Brunsing Backyard
Transforming a Backyard into a Relaxing Oasis
THE WHY
This project involved transforming a neglected and overgrown backyard into a serene and functional oasis, providing the client with a peaceful escape from the daily grind.
The new design concept featured a new Trex deck with two steps leading down to Belgaurd dimension 18 paver that featured a Rio (Grey) color palate. The patio was centered around a fireplace and included an L-shaped sofa for comfortable seating. Medium-sized planter boxes would be incorporated into the deck and fence, adding visual interest and greenery. The pavers would extend to a semicircular patch of turf grass, along with a pathway that takes you down the right side of the backyard.
THE PROCESS
As construction began, several design changes were implemented based on site conditions and client preferences. The existing fence, hot tub, concrete slab, old deck, and pergola were removed. Construction commenced with the installation of new fence posts along the west property line, followed by the framing of the deck and construction of the patio planter boxes. These fence panels and planter boxes were custom-built on-site by our crew. Once the fence panels were installed, the planter boxes were placed, and the area was prepped for the paver patio by leveling and compacting the ground.
As the deck and patio construction progressed, the turf area, planter beds, and paver pathway were marked out. The original semicircular turf design impacted the overall size and functionality of the patio. After discussions with the client, who preferred a larger patio, the design was revised to incorporate straight lines, resulting in a more usable and aesthetically pleasing layout. The semicircle was transformed into a rectangle, the paver pathway was slightly widened.
The pathway leads to an outdoor sauna placed in the southeast corner of the backyard and a new gate that opens to the driveway. Which had to be modified due to the gas meter and irrigation main being on the opposite side of the driveway. A section of the driveway was cut out and a sleeve was installed to connect the irrigation and run a gas line to the fireplace on the patio. After backfilling the sleeve, the driveway was patched with the same paver as the patio creating a seamless transition with a visually cohesive flow.
The fence along the south property line and driveway was installed, with one panel left open for access. Soil was brought in to create a small berm for planting along the west fence line. The irrigation system was installed, incorporating drip irrigation for the berm and planter boxes and a spray zone for the turf. The planter boxes were filled with soil and planted, along with the berm being planted with trees, shrubs, and perennials.
THE OUTCOME
The final steps involved laying the sod and installing the sauna. The turf area was regraded, and the sod was installed. After a final check and adjustment of the irrigation system, the project was nearing completion. The sauna was then installed, providing the finishing touch to the space. The transformation from a neglected and overgrown backyard to a relaxing oasis was a success. The client now has a functional and beautiful outdoor space to enjoy, offering a tranquil escape from the stresses of daily life.
Smith Water Feature
The Ebs and Flow of Transforming an Outdated Water Feature
THE WHY
Our client was unhappy with his current water feature and decided it needed a change. His concerns included the large pine tree and the statue of the kids playing on the log. There were some pieces of the statue missing and the tree roots were beginning to crack the concrete around the water feature. He also felt the whole area was an eye sore.
The original water feature had a fountain that fed into a river rock stream which flows around a corner, under the statue of the kids, and down to the lower pond–but without a fall. The concept for the remodeled feature included keeping the river rock stream, but incorporating a fall or multiple falls. The client gave us creative freedom on how to recreate the main feature of the landscaping at the front of their home.
THE PROCESS
We pulled out all the boulders, statues, and the pond liner. Then we started to recreate the river rock stream. There was some grading to be done because you don’t want any areas that water can pool and become standing water. This type of water feature should have consistent flow. One way to solve this issue is installing the “center island planter bed.” Now the water will flow towards the center island, but the grade is sloped to either side of the island creating two streams. By splitting the water into two streams, it also slowed the flow of the stream. Which is something to be mindful of as you don’t want one stream flowing at a faster rate than the other because the water would eventually flow only to the faster side, leaving a dry riverbed in the middle of the water feature.
Now that there are two streams, we decided to create falls at the end of each that will flow into the lower pool. This required digging the depth of the lower pool deeper to give us enough of a fall height from either stream.
At this point the concept of the water feature was created.
Now we had to replumb the pump and recirculatory system. The lower pond was meant to be a big as possible, but we ran into the leftover stump from the large Ponderosa tree that was cut down in the earliest stage of the construction. This meant that we had to move the pump to another location within the lower pond. The grade of the lower pond had to be changed to slope towards the new location of the recirculation system. At this point we could begin replacing the pond liner. These are heavy and can be difficult to maneuver so we wanted to be sure we installed it the correct way the first time.
Once our liner was in place, it was time to start placing and stacking boulders. We began with the perimeter to help hold the liner in place. Using materials recycled from the old water feature, we could see the project beginning to take shape. The boulders for the lower pond went in, followed by some smaller rocks to create the center island. River rock was placed in the bottom of the streams and the bottom of the pond, along with filling in gaps between boulders. The edges had to be built up in areas as we did not want any overflow or leaks outside of the perimeter of the pond.
THE OUTCOME
At last, it was time to turn on the water and see how things flowed! At first there were a few tweaks to be made to some of the rock work but all in all the water was flowing down the stream, splitting off the center island just like it was imagined and now you could here the splash of the new falls as the water flowed over the boulders and cascaded down into the pool.
The recirculation system was working great keeping the flow of water consistent and at an even pace. The water was brown and murky with sediments being washed off the new river rock and boulders but will soon settle to the bottom of the streams and pool leaving a crisp clear stream that you can see the river rock at the bottom, beautiful falls, and nice pool at the bottom of the feature.
The final step in recreating this water feature was to add some new perennial plants around
the water feature and the center island to add some color and some different height levels that are catching to the eye when admiring the new and improved center piece of the landscape!
LeGrand Outdoor Space
A Basic Space Evolves into a Social Getaway
THE WHY
Our client contacted us about remodeling the backyard of a recently purchased house on the north end of Bend. At the time, the property had a standard backyard with a concrete slab patio, minimal plantings around the edge of the yard, a small fire pit in the corner, the ground (grade) was not flat–it was sloped down from the patio (SW corner) to the NE corner. There was also a large stump in the middle of the yard.
The idea for the backyard remodel was to:
- have an outdoor kitchen (enabling them to cook and entertain during the summer)
- incorporate the fire pit in to the patio–but closer to the house
- an area for hanging hammocks
- a great visual aspect (but functional) pergola to encompass the hot tub area
THE PROCESS
We began with our grub out process, which involves tearing out everything that is not needed to get back to a “blank” slate. We broke out the concrete slab, removed all the existing turf, certain parts of the existing irrigation, the large stump, root system, and some shrubbery. Next was to bring in a dingo, a walk-behind tractor of sorts, to remove and cut out a large portion of the grade to create our wall.
The wall and stairs were the center point of the project because both patios were going to be based off the placement of the wall. The wall was installed by first getting grades to level, adding and compacting gravel, then releveling the area. At this point we can begin marking certain parts of the project like the wall, where the kitchen should be, and the border of the lower patio. We started laying the first bricks of the wall. The step is particularly important because every block has to be leveled and square to the rest of the blocks. If one block is out of alignment it can throw the wall off. Then you can start building up from there. As each block is set in, it is also glued down so there is no chance of movement or the wall falling over.
To install the stairs, standard practice is a 12”-16” wide step with a 6” riser, the height of each step. It also can vary depending on the type of block that is being used. Here we used the lighter tone paver as the main paver, and the darker block as the border of the patio. This was integrated into the steps as well.
Now that the wall was built, we needed to add fill dirt behind the wall and raise the grade to be just under the top of the wall (the thickness of a paver plus the base gravel). As grades are being completed, the layer of compacted gravel needs to be added as a base for the patio. After the gravel is compacted, we can start laying pavers.
We began at the house and squared the patio off the house. Where the old concrete slab used to be, there is now the start to the patio. As the crew was building the patio out, we discovered that the patio was beginning to slope towards the area where the outdoor kitchen was supposed to be installed. This is one of those nuances that comes up as a project is coming together. The crew had to pull up a couple pavers and regrade the compacted gravel to slope away from the kitchen. If the slope was not changed, any water on the patio would begin to pool up in the V of the kitchen cabinets (see lower pictures for a reference of the area).
At this time, we also determined that the chain drains would have to be removed due to all the rain water draining directly on to the patio. We had to install a corrugated pipe underneath the grade level to direct the water away from the patio, but also the foundation of the house. We removed the chain down spouts and installed a down spout on the house that connects to the corrugated pipe that was installed beneath the grade. As the patio was being built out, we also had to install power for the hot tub and the kitchen along with a natural gas/propane hookup for the grill.
As we laid out the upper patio, we laid out the lower patio as well. The lower patio was squared off the retaining wall. Squaring off the wall required us to find two points along the wall that created a straight line so we could use this as a guide since the wall is curved. The paver pattern for the lower patio was done at a different angle than the upper patio for a few reasons. The first is there is a height change from the upper to the lower patio. Changing the direction of the pattern will help emphasize the drop off and break up the two patios from a visual standpoint so that someone does not walk off the edge thinking that the patios were one consistent patio at the same height. This is also why we included the darker border so it would help differentiate the patios.
Before we installed a concrete edge around the perimeter of the patio (to keep the pavers from shifting), we laid out where the kitchen was going to be constructed. After we determined the area and size of the kitchen we cut and pulled out the pavers within the area where the kitchen was going to be. Again, the pavers are sloped a certain direction for water drainage. To correct the slope of the kitchen we poured a concrete slab that was completely level and built the kitchen up from there.
We knew the size of the kitchen but didn’t have a full layout of the kitchen. The customer gave us creative freedom with kitchen, which (along with the landscape) was designed by Jarrod Levin. We received measurements of the appliances that were to be installed and started plugging them in different areas of the “kitchen” to see which was most efficient and had the best flow to be able to cook and entertain at the same time. We decided that offsetting the countertops would have a nice look along with the left counter being flushed to the cooking surface of the barbeque. We placed the small fridge on the end of the right-hand side, the wine cabinet/storage to the left of it. The barbeque fit nicely into the left-hand counter butted up to the corner where the cabinets meet. To the left of the barbeque, we placed the outdoor pizza oven. That way everything is in reach from the barbeque and the entire right-side countertop is open for prepping food before it goes on the grill, a place for dishing up dinner, or flip around to the other side, grab a bar stool, and hang out with the cook while you enjoy the meal.
The countertop is made from large concrete tiles. These large tiles provide a smooth surface to prep on or place dinnerware on — versus smaller tiles with a lot of groves and caulking. These larger stones are large enough that it naturally created a 1ft overhang so that there could be bar seating. The large concrete tiles are fastened and glued to the frame of the cabinets and caulked together, so they are not going anywhere.
For the pergola and the hot tub spacing, it is best to lay out the entire patio then mark out where we want each feature to sit on the patio. The perfect spot for the pergola and the hot tub would sit square to the paver lines, because the hot tub and pergola were going to be squared off the house as well so that everything is symmetrical. This way you don’t have odd diagonal lines created by placing one object slightly out of place. The pergola can break up the intense sunlight and offers shade to different parts of the patio area during the day and evening while the space is being enjoyed.
The placement of the kitchen also came into play as the main breaker for the hot tub must be a minimum of 6ft away from the inside wall of the hot tub, insight range from the hot tub, and GFCI protected, per code. This breaker has to be out of reach of someone in the hot tub, drained or not, to reduce the risk of electrocution while in the tub. Also, it has to be in sight (not in a garage, for example) so that one person is not working on the tub and another comes along and notices the breaker is off and turns back on–very likely electrocuting the person working on the hot tub.
The lower patio was designed to be a seating area where you could enjoy the custom fireplace that the clients had made. We installed post around the edge of the patio so lights and/or party decorations could be hung. That way the space can be utilized at any time of day. The patio furniture can be relaxing and a nice getaway from reality but, why not have an area you can lay down, swing, or just hang out and read a book?
The client wanted an area that hammocks could be hung, so the kids had somewhere to hang out too. Larger posts that can bear the weight of full-grown adults were installed 2 ft in to the ground with concrete bases so these post would be very sturdy. This also allowed for lights and other decorations to be hung for any type of event. We repurposed the old flagstone from the previous firepit area and laid them under the hammocks to add another element to the outdoor space, by creating a third patio area that differentiates from the pavers.
From there, the existing irrigation had to be modified in certain areas to accommodate the new patio, turf, and plantings. Spots for new plants were dug out and planted. Some plants were repurposed, but we brought in quite a few new ones as well. Then we graded the area where we were laying sod so it was smooth and less rocky. Sod is only a inch or two thick, so you can feel any bump, rock, or dip in the soil beneath. The sod was rolled out, seamed together, and cut to the fit the area. The final steps were to bring in a few yards of bark mulch for the planter beds, smooth any rough edges of the turf, clean the pavers and kitchen countertops off. At this point, it was up to the client to place their beautiful patio furniture, hang some hammocks, and fire up that grill!
THE OUTCOME
Galveston Gas Station
Preserving History with a Modern Twist
THE WHY
The original business that opened in the 60’s at this historic location was a full service gas station that focused on repairs and maintaining vehicles rather than ‘refueling” with food and caffeine. In 2023 the business left the building and is now in business on the north end of Bend in the Boyd Acres neighborhood.
The property owner demolished the building and started fresh with a brand new convenience store. Which now sells items for humans to refuel. As well as new gas pumps that are more accessible for the larger volume of crowd that is expected to visit this location with the infamous Deschutes River float “get out” area just down the road on the corner of Galveston Ave.
THE PROCESS
The remodel provided an opportunity to install a fresh landscape with some unique features. First though, the crew could get started on removing the old landscape and installing a new irrigation system. Then we added the boulders and trees that needed to be installed. This was completed with a walk behind skid steer that has several attachments including different sized buckets, an auger for digging holes, and forks for heavy objects. This machine comes in handy when moving 33 boulders, 1,200 1 gallon plants, and 70 yards of mulch.
Once the trees and boulders were placed, the other plants could start to be placed and installed. The street strip planter beds, which used to be all turf grass, would be planted next with kinnikinnick, Oregon Grape, and strawberries. The drip irrigation snakes through the plants providing each plant with 1-2 gallons of water per hour.
The first unique feature of this landscape includes a couple of large brick raised beds. The raised beds are first filled with gravel in the bottom, a cloth erosion prevention layer, then soil to top it off. This allows the water to drain but the soil remains in place instead of filling the gaps in the gravel. The drip irrigation comes in from a small hole in the concrete and runs up an interior wall and then to each plant. Mulch would cover the soil to help retain water and reduce the evaporation rate. Our design includes recycling rain water from the roof, as it is redirected to the planter to provide another source of water without irrigating.
The other unique feature of this landscape is the grassy retention swales. Typically these areas are just filled in with river rock to assist with drainage. These retention swales were planted to add aesthetic and color to the landscape versus gray or pink rock. These swales also will retain heavy rainfall or snow runoff to allow the plants to “recycle” the water by drinking it up before it drains out into the storm drains. This is great for fall, winter, and early spring. During the dry hot summer the drip irrigation will assist with watering these areas. The remaining mulch is installed to give the landscape a nice rich color, thus finishing it off beautifully.