Behind a modern Oakland bungalow, Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design turned a 1,700-square-foot back yard into a contemporary outdoor retreat for relaxing and entertaining.
The design is organized around sight lines. From nearly every point in the garden, there is a focal element drawing the eye forward: an overhead trellis shades a dining area and outdoor kitchen, a pair of wooden benches, and, at the far end, a sunken patio. A neutral palette of salt-and-pepper gravel keeps the ground plane visually light and expansive, while asymmetrically arranged concrete pavers introduce rhythm and movement. Cedar steps descend to a lower seating area softened by plantings of lemongrass and licorice mint.
Moving into the dining area, Beth deliberately chose a narrow vintage table to create a more intimate setting and encourage post-dinner conversation. Beyond it, a seating area centered around the Bol Corten Fire Pit has become a favorite place for the owner to unwind and the adjacent concrete bench captures the afternoon sun and slowly releases its warmth into the evening.
In front of the lemongrass hedge, the Bol sits with the settled quality of something that belongs rather than something that was added. In Corten steel, the fire pit shares the earthy palette of the gravel, the cedar, and the concrete—a material family that holds together quietly and ages together well.
Learn more about this project from Growsgreen Landscape Studio.
Photography by Caitlin Atkinson
