Going Yard: Outdoor Rooms with a View

Chris tackles a yard so unusable, the homeowners' two young daughters would rather play in the driveway than in the large yard behind the house. The space opens to an uneven brick patio, sloping yard and a play area that's too far from the house for the parents to easily supervise. Chris and his team design a space that blends in with the home's natural surroundings, yet is functional for the family's needs. The team demos the dangerous patio and levels the yard. They create a massive stone patio, with raised dining deck, a natural-looking waterfall and pond with fish and a beautiful gazebo set high on a slope, designed for gazing over the yard. And to keep the children happy, a hand-made outdoor xylophone becomes the centerpiece of the garden.