Make the most of your outdoor space.

A concrete retaining wall provides up seating for barbecues and parties.

Lisa, rich Whate and their kids delight in newfound privacy in the backyard. An eight-foot-high fence, stained a semi-transparent coffee colour, provides a sense of seclusion in the heart of downtown.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; deck chair, urban Outfitters; wall stain, Behr’s Boothill Grey (DP-386); fence stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

Mixed but not matched fencing looked awkward.

Lisa and rich love to host summer soirées, but their small yard was cramping their style. They liked the small plot of grass, but there was no room for a decent-sized dining table.

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Tables and chairs fold up and can be stored away as needed.

A deck and built-in banquette offer plenty of trendy dining space. The classic colour scheme of grey-browns and white can be easily updated with new throw pillows.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; Schumacher pillows fabrics, Bilbrough & Co.; pillow sewing, Pat Walker; table, chairs, Fresh home & Garden; pots, planters, Ikea; French doors, Ply Gem; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; fence stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

A customized banquette stows cushions in rainy weather.

The seat of this bench lifts up to reveal space below for chairs, pillows and outdoor serveware. In a small backyard in the city, storage space is invaluable. The loose seat cushion was made about 20 inches shorter than the banquette to allow room for potted plants.

See much more before and after photos of this makeover in our photo gallery.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; Schumacher pillows fabrics, Bilbrough & Co.; pillow sewing, Pat Walker; table, Fresh home & Garden; pots, planters, Ikea; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; fence stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

A floating shelf holds plants or drinks.

The graphic mirror adds a focal point and brings a bit of the indoors outdoors.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; table, chairs, Fresh home & Garden; floating shelf, pots, planters, Ikea; lanterns, The home Depot; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; fence and stairs stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot; mirror, Candym Enterprises.

Designer: Gillian Green

Concrete stairs ate up a 52-square-foot chunk of this backyard.

The back of the house was an eyesore, with a short-term railing and different colours of siding, paint and brick.

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Soft grey-brown paint warms up a slatted wall.

Architect Gillian green developed an ingenious deck with removable panels that maximizes leisure space but allows access to the stairs below leading to the basement. This existing wall was painted the same shade as the brick to the best for a cohesive look. A comfy butterfly chair surrounded by greenery provides the ideal perch to while away a summer afternoon.

See much more before and after photos of this makeoverin our photo gallery.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; Schumacher pillows fabrics, Bilbrough & Co.; pillow sewing, Pat Walker; pots, planters, Ikea; wall sconce, The home Depot; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; chair, urban Outfitters; wall stain, Behr’s Boothill Grey (DP-386); fence and stairs stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

Eight-foot-tall french doors make a statement.

Custom doors allow light into the dining room and convenient access to the backyard. They can also kept open while entertaining for flow indoors and out. two sconces and two planters flank the doors to create balance.

See much more before and after photos of this makeover in our photo gallery.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; pots, planters, Fresh; French doors, Ply Gem; wall sconces, lanterns, The home Depot; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; brick colour, Behr’s Boothill Grey (DP-386); deck and stairs stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

A gap-toothed, 40-year-old fence didn’t offer much privacy.

A thin strip of turf was hardly worth developing around, so green pared back the turf in exchange for much more useful deck space.

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Horizontal planks lead ones gaze around the yard’s periphery.

A long planter that sits atop a concrete retaining wall is filled with grasses, softening the lines of the fence. A modern steel container planted with a birch tree provides a touch of nature in this backyard.

See much more before and after photos of this makeover in our photo gallery.

Photographer: Michael Graydon

Source: house & home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; table, chairs, Fresh home & Garden; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; fence stain, Behr’s Coffee (DP-358), The home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

Categories: category

0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *