If you ask Andrea and Gary DeCola of Lower Alsace Township just how often they take a vacation, you’ll get a very simple answer: “Everyday.”
The couple is neither in the ranks of the retired nor of the wildly wealthy, but they very well might be the envy of many who’ve attained those statuses.
The reason? Their amazing backyard is resort-quality, complete with pool, bar, outdoor kitchen, several seating areas, a koi pond, two fire pits, designated spaces for the popular lawn games of cornhole and quoit, and a hot tub area set for completion this month.
All in all, it’s a Pennside paradise, and Gary and Andrea are as smitten with it as they are with each other.
“All the pieces have just come together so well,” Andrea says, the pool reflecting sunlight on its surrounds on a warm mid-June afternoon.
The couple’s lives, like so many, came together after some previous pieces had fallen away.
Starting Anew
Earlier in the decade, as a single mom looking to establish a home for herself and her son Alex, Andrea considered several houses. Initially, she was leaning towards a townhouse – easier to maintain and a sort of comfortable harkening back to the semi-detached house of her youth in the College Heights section of Reading.
Though many parts of Berks beckoned, Andrea, a 1986 graduate of the former Central Catholic High School, had many friends who resided in the Lower Alsace/Mount Penn/Pennside area, and she consequently had developed a real and lasting affection for it.
“I always liked Antietam, the old homes here and the interesting architecture,” she says.
During the house hunt, one of those vintage homes located just off Carsonia Avenue caught her eye.
A century-old, two-story brick Colonial-style home positioned up a flight of stairs from the street, boasting dormers and a deep front porch supported by four columns, was the just the right stuff of her dream. Reality followed when Andrea signed the settlement documents in March 2013.
Located near the venerable “A-Field,” the house offered proximity to recreational opportunities for her son, a stable neighborhood atmosphere, and the comforting shade of mature trees and landscaping, reminiscent of her years growing up in leafy College Heights.
Two years after buying the house, Andrea and Gary married. The projects she tackled paled in comparison to those that Gary, a veteran contractor, would take on. His vision for both interior and exterior renovations would go very far toward crafting a quite unique property.
Building a Dream
With a discipline borne of his time in the Army, Gary set about his plans for transforming the backyard into a landscape/hardscape masterpiece – and he did the bulk of the work in one year’s time. Critical to his work were the amenities to make life more convenient.
“Between 29 years in the active reserve and guard, I’m over camping,” he says.
“I had this vision in my mind,” he continues. That vision was supplemented by suggestions from Andrea, armed with scores of clippings from the lifestyle magazines to which she subscribes. Southern Living is a favorite.
“We both like to decorate the same way, so that made it easy,” she says.
The first part of the vision was the centerpiece of the DeColas’ oasis – the swimming pool. That work was completed by Fronheiser Pools.
The pool would not stand alone for long.
Gary, who works in the construction division of Crompco LLC, methodically completed the complementary amenities in just a few short months in 2017.
“It was all done in one year, the same summer as the pool was put in,” he says.
The outdoor kitchen vies with the pool for the heart of the backyard. Used almost daily, it gives the inside kitchen a long spring-summer-fall rest.
A sign in the kitchen declaring “Gary’s Galley” offers pretty strong testimony to who is the chief cook.
Fronted by a fire pit and located just feet from the house, the kitchen features a sink, a refrigerator, granite countertops, and a combination grill/stovetop. An oil-less turkey fryer is a popular stand-alone appliance that allows the couple to serve up the tasty, crispy-skinned poultry without the dangers of traditional fryers.
“I saw it [the kitchen equipment] at Lowe’s and fell in love with it,” Andrea says.
Gary placed an open metal frame around the kitchen area, one topped with fabric to protect from both the sun and rain. However, after the fabric repeatedly fell victim to storms, he replaced that with a corrugated roof to offer more permanent protection from the elements.
Raising the Bar
Cattycorner across the pool from the outdoor kitchen is the DeColas’ cabana bar. The bar back is one side of the couple’s detached brick garage. Two garage windows fitted with mirrors rather than the usual glass panes reflect the pool and the rest of the backyard, making the roofed bar area seem even brighter and bigger. Fully fitted with all the necessities for happy gatherings, from the requisite ingredients for adult beverages to a flat-screen television to view baseball and football games, the bar also features what may likely be the most distinctive bar top in all of Berks.
The base of that bar top is a canoe. Gary explains that the “Old Town” canoe is one he had restored and often enjoyed in the waters of Blue Marsh Lake. But, with time, it had been relegated to hang in storage in the garage.
“I said: ‘What are you going to do with that?’” says Andrea. Gary’s reply was to build a platform in which to set the canoe and to place a glass top over it. Peer into the glass and you’ll see some Landshark beer cans, two oars, and fishing gear. And, because legend has it that boats need names for clear sailing, Gary christened the bar/boat “Andrea.”
The “beachy feel” that Gary and Andrea were aiming for is clear – and that includes not just the color palette but also a surfboard that rests against the garage. Indeed, in another nod to his wife, Gary placed a sign, complete with lights, declaring “Andrea’s Dockside” just behind the pool on the wooden fence which encloses the entire backyard.
The fenceposts are topped with solar lights. String lights follow the lines of the fence, offering sparkling brightness in the more temperate months; they are enhanced with additional strings at the holidays.
The koi pond, adjacent to the bar, is home to some very happy fish. The three- to four-inch fish (at the time of their “adoption”) have now grown to 14 and 15 inches long. Morning and evening feedings create a joyful, koi-full happy hour.
Not to be left out, some new “regulars” at bar side are the neighborhood squirrels. The cause for their visitations is a circa-1950s Sunoco peanut and candy dispenser restored by Gary to its original condition. Quarters are placed on a rail for visitors to access the treats, but the squirrels are doing their best to freeload, providing considerable entertainment for the couple and guests.
All Revved Up
Though the garage windows at the bar reflect the outdoors, the interior of the garage stands as testimony to Gary’s talent and passion for restoration. He has outfitted the garage with gas-station memorabilia, some items acquired in good shape and others restored by his skilled hands, including a gas pump. There is even a working traffic light.
But the star of the garage – displayed in the center of the black-and-white checkered floor – is a fully rebuilt and restored 1976 Corvette.
“This is a ground-up rebuild,” says Gary.
He acquired the rustic shell of the car for $3,800.
“It was a barn find,” he says.
Hard work and determination to locate all the essential parts, down to replacing the mechanicals and even reupholstering the interior with red leather, has transformed the car into a show-stopper, one that he proudly displays in shows and which has won numerous awards. And its value is now in the range of $22,000.
Under the hood, the carburetor, motor, and connections gleam. On the underside of the hood is a striking rendition of an American eagle with the Stars and Stripes framing it.
“This is a ’Vette for a vet,” Gary proclaims proudly.
Allegiance to the country and its veterans is always near and dear to the DeColas.
Indeed, in sourcing the furnishings and fittings for their backyard retreat, the couple’s go-to retailers are Lowe’s and Boscov’s.
“They are good enough to offer military discounts and honor those who served,” says Andrea. “That’s something important to us, and we are loyal to them.”
Home Work
Andrea, who is responsible for business development for Reading-based Elk Environmental, usually works from home. Her second-floor office opens to a small porch, providing the opportunity for both fresh air and a great view of their yard.
Gary, who previously resided in a mid-19th-century home in Adamstown, Lancaster County, was happy to tackle the interior work as well.
From restoration of the home’s lovely original hardwood floors to installing wainscoting in Andrea’s office to pretty much gutting the attic down to the beams and creating a one-of-a-kind master bedroom, Gary’s touches are everywhere.
And his ability to effectively handle electrical and plumbing projects contributed mightily to revamps of the bathrooms and kitchens, as well as that backyard paradise.
All in all, from the pool to the fencing to the decking, lighting, and furnishings, the price tag for the DeColas’ backyard retreat totaled about $50,000. Of that, the pool installation accounted for $30,000; it was the one project too large for Gary to handle alone.
The DeColas and son Alex enjoy their special place daily along with their dogs Buddy, a 4 ½-year-old retriever, and Noel, a Labradoodle named for her Christmas 2018 birth date.
The family loves to open their home and yard for gatherings with friends and relatives. This July, the occasion of Andrea’s 50th birthday saw a special celebration.
They have also shared their home and yard on holiday and garden tours held by the Exeter Women’s Club, of which Andrea is a member.
But, all in all, the joy of a relaxing outdoor haven is the priority.
“The ambiance back here is so peaceful and quiet,” Andrea says. “We both have stressful jobs, and this is a nice and welcoming oasis.”
