Front and Back Yard Renovation
Our back and front yard areas are getting a major renovation! Check out all the details.
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know how long I’ve wanted an outdoor/exterior renovation. This year will mark the fifth year of living in our house and I’ve wanted it done from day one, ha! But we all know that renovations need money and we’re finally ready to get these areas renovated!
Catch up on all the outdoor renovation posts in this series:
- Front and Back Yard Renovation (this post)
- European Style Water Fountains and a Yard Update
- Checkerboard Concrete Pavers and a Yard Update
- Front Yard Reveal
- How to Install a Gurgler Water Fountain
- Back Yard Renovation Reveal with Artificial Grass
Back Yard Renovation
This is our backyard area currently. The concrete slab is really solid but poured unevenly. We painted the stripes four years ago and the’ve held up amazingly but it was always a temporary solution.
This floor plan shows what we currently have. Along with the concrete patio, we have some rocks along the width of the house and that’s pretty much it. There’s a shed in one back corner of our yard and in the other corner is a trampoline.
We also replaced the lattice on our fence and restained it a couple of years ago and so that is good to stay.
It rains a lot here on the ‘Wet’ Coast so a covered area where we can sit even if it’s raining would be wonderful.
The grass will be replaced with artificial turf which is becoming very popular for North Vancouver homes as our ‘grass’ is mostly weeds. Our ground is very wet from all the rain and wildlife like raccoons and skunks like to dig the grass up for chafer beetles so artificial turf is the way to go!
Also, the backyard is being regraded as right now it slopes toward the house and it needs to just be flat.
We hired a landscape company to cover the concrete slab with pavers that will also extend the way whole width of the house in natural and charcoal colored paving stones.
We’ll also be adding a covered pergola the entire width. The black squares on my floor plan below show where the posts of the pergola will be.
Here are some inspiration images but the pergola will be covered to shelter us from the rain. Aaron will be building it and he’s still working out all the details.
Front yard
I haven’t shared many photos of the front yard as there really isn’t much of a yard and it’s ugly, ha! You can see the walkway pavers in the image below and that’s what our entire driveway looks like.
Aaron rebuilt the step to the front door last year. It used to be the same old brick pavers and I had painted them grey and white like the back concrete slab years ago.
This is what it currently looks like:
This part of the fence still needs to be cleaned and restained but we are waiting until the landscaper company digs out all the shrubs before doing it.
Here is the other side of our driveway and we’re shortening this garden bed by two feet so we have more room for parking our vehicles and we’re adding boxwood shrubs and limelight hydrangeas for a clean look.
Here is the current plan for the front yard:
The landscapers will clean up and repair some of the pavers on the driveway but to save on costs, we’re not replacing the driveway.
We’ll be adding lots of boxwood for a clean, beautiful look and more limelight hydrangeas.
Here is an inspiration photo.
The list of what’s getting done:
- regrade backyard
- add retaining wall to back of yard and replant cedar shrubs
- lay artificial turf
- add risers and pavers right over concrete slab and extend the width of the house
- build covered pergola
- fix small dips with brick pavers in driveway
- shorten garden bed north of the driveway
- add a row of new pavers to this area
- remove all old shrubs, plants and stumps in front yard
- plant boxwood plants and limelight hydrangeas
What do you think of our renovation plans? Let me know in the comments below.
Catch up on all the outdoor renovation posts in this series in order below:
Make sure to pin it for later!
click in case you missed:
How to Build a Freestanding Deck
How to Build and Tile a Front Step
How to Prep and Re-Stain an Old Fence
How to Paint Stripes on a Concrete Slab
How exciting for you! Relandscaping will make it feel like a brand new home. It will be beautiful.
I am curious about the trend to use artificial turf. Does it have any porosity? I ask because there is growing concern that the reduction in natural areas in favour of concrete a, asphalt, etc. Can seriously compromise drainage and contribute to urban flooding. Where will the runoff from your backyard property end up?
The turf is from a local BC company called STI https://synthetic-turf.ca/ Its perforated for drainage and even good for pets to “use”. They use recycled material where possible and of course, there’s no more watering of the lawn or need for pest or weed control. It’s really a great option! In addition, we are using pavers, not pouring concrete so even the patio space will have drainage through the gaps. No contribution to urban flooding from this yard!
I think it will look great! You can’t go wrong with limelight hydrangeas!
I know!! Thanks Jeanine!
Hugs, Jamie
So exciting Jamie! You are going to LOVE having a covered area in your backyard. Our house came with a glass overhang and even though it’s not my favorite look, it is so practical and we are very grateful to have it. Can’t wait to watch this unfold, so exciting!
I cannot wait, Kerri! Especially with our wet weather, right? Thanks friend!
Hugs, Jamie
Your plans sounds like it will extend your living space to the outside. How perfect for the summer. I really like the idea of boxwoods with limelights! I’m adding boxwoods to the front of our ranch home and was considering Annabelle hydrangeas. I’ll have to give some thought to limelights. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Teresa,
Yes, it will definitely extend our living space, it’s so exciting! Ooh I love Annabelle hydrangeas too. I don’t think you can go wrong with either!
Hugs, Jamie
That is going to be gorgeous. Smallest things can make the biggest difference I love the gray and white stripes on the patio. Makes it look so rich. All great ideas. So looking forward to watching it progress. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Paula. We’ve loved those stripes since we painted them four years ago. Thanks so much for following this journey!
Hugs, Jamie
I am curious as to why any builder would slant your backyard towards the house? I am also curious as one of the previous posters about the artificial turf and drainage. I have never looked at it up close, but I would imagine it would be porous to allow water to just drain into the soil underneath it, wouldn’t it? Anyways..it is going to look lovely when finished. We built a new home 3 years ago and only have minor landscaping done. I just don’t have a “vision” when it comes to those things..
Hi Colleen,
I think there’s been a lot of settling over the last 20 years with this house. Artificial turf has amazing drainage! It’s very popular in our area. I can’t wait for it to go in! Have you seen the update I posted about today? https://somuchbetterwithage.com/european-style-water-fountains/
Hugs, Jamie
Look at you being all cute sitting on your front deck! Can’t wait to see the transformation. Love your inspiration pics!
haha thanks Shauna! So excited about our plans coming together!
Hugs, Jamie
One more comment if I may: I just went back to look at this post and noticed your cute little photo bomber in the window – love! I don’t know if you have a lot of mosquitos where you live (like we do here in NC), but have you considered a screened in porch in back? I know that your kitty would love it! One thing I enjoy about a screen porch is the ability to open the inside door to the porch to let the breeze in without worrying about bugs.
Hi Jeanine,
Isn’t the photo bomber cute?? I can’t believe she did that! Mosquitos aren’t bad here but we do get some. We get a lot of rain so a shelter from the rain is what we’re wanting most with our pergola build but we did consider a screened in porch area for kitty. You never know, we might add it on later if the budget allows!
Hugs, Jamie