Maximizing Space with Style: Hardscape Hero, Vinny Coppola
If you ask Hardscape Hero winner Vinny Coppola about small space design, he does not talk about the limitations of square footage. He grins and says, “You just gotta get the flash in there.”
On this winning Hardscape Hero project, that “flash” came in the form of clean lines, bold inlays, rock-solid seating wall construction, fire columns and thoughtful, gorgeous plantings.
Out with the Old
When Coppola was hired to reimagine this outdoor space, he quickly determined that someone had built the patio with poor quality “big-box” pavers that were not properly integrated into the slope of the yard.
As he explains, “A different company came in and used lower quality product, and they put a crazy slope on it. The pitch was so aggressive that if you dropped a ball at the top, it would roll right through the yard.” Coppola’s commitment to quality fuels his passion for the work, and he’s very blunt when expressing his thoughts on the previous install. He explains with an unapologetic grin and snarky laugh, “Yeah, it was garbage.”
Tight Footprint. Big Presence.
Stone and Wood Hardscape’s new design is all about maximizing the modest footprint by transforming it into an outdoor room that feels like an extension of the house.
A key structural and visual element is the wall-and-column combination built with Belgard Weston Wall. In this small but detailed space, it did more than frame the patio. It also helped balance the previous slope and retain grade.
Coppola was precise and deliberate about how the walls and columns were constructed. “I promise you, the strength of that seating wall and those columns are all intertwined,” he explains. “It is so strong…every course is glued. Everything is locked together.”
The paving pattern and inlay, featuring Origins and a charcoal border, were just as intentional as the structural fortitude. Coppola appreciates the way Belgard’s paver sizing makes designing and installing efficient and precise: “That’s why I like Belgard, you’re nailing it every time. Other companies give you crazy dimensions.” That predictability is what allows him to drop clean borders and picture-frame details consistently without having to deal with awkward cuts or complicated math.
A Shared Vision
For Coppola, a good outdoor living space design is developed through a fluid and open conversation with the homeowner. Although he brings years of experience to the table, he believes in tapping into the homeowner’s vision to direct his work.
“I’m not gonna tell you what you should see. Tell me what I should see. You live here. Help me see it.”
The homeowner wanted the refreshed space to feel like an extension of the home, while having enough room to comfortably entertain guests. That meant designing a patio with the perfect aesthetic and spatial elements.
“I like to paint things out,” he says. Rather than relying solely on drawings, Coppola prefers to stand in the yard with the client and walk them through his plan. “I know Belgard will provide you with designs, but I also like to show them where exactly I’m going to put the wall and pavers.”
For the patio design, he leaned into the simplicity of what Belgard’s modular system provides. As he does on every job, Coppola sent the homeowner to visit his distributor, Frederick Block, Brick and Stone, to view the products firsthand and she selected Origins and a charcoal accent border.
Once the patio pavers were laid down, Coppola reviewed the design with the homeowner, so she could see the final layout before it was completed. Step-by-step, Coppola includes his clients in the process, which he believes is crucial.
“I will show them the dig, the base layer and where the walls will be. Everything. Like a picture.”
As they were exploring the wall design, the homeowner initially wanted to have four large columns in each corner. Coppola explained that he thought four would overwhelm the space and make it feel smaller. He also suggested using a smaller-sized wall block that he knew would provide the strength and proportion, but also achieve her vision of having a spacious feeling patio for entertaining.
“Weston Wall is so easy to work. It doesn’t clutter the space.”
A Small Crew, by Design
With all of his previous experience, Coppola’s path into hardscaping seemed to be destined. “I’ve always been in construction,” he explains. “I used to build fences. I knew construction was my life.” After running crews as a foreman, he realized he wanted more control over the work and the quality. “It just came to me naturally,” he says.
Today, he runs a deliberately small operation and plans to keep it that way. “I don’t want it to be anything bigger than I am now,” he says. “I install all of my projects. If you want me, you’ll get me.”
The size of a project also lets Coppola choose the work he believes is right for his company and crew. Large commercial jobs are not his focus as he has seen what happens when quality slips under production pressure: “Residential is where it’s at,” he says.
Sharing the Wealth of Knowledge
Ask Coppola what he would say to someone who wants to break into the industry, and his primary piece of advice is “Talk to people with experience and understand that every situation is different. It takes experience to be able to walk through a job and be able to excel over the challenges. I wish I could teach it, but it just takes time.”
He also pushes back on the idea that there are “mystical” trade secrets. “There are no real secrets. Just use a plate compactor and a level, dude. You’re in the game.”
Beyond getting started with the proper tools, technique and insight from industry professionals, Coppola believes communication and flexibility with the homeowner are what keep projects moving. He regularly asks homeowners, “What can I do to help you?” and adjusts scope or details when “good” clients are honest about their budgets.
All for the Team
For Coppola, winning Hardscape Hero is about far more than the trophy and prizes. It’s a boost for his crew that stands beside him in the dirt, dust and heat on every job. “It’s built morale for my guys,” he explains. “It’s a very big deal to us.”
On this project, that pride in his work shows up in the details: the way the Weston Wall and columns lock together, the way the slope was tamed and how the inlays harmonize within the design.