7 Steps to Creating a Backyard from Scratch

Paved surfaces next to the house make taking a seat outdoors more comfortable and convenient.

So landscape architect Paul Maue nestled a bluestone terrace right outside French doors that lead from three keys areas of the house: the dining room, the great room, and the library. The stone is cut in neat rectangles that echo the lines of the house, but the patio has a naturalistic, irregular shape, bordered with curved beds and trees, that ties it to the rest of the property. "Before, the space was completely exposed to the sky," says Maue. "Now, as the new trees grow, their canopy will make it feel more intimate, comfortable, and protected."