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If your home is your castle, shouldn’t your back yard be your amusement park? Or, at the very least, a grown-up playground? That’s the thinking behind creating the ultimate back yard – making the space an extension of your house itself, with all the comforts of home. “The backyard has risen in status to become one of the most important rooms in the house. Today, more and more homeowners are realizing that committing time and money toward the goal of a beautiful outdoor living space brings many rewards, among them a savvy financial investment, a sizable increase in the livable space of their property, and the ability to experience the outdoors without leaving home,” says the inside flap of the wonderful idea book, “Ultimate Backyard” by Michelle Kodis. Chris Gustard of GMP Landscape Architects in La Jolla spends his days drafting people’s dreams. The company designs jaw-dropping model home yards for builders such as Barratt Homes and FieldStone. “We create a seamless edge between the indoors and out,” he says. Some examples of Gustard’s creations include an outdoor massage room complete with 2 tables and a waterfall for ambience. He also created an outdoor living room with sliding wooden doors leading from the home’s living room to the outdoor space, all of which was integrated into the roofline of the house and included 3 flat screen TVs and a massive bar. A prime example of maximizing the back yard’s potential is by incorporating the view into the design. One mountaintop model home Gustard worked on included a vanishing edge pool with waterfall and swim-up tiki bar. “If you have views, you really want to capitalize on them,” he says. “You can use trees on either side of a picture window, or tall, narrow plants in pots set alongside a zero-edge pool to really frame the view.” Elements to consider Basically, anything you would want in your home makes for an ideal back yard. Some of the more popular elements include: • Large, comfortable sofas, chairs and lounges • Large-screen TVs • Sound systems • Bars • Fireplaces and fire pits • Built-in barbecues • Pizza ovens • Sinks • Refrigerators • Awnings, palapas or gazebos for shade • Heaters/heat systems for cool weather • Pool and/or a spa • Games like billiards, ping-pong and air hockey. Outdoor furniture made from durable materials that can withstand the constant onslaught of sun, wind and rain is a must for any great yard. Purchasing heavy-duty covers for the winter months is an excellent way to protect your investment. Size doesn’t matter (that much) You don’t need an acre of property to make your dream back yard come true. When Steve and Karen Mentas of San Diego remodeled their great outdoors they hired a landscape architect to maximize their space. “I originally just wanted a fireplace and a built-in barbeque,” says Karen Mentas. “Our architect talked with us about our lifestyle and what we do. When he found out we like to entertain, he recommended a fully-functional outdoor living area.” This meant sacrificing some of their lawn, but with their daughter having flown the nest, grass wasn’t a high priority. The couple ended up with the fireplace and the barbecue, plus lots of comfy furniture, a sink, fridge, pizza oven and built-in beer tap. “We didn’t want things to look crowded and really wanted the inside and outside to flow together,” she says. Hiring a professional landscape architect is a great way to ensure a seamless flow will happen with your back yard remodel. “Many homeowners cringe at how much it costs to create a plan, but you get what you pay for,” says Gustard. After you meet with the architect to determine what elements you want to include in your design, he or she will draw up a concept plan, which is a spatial analysis of the area. It includes basic concepts and rough sizes for each element. It will show the proximity of the pool to the outdoor lounge to the fireplace. It will determine where doors connect and how the outdoor space will flow with the house. Should the bar go next to the dining room or the kitchen? It doesn’t identify specific building techniques or select materials. Gustard estimates this should cost between $1,500 and $5,000, depending on the scope of the project. Can I do-it-myself? Even if you plan to do most of the actual work yourself, the concept plan is worth the investment. Landscape architects are experts at layout and the best use of space, and they can plan for things most people would never consider. They can identify the solar and wind patterns of the yard and whether an area gets full sun or part shade to determine the types of plants that will grow best. They can help plan for drainage, plumbing and electrical lines. Once you have a fairly descriptive plan that specifies materials and spatial dimensions, you can determine what you can afford. “Maybe you can afford the pool now, but not the bar,” says Gustard. “The plan will ensure the pool deck can accommodate that bar in the future without having to tear out concrete. Or, if you want a fountain in the future, install the connections now so it will be easier and lower cost later,” he explains. Do your homework Karen Mentas offers great advice, whether you plan to do your remodel yourself or hire a contractor. “We determined before we ever hired the architect all the different materials we wanted, including stone, finishes, fabrics and appliances,” she says. The couple started by looking at magazines and visiting home shows and home stores to get ideas. “We were really educated going in.” Her final word to the wise? Be prepared. “It can take much longer than you ever thought,” she says. “Also, absolutely pad your budget. We spent much more than we ever planned, because we wanted to do it right. We didn’t want any regrets after it was done because it’s not something you can go back and change.” And really, once you’re soaking in your hot tub with a cold beer in your hand and a pizza baking away in the oven, who wants to worry about regrets? Elisabeth Handley is a regular contributor. Remodel green “Green sustainable materials have become very trendy,” says Chris Gustard of GMP Landscape Architects. One prime example is recycled concrete. “You can now specify recycled concrete into the mix for your patio, which will include ground-up and reformulated used concrete.” Or, choose pavers instead of a concrete slab and use rock and gravel for paths, instead of grass. The other big push in back yard work today throughout the region is water conservation. “We basically live in a desert by the sea,” Gustard says. “The climate can support tropical landscaping, but our water needs cannot.” Higher-end homes are moving away from tropical landscapes, moving toward drought-resistant landscaping and limiting lawns to active play areas. In addition, synthetic turf is getting a big push and the planting of native drought-resistant ground covers is encouraged. Resources • To find a professional landscape architect for your outdoor projects, visit the website of the American Society of Landscape Architects at asla.org. • Read magazines and comprehensive books for ideas. Two good books are, “Ultimate Backyard” By Michelle Kodis, and “Backyard Idea Book: Outdoor Kitchens, Fireplaces, Sheds & Storage, Play Spaces, Pools & Spa,” by Lee Anne White (both books are available online from amazon.com). • Best of all, go with word of mouth. Find a home whose back yard is stunning and ask the owner for a referral. |
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