without any structural damage.” Beyond just the practicality, “They are fun to swim in and have a variety of colors and models to choose from. Our manufacturers have a lifetime warranty on the structural integrity of the pool shell, 30 years. That’s pretty awesome,” says Jason.

As with every project, there are challenges along the way, even for experienced pool installers like Jason. “A large obstacle for this install was having enough access to install the pool. The only access was on the side of the home, and it was too narrow for the pool, and the yard has a ton of very large/tall trees. We hired a large crane to hoist the pool up and over the home and trees. This was pretty cool and eerie at the same time. We started at first light on a foggy morning, and the top of boom of the crane disappeared into the low fog,” describes Jason.

The Hot Spring hot tub was added after the pool was done, along with the outdoor couches and chairs. Further down the road, the homeowner hopes to add a complete outdoor kitchen and a woodburning fireplace with seating, as well as an automated screen to make indoor/ outdoor living in the warmer months more possible. In the meantime however, the homeowner and his family are loving their fun outdoor space and looking forward to relaxing in it for many summers to come.

NEXT 2 NATURE

In the summer, North Dakotans take advantage of every opportunity they have to be outside in the warm weather. With this in mind, many people make their backyards the perfect place to relax in the sun by adding a fireplace, pool, outdoor seating, or any combination of the three like in this featured home.

STORY: MARIA FLECK | PHOTOS: ILY STUDIOS

Next 2 Nature helped create this featured backyard. The homeowners came to Next 2 Nature with some ideas and a wish list. On the wish list was a pool and a fireplace. The family has younger kids who still live at home and use the pool all summer long, having friends over and spending time in the sun. After getting the wish list from the client, Mitch Becker, designer at Next 2 Nature, took the idea and ran with it, coming up with an end product even better than what the client imagined. “They always have different needs and wants throughout the process, but in the end, we always try to make it so they can use it for many years afterwards,” says Mitch.

In order to complete this project, Next 2 Nature enlisted the help of Backyard Escapes by Kerner Pools and Spas to put in the pool. The two companies worked handin-hand to overcome obstacles that came with the pool. Because of the pool’s location, utilities had to be moved. “That always poses a challenge,” says Mitch. “Between Backyard Escapes’ ideas and ours we made it work,” says Mitch. The pool, surrounding concrete, and recessed vinyl pool cover were all installed by Backyard Escapes.

It is always important to Next 2 Nature to create their client’s dream backyard, even when working within practical limitations. “It was a little more limited in the backyard, so trying to figure out exactly where to fit everything and make everything work and not take up the entire backyard, leaving greenspace, was a challenge,” describes Mitch. An important item on the homeowner’s wish list was to make his backyard feel like an escape from the city, despite being located within the city. “The homeowner here wanted to have a lot of natural space,” says Mitch. “He didn’t want a lot of rock or anything, so he wanted to keep the natural. When the plants get bigger, he wanted to create more of a space where you don’t think you’re in town, you’re out more in nature.” Mitch and the crew at Next 2 Nature worked hard to make this backyard full of greenery and flowers, as well as preserving plenty of lawn space for backyard games and the homeowner’s garden. The pool was intentionally designed to add to this nature setting. “The noise of the waterfall creates more of an ambiance to more of a nature setting and drowns out the sounds of the major road that they live next to,” explains Mitch.

Next 2 Nature also installed the beautiful stone fireplace in addition to the plant material, pavers, and resodding the backyard. The shed at the end of the pool was put in by Big River Builders, who were working on the home’s interior remodel. The shed covers up the various pumps while also acting as additional storage. Overall, the project took about one month from start to finish. The pool install itself only took a week, while the remaining landscaping took the rest of the time.

Thanks to the expert planning of everyone who worked on the project, everything came together beautifully in the end. “I think everything ended up flowing really well in the backyard, and there’s still ample room for all the activities you can do in the backyard,” says Mitch.

MYHRE CONCRETE

When Jon Artz and his family approached Heidi Dietrich, owner of Myhre Concrete Design, about their backyard, they did not have a full vision yet of what they wanted. They had moved into their home about ten years ago and were outgrowing their backyard space. “As our family grew, we just didn’t use the space. It was there, but it wasn’t what we desired,” explains Jon. The only thing currently in their backyard was a simple slab of concrete that they occasionally had fires on. So they went to Heidi, a family friend and expert at creating backyard spaces, for help. Heidi describes, “When I came out here to meet with them, I designed the patio and helped them figure out how we could make it work with their landscaping and elevation-wise since the yard drops down. I helped them design it from the start because they really didn’t know what they wanted,” explains Heidi.

STORY: MARIA FLECK | PHOTOS: MELANIE SIOUX PHOTOGRAPHY

While it may seem like a simple project, there was a lot of designing that went into the project before any physical work was done. The Artzs and Heidi began planning the new backyard space over a year before they broke ground. “It was a process to try coming up with a plan, but we really wanted to make sure we made the best decision,” explains Jon. They had to think through several different scenarios, trying to ensure they were designing a space that would be functional for years to come.

To make the backyard work for the entertainment space the Artzs envisioned it to be, Heidi and her crew had to work around the 20-inch elevation change from the edge of the house to the edge of the patio. Heidi describes, “We had to deal with some structural stuff to make sure that the pad would stay in place. What you can’t see underneath those posts is a really thick, deepened edge on the patio because Next 2 Nature did such a nice job landscaping around it. Then, we have a couple steps down to a lower firepit area which also has some deepened edges around the outside because there is still a drop-off into the yard.” In addition to the concrete, Heidi helped design other elements as well. “This project was unique. I was able to help them pick out all the stonework. That’s not something I would normally do for people, but it really is thought about when we’re talking about the colors. We’re trying to coordinate it well,” says Heidi.

Kourtney

James A. Nelson, DDS

Kristin R. Schoch, DDS

A. Grace, DMD

In the end, Myhre Concrete designed and developed a perfect space for entertaining outdoors, perfectly balancing function with aesthetic. “Heidi is like a wizard when it comes to this stuff. Not just the technical piece, like how many yards of concrete, what color, what’s going to match, but more of the functional piece as well,” says Jon. The space on the upper level of the yard, next to the house, was designed with space for multiple outdoor seating areas. The firepit was intentionally placed off to the side to keep a clear path to the yard as well as leave room for loungers in the summer. “I always try to give people the most bang for their buck, especially when you’re going to be out there all the time. I hate wasted space,” says Heidi.

In the end, the hard work and patience was well worth it. “It was well worth the wait. We absolutely love it, says Jon. “It’s totally perfect for what we need… I would not change a thing.”

KELLER HEARTH ‘N HOME

Homeowner Jason Stahl and his family moved into this beautiful home in 2015 and has been progressively improving it ever since. When he first moved in, the home’s backyard was nice, but in need of some updating in areas like the outdoor kitchen which was showing signs of wear and needed to be replaced. To help with his backyard renovations, Jason contacted Mike Keller, the owner of Keller Hearth ‘n Home, who helped him turn his new home’s backyard into a beautiful place for relaxation and gatherings.

STORY: MARIA FLECK | PHOTOS: MELANIE SIOUX PHOTOGRAPHY

When Jason moved in, in addition to the outdoor kitchen, there already was a deck and pergola. The yard itself was well kept, but needed new landscaping, especially after a rough winter that killed many of the yard’s trees. The first order of business was removing the old outdoor grill island and replacing it with a new one, which in this instance required a crane.

“When Mike said he was going to have a crane come in to remove the old one to bring this one in, I was like, that doesn’t make any sense. I came home for lunch, and there was a crane overtop these trees, and my neighbors were all outside watching,” recalls Jason, laughing. “They took it up out over the trees and brought in the new one.”

While a crane may seem like overkill, Mike explains, “Sometimes you just take the easiest route. To have a crane show up for an hour is a lot easier than trying to have a lot of guys out here. We do whatever it takes to get things in place. Cranes are probably the extreme, but when you’re on a location like this, it’s required.”

The grill islands Keller Hearth ‘n Home installs are customizable to each client’s specific needs. “We help design based on what their wants are, and these are custom-built, so that makes it easy to do what the customer wants,” says Mike.

Next for Jason, Keller Hearth ‘n Home added fire tables for ambiance and a few deck furniture items, like the large party table adjacent to the grill island and the chat table. The various alternative tables make it easy to host large gatherings or to sit around with a small group and chat on a quiet evening.

“My three nieces, my brother, and my parents come over here, and we grill whenever we can,” describes Jason. “The outdoor areas are used for board games, a lot of Yahtzee, Farkle, Qwixx, or just an occasional glass of wine, whatever you’re going to do, just hanging out.”

Having an outdoor space like this makes it easy to soak up every last bit of warm weather. “We treasure this time of the year, the spring, the summer, the fall. This [outdoor area] helps extend that if you can spend a night outside, throw a jacket on and enjoy the fire and company,” says Mike.

Not only does having an outdoor space like this extend the time you spend outside, but it also extends your living space from just inside your home and makes use of the acreage outside the home too. “We talk about the fact that it brings the outdoor alive,” Mike explains, “It extends the party. It makes it your outdoor break room, your outdoor living area.” And Jason has been taking full advantage of this outdoor living. “It’s rewarding to see that something that was sold is actually doing what you expected it to do,” says Mike.

Creative Wood Designs is a master at pulling together their client’s wants, needs, and personal styles to make a beautiful space. Blair Lindsey and her family moved into their new home last May and enlisted the help of Creative Wood Designs with their cabinetry. The Lindseys love to host, so they wanted an

Creative Wood Designs

story by Maria Fleck photos by Melanie Sioux Photography

entertainment space in their new home.

Nicknamed the Party Room, this space leads right out onto the water and other outdoor recreation areas to facilitate indoor/outdoor living. The cabinetry in the Party Room is different than the cabinetry the homeowners chose for their kitchen. “I thought I was going more

bold, but I ended up finding out I have more of a simple taste,” Blair says. The grey is a subtle but pretty color, and one surprisingly hard to get right. Greys can often look more purple or blue instead of grey. Creative Wood Designs made sure this wouldn’t be an issue. “They helped me through everything. They were always

giving me swatches because I was scared the color would turn out to be a blue,” says Blair.

Everything Creative Wood Designs designed for Blair was intended to make her day-to-day life with young kids a little bit easier. “I told them I want everything to be super easy to maintain,”

she says. A good example is the glass in the cabinets. Blair wanted glass cabinets, but didn’t want to clean them all the time, so Creative Wood chose seedy glass which doesn’t require constant cleaning. “They made it easy for me,” she says.

Creative Wood Designs also knows exactly what touches to add to a space to realize a client’s vision beyond what they even realized was possible. “I told them my vision, and how I wanted stuff, but they were so good with the stuff I wouldn’t have even thought of, like the lights in the cabinets… all those little touches make such a difference,” says Blair. Throughout the whole process, Creative Wood Designs was always eager to help and ready to listen to any and all ideas Blair had. “I would highly recommend them,” she says. “They were amazing to work with.”