Living Large in a Small Outdoor Space

This tiny backyard has something for everyone in the family. The design challenge was to expand an existing tile patio so the space could function as an outdoor living room for a family of four humans and two small canines.

Designing a new entry gate and replacing the existing stairs from the public sidewalk to the elevated backyard – without consuming too much precious space – was a further puzzle.

A jacuzzi spa was integrated into what had formerly been an odd narrow masonry shelf, part of a footing to support a large retaining wall, which is now clad in a living layer of succulents and perennials.

Once we figured out the larger design changes, the rest fell right into place. The yard now features a patch of deep rooted fescue for the doggies, an apple tree and some carefully selected shrubs and perennials, lights and a new perimeter fence. This small space has everything our client wanted and feels much larger than it did before the renovation.