Vision

Full of old timbers, rebar and rocks protruding from the ground, this growing family’s backyard was unsafe. They wanted a safe way for their young children to play outdoors, but they didn't feel comfortable with them running around with the hazardous state of their yard.

The vision was to transform an unsafe, unusable area into a place to gather with friends and family — a place to create lifelong memories.

Design

This outdoor space was designed with the entire family in mind.

Small touches throughout make it a safe environment for kids to play in as well as a place for their parents to relax. Natural stone is used on the patio, the outdoor kitchen’s countertop and the seat wall around the firepit. A zoysia lawn is perfect for outdoor games and leaves space to jump around on the trampoline. Multiple seating areas give the homeowners a place to take some quiet moments for themselves. And a winding path surrounded by plants completes the picture, making the landscape accessible from two different entrances.

While the kids play, the adults can be grilling together in the outdoor kitchen, gathered around the warmth of the wood-burning firepit, or lounging in the common seating area on the patio — all while still being in close proximity to their kids.

The side of the house features a meandering path with edible plants incorporated into the ornamental garden bed. These plants include blueberries and blackberries for the family to enjoy in the warmer seasons. Fresh fruit from the garden always tastes extra sweet!

The most exciting part of this project was knowing how meaningful this transformation was for the family.

Challenges

The elevation of the property meant that it was susceptible to flooding during high rain. Because of this, the space for hardscaping — the patio, outdoor kitchen and firepit — was diminished. Our design strategy was to use every square foot as efficiently as possible. We had to be strategic about where each element was located. By designing a longer, narrower space that bordered where the yard would flood during high rain, we were able to include everything the homeowner was looking for — and do so in a smaller space.

Designed by Raschély Flint