Illuminating With Possibilites

Creativity and personalized service earned Fancy Cutz its opportunity to shine in The Peninsula

Story by Jonathan Westman  |  Photography by Grant L. Gursky

Brian Swain understands the value of a great education. The former teacher and principal of North Laurel Elementary School surrounded himself with industry experts when he founded Fancy Cutz landscaping company in 2006 with his wife, Halie, an educator herself who also teaches special-education classes to 3- and 4-year-olds with developmental disabilities.  

Brian credits Central Turf’s Dale Carey, in particular, for sharing his vast knowledge of irrigation, drainage techniques and landscape lighting that would ultimately allow them to expand their services. Their network of trusted allies has only grown over the years, to include trade partners like David Hastings of Salisbury Brick and Warren Reid of Solid Image, as examples, and so has the Swains’ business. Fancy Cutz has evolved to become one of Sussex County’s premier landscaping-and-hardscaping companies, offering complete outdoor solutions that range from grade work, turf management and pest control to irrigation, landscape lighting and custom-paver patios. 

The Swains got the opportunity to put their diverse talents on display at a newly built residence in The Peninsula — one of most prestigious communities in Sussex County — when its homeowners wanted something different for their backyard than what the builder traditionally included.  

“Our builder only offered cookie-cutter patio styles,” the homeowner said. “We wanted something that would set our home apart and increase its value while providing us an outdoor relaxation-and-entertainment space. After seeing some of the work Fancy Cutz did at other locations, we knew Brian and his team would come through — and boy, did they ever!”

The project started with FX landscaping lighting, which the homeowners can control from their phones, illuminating not only the residence’s architectural details but also the inspiration of others in the neighborhood to follow suit.

“Ours was the first house on the block to have night illumination,” the homeowner said. “Fancy Cutz did such a great job; a house two doors down did the same thing, and I have had several neighbors ask who did it for us.”

Work commenced next in the backyard, as Brian and his team used roughly 22 tons of crushed concrete to level the slope of the yard and create the base for the patio. Next, wall systems were added to establish an aesthetic perimeter and the patio pavers were installed, which included decorative and defining borders of black Nicolock pavers that added even more style and sophistication to the setting, which overlooks the 15th fairway of the Jack Nicklaus-designed signature golf course. The patio was finished with a grilling/dining area topped with black granite and a custom firepit that emits up to 65,000 BTUs. Both locations provide the homeowners with ideal backdrops for entertaining family and friends or enjoying intimate evenings alone. Lastly, an irrigation system was strategically installed to provide the property’s new grasses with just the right amount of water at precisely the right time of day.

Brian said that this project, and other Fancy Cutz jobs, would not come to life without his and Halie’s talented crew, which grows to as many as 22 in peak season and includes three full-time employees who were Brian’s former students.

“I love our entire team. They’re like family to us,” Brian said. “A couple of them were at-risk students at one time who could have fallen through the cracks, so for them to be thriving with us today is very special.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *