GLENVIEW CRAFTSMAN BACKYARD

This craftsman style bungalow in Oakland had very limited space to hang out in the backyard. Our clients, a young couple who love surfing and the outdoors, asked us to make the most of the small, sloped backyard.

Our goal was to create ample private space where they could relax and hang out with their dog and have a drink and barbeque with friends after an adventurous day. We also wanted to create an outdoor retreat for when the couple was working from home.

We constructed cast-in-place concrete retaining walls which enabled us to create a generously sized outdoor living room. We also cast two concrete countertops to serve food and drinks and installed a floating corner bench that cantilevers out of the concrete wall.

The cast-in-place concrete retaining wall also served to create a raised planting area for a few fruit trees, herbs, and veggies, while leaving room for trees to screen the surrounding properties and a few ornamental garden plantings.

In the front yard we constructed a two-tiered dry stacked stone retaining wall and planted a variety of succulents and other sun-loving plants.