This backyard project has been a long time coming! And I've been dying to share it!
About a month ago we got 3,000 sqft of artificial turf installed in our backyard. Although we have done many interior renovations, I can honestly say, that this backyard was the biggest investment in our family that we could have done! The joy it has brought us is immeasurable.
Prior to the project, we just had a giant rock bed of a backyard. My 4 year old was old enough to realize “playing on rocks is not fun.” And started asking if we could have grass so she could “run and run and run.” She was not wrong and I had the same request! It really was NOT a usable, family friendly backyard.
But now it is…
I've always had a game plan for the backyard and generally knew everything we wanted and where it would go, but if you asked me how far off the wall our turf would start/stop, to mark on the ground where the fire-pit would go, or where we wanted to plant trees, I could not answer those questions. I just knew the general layout, which is not helpful when you need to make definitive decisions!
I could walk into a house and tell you exactly where a couch, table, or wall should go, but a huge blank slate of a backyard was quite overwhelming for me. In order to lay the turf, I had to know exactly where it was going to go, which meant I had to know exactly where the firepit, outdoor dining, garden beds, trees, outdoor kitchen, and play area would go!! Each of these items had specific measurements to consider. For example, what chairs would we have in the firepit, how big are they, how many chairs do we want, and how big would the fireplace be so that I can account for a reasonable walkway around it. All of those were factored in to help me decide on the size of the firepit! Craziness.
The last thing I wanted to do was to pay for turf to be installed, just to cut away at it later when we tackle the outdoor kitchen, firepit, etc. I wanted it done right the first time and we'll build around it as we fill in the rest of the backyard.
Tyson saw the stress this was causing me right in the middle of my busiest real estate season of the year (spring/early summer). So we reached out to a friend who does this professionally. He came over a few times, consulted with me, and we hashed everything out! I'm so glad we did this or I would have had some serious regrets.
Last minute changes I made:
I initially wanted the turf to extend out on the sides as far as possible! Like 3 ft off the back walls, but I wasn't leaving enough room for landscaping.
So we are about 5' off the wall in some areas and 10' off the wall in others. It would have looked very flat and less appealing if I had stuck with my original plan.
I also wanted the outdoor kitchen to be further away from the house and closer to the pool. I initially wanted our outdoor dining to be separate from the kitchen to make it feel less industrial and more intimate. But our friend pointed out how far you'll have to walk to refill a plate or visit with the grill master; it just seemed too far away. It was almost awkwardly removed. He helped me see that that's just now how we, as a family, host or socialize. We love large gatherings and for everyone to feel cozy and comfortable together. Having the dining and kitchen in the same space will accomplish that. I never would have considered this and it was actually the hardest change for me to make.
Above is a sketch of my original plans! Also, peep some ways I’d love to add on to my house! (I’ve never shared these plans before - so there’s your insider sneak peak haha!) Which was something I also needed to take into account if we ever did decide to add on to the house in the future! So much planning and consideration went into this project.
After consulting with our friend he said he would help us get quotes. The very next morning a man knocked on our door to see if we wanted a quote for turf install! We thought he was sent by our friend, turns out he wasn’t haha! But his was able to give us wiggle room with price, we felt we got quality work, an awesome team, and a fair price for the project!
If you’re looking to get any landscape work done, I highly recommend Ameri Custom Stone.
At one point the firepit was about a foot too small in circumference and the worker said “This is your yard, not ours, so let’s get it exactly how you want it! Don’t worry about us!” When it’s over 100 degrees and the sun is blazing, it’s uncomfortable asking contractors to fix/change things, so I needed to hear that! They were awesome!
Our pool was about 1’ higher in elevation than our back patio, and to avoid a slope in our backyard (and have lawn chairs/loungers sitting on a slope, we incorporated a step.
I was totally opposed to the idea at first because it broke up the space, and I wanted the turf to feel infinite and stretching! But having a designated pool area, and the esthetic of stone and lights under the step seemed to outweigh the cons. This was a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad we did this!
Now what?
Originally, our yard had 2 tree and lots of bushes/ground cover.
Unfortunately, to fit our long term plans just about all the greenery needed to be cleared out!
And let me tell you, having our entire yard cleared, was a site to see! It truly felt like the backyard of a newly built home - a complete blank slate.
Unfortunately, we had to take out one tree to put the pool in the most ideal location. And the other tree was in bad shape and could have fallen down with the next summer storm, so we decided to take it out. Looking back, that was a great decision because that allowed me to have our fire pit perfectly centered with our back patio doors making for an inviting view from inside the house.
However, this leaves us with a very flat backyard with no shade whatsoever haha!
Once the weather cools off, we plan to plant 3-4 trees, lots of landscaping, a raised garden bed behind the pool waterfall wall, finish the outdoor dining area, install stonework around the firepit edging, hopefully try vegetable and herb garden (fingers crossed!) and so much more!
First up on our list, we need to paint the section of cinder block wall that was repaired by the HOA, and add some pea gravel to our firepit. One thing at a time!
Lots more to come, so stay tuned!! And shout out again to Ameri Custom Stone for the incredible work; they were fast, great coommunicaters, made sure we were happy, accommodated all my changes, and provided a quality service. We could NOT have done this ourselves!
Sincerely,
Jessica Doberneck with
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