Turning a challenging slope into a family’s favorite gathering spot

What started as a yard filled with grading and drainage problems became a peaceful, multi-level retreat designed for both play and relaxation. For this family, their spacious backyard in Sandy Springs had always felt like a missed opportunity, full of potential but unusable for their two-year-old and two dogs.

Our team set out to change that.

Vision

The goal was simple but ambitious: create a safe, functional, and beautiful backyard where the whole family could play, relax, and connect. The property’s steep slope and heavy drainage issues made it nearly impossible to use, but the homeowners envisioned something much more: a private oasis with defined spaces for entertaining, recreation, and everyday living.

Design Highlights

To bring that vision to life, we completely transformed the space with a thoughtful blend of structure, comfort, and play:

• Tiered retaining walls built with Belgard Diamond Pro Buff stone to create multiple usable levels and ensure long-term stability.
• A custom outdoor fireplace framed in smooth stucco that serves as the focal point of the lower patio, perfect for evening gatherings.
• A large Belgard patio and step system connecting each tier seamlessly.
• A synthetic turf play area and rubber mulch playground bordered with timber edging, giving the family’s toddler and pups plenty of safe space to run and explore.
• Drainage improvements throughout the property, including new underground piping and a dry creek bed to manage runoff and prevent future erosion.
• A new premium wood deck designed to accommodate a future covered structure or four-season addition.
• Fresh plantings, Zeon Zoysia sod, and dark brown mulch tying the entire landscape together with color and texture.

Every feature was built for beauty and longevity, creating a space that will grow with the family over time.

Challenges and Solutions

The steep slope and water flow across the property were the project’s biggest challenges. Our design incorporated engineered retaining walls and extensive drainage systems to stabilize the grade and redirect water safely. Once those core issues were solved, we focused on usability, creating defined spaces for play, entertaining, and relaxation that still felt cohesive.

Even details like the deck foundation were planned with future expansion in mind, ensuring the family can continue to add on as their lifestyle evolves.

The Result

What was once an unusable backyard is now a tiered, thoughtfully designed landscape and a true outdoor extension of the family’s home. From evening fires by the stucco fireplace to playground laughter echoing across the turf, every inch of this space now serves a purpose and brings joy.