Texas truck driver Jeff Yanes had his life changed forever in April, over a video call with HGTV’s Brian Patrick Flynn. That was when Yanes found out that he was the lucky winner of the HGTV® Dream Home 2021 sweepstakes, besting 136 million other entrants to walk away with a grand prize valued at $2.8 million.
The prize package included a quarter-million dollars in cash as well as a brand-new motorhome, but the grandest part of this grand prize was a 3,300-square foot designer home situated on the Sakonnet River outside of Newport, Rhode Island.
The nautically-inspired interiors of the house capture the spirit of New England, but it’s the expansive outdoor living spaces that anchor the home to its stunning natural setting. The outdoor kitchen, bar, fire pit, and multiple seating areas are a dream for any homeowner, and for any guest lucky enough to spend time in this gorgeous waterfront retreat.
Behind the Build
We spoke with the builder who installed the Belgard hardscaping, and his experience with the build was a dream as well. “Getting to be a part of the project was a great experience,” says Brian Needle of Massachusetts-based Needle Brothers Landscaping & Masonry. “We honestly didn’t encounter any issues. The [Belgard] Design Team nailed it, and we were provided with everything we needed to install the project.”
Needle, who has been in the hardscape business for 20 years, brought a wealth of experience to the project and also a passion for all things HGTV. “I read a lot of design magazines as well as watch a LOT of HGTV — it’s always on and I love seeing what the latest trends are and what is changing.”
He noted that his customers, especially in light of recent pandemic restrictions that saw people spending more time entertaining outdoors, are becoming more open to pushing boundaries in outdoor living design. “The industry used to be largely centered around landscaping, but now everyone wants hardscapes — hardscapes galore! — to support the outdoor living lifestyle. And not just simple patios, they want spaces to enjoy…pools, hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, bars, fire and water features, even outdoor TVs.”
Needle has worked with Belgard products for about 7 years, during which time he’s come to appreciate the personalized care and passion of our service representatives. “The fantastic customer service is what sets Belgard apart from competitors. If I ever have any issues on-site, my rep takes care of it immediately.”
And it’s not just our service reps earning his praise: “The entire Belgard team was very responsive with anything we needed. They even made a point to come back out once things were complete to clean all of the pavers.”
But at the end of the day, it’s the product quality that leads Needle to continue choosing Belgard for his projects. He shared which products were used in the Dream Home build:
“We used LaFitt Rustic Slab for the patio, which is one of my favorite products to use – it’s gorgeous and very versatile. We used Brookshire Wall for the walls, outdoor kitchen, bar, grill space and firepit. And, we used Agilina Pavers and Anglia Edger for the driveway and walkway. It looked incredible, and I look forward to using it in future installs,” he said.
And now, with this headline-making build behind him, Needle is back home in Massachusetts making outdoor living dreams come true for his lucky clients.
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