Grand Ledge Reinforces Lenoir City, Tennessee, Riverfront Home

The Challenge: Beautiful Views, Big Risks

Living on a riverbank has its challenges. But living on a steeply sloped, rocky, riverside cliff poses even higher stakes. Lenoir City, Tennessee, homeowners Debbie and Eddie Klein aspired to create a functional entertaining space for their family, friends, and, most importantly, their grandkids. With this home deemed their “forever home”, they desired to find a landscape designer who just got it–and could help them turn an unstable site into a riverside delight with the right hardscape solutions.

In the video above, Rosetta pro Gerry Garcia and Bob Graves, PLA, of Carex Design Group, show you through this impressive build where Rosetta meets risk head-on, and the homeowners were simply delighted with the results.

The Solution: Rosetta Rectifies Rocky Riverside (Try saying that 5 times fast!)

Knowing they could reach greater heights with Grand Ledge and add more usable space–over 8,000 sq ft (743.2 sq m) to be exact–landscape designer Carex Design Group perfected a plan that would provide level lawn space and multiple spaces for enjoyment, without compromising site integrity or views.

With a design in hand, site contractor Magnolia Landscape Construction worked with the Rosetta Hardscape project support team to determine the appropriate radius and curve for the Grand Ledge wall blocks. With Tennessee-based Rosetta Hardscapes producer, Peerless Block & Brick, supplying the project’s block and step materials by the truckload, installation began.

When it came to installation assistance, Rosetta’s project support team stepped in to help the Magnolia team lay out the blocks correctly and resolve any issues that arose. Once the base course of Grand Ledge blocks was placed, installation progressed quickly with machine-placed construction sequences.

Now completed, this project features:

• Terraced Grand Ledge retaining wall systems with a total of 2,400 sq ft (222.9 sq m) of blocks installed.
• 4 ft (1.2 m) Rosetta Dimensional Steps create safe and comfortable passages to terraced patio areas.
• 6 ft (1.8 m) Dimensional Steps create a wide, curved stairway to access the large lawn area and playground.
• A Belvedere Fire Pit Kit converted into a gas-burning unit with a gas insert.
• 3 unique levels of enjoyment–a hot tub and upper deck lounge, a cozy fire pit nook, and a large, grassy play area for the grandkids give the site distinct areas to relax and enjoy.
• Softscape elements handpicked to compliment Tennesee’s forest viticulture are incorporated throughout the design, including evergreen and native grass plantings.
• Integrated fencing tops Grand Ledge Walls at multiple levels to ensure security.
• Natural tones and textures–Peerless Block & Brick provided their regional color, “Saddle Mountain Blend” to both the Dimensional Step and Grand Ledge block materials.

Additionally, Rosetta Hardscape solutions are crafted with wet cast, precast concrete, which performs optimally in freeze-thaw cycles, wet weather conditions, and incorporates necessary drainage elements, creating a weather-hardy and drainage-smart design–perfect for standing up to Tennessee’s seasonal fluctuations. Rosetta’s wet cast compositions also offer richly textured, 3-D natural stone appearances, making solutions easy to pair with home architecture and natural surroundings.

Carex Design Group used intuitive retaining wall design strategies and Rosetta Hardscapes solutions to help the Klein family turn a risky riverbank into the gathering place they had always wanted. What started as an unstable slope is a cherished spot where grandkids play, friends come together, and the views are still stunning, but now safe to enjoy.

“Sometimes landscaping's hard because you go from hard materials to soft. But being able to do this here and blend a man-made product that looks natural is one of the best things about this product.” -Bob Graves, PLA, Carex Design Group