The Story
This family had just moved into a Granada Hills home with a huge backyard that was nothing but weeds and bare dirt. The dad told me he grew up in a house where everyone gathered in the backyard and he wanted that same feeling for his kids. He pulled up a picture on his phone of a backyard from some home design show and asked if we could do something like it. I told him we could do better because we would build it specifically for how his family actually lives, not for a camera.
Eddie, GLME Construction
Project Scope
Full backyard hardscape with paver patio, built-in outdoor kitchen, fire pit, and aluminum patio cover.
The Challenge
The yard was large, about 1,800 square feet of usable space, but completely flat with no drainage infrastructure. Running gas and electrical lines to the outdoor kitchen location required trenching across the full yard. We also needed a permit for the gas line and the patio cover structure, and the city of Los Angeles plan check took three weeks.
Our Solution
I designed the space in three zones: a covered dining area closest to the house, the outdoor kitchen along the back wall, and a sunken fire pit lounge at the far end. We trenched gas and electrical first, then built up the paver field across the entire area with proper slope to a new area drain. The outdoor kitchen has a built-in 36-inch grill, a two-burner side cooktop, a small refrigerator, and a concrete countertop that matches the paver tones. The patio cover is a 24-by-14 insulated aluminum structure with pendant lighting. The fire pit is a 48-inch round gas unit surrounded by a seat wall.
Materials Used
- Interlocking pavers in autumn blend
- Insulated aluminum patio cover
- Built-in 36-inch gas grill
- Concrete countertops
- 48-inch gas fire pit with seat wall
- Underground gas and electrical runs
We use the backyard more than any room in the house now. Eddie designed it so the kitchen faces the fire pit, which means I can grill and still be part of the conversation. My kids and their friends are out there every weekend. It is exactly what I wanted.
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