It takes more than a smile to make guests feel at home—and no less so when you’re headed outdoors. A backyard needs places for people to sit, sup, and converse. Buck Davis had precisely that goal in mind when he set about transforming the barren area behind his tiny Atlanta bungalow. The sloping yard, extending 80 feet from the house, offered only a few trees, weedy grass, and a chain-link fence.
Half-Improved Slope to Entertainment Haven
Buck began by yanking out the fence, leveling the lowest portion of the slope, and adding a retaining wall to support the elevated middle section. Then he began creating his entertaining zones: a deck nearly as wide as the house, followed by an “Adirondack area” paved with flagstones just below it.
The finale: a patio on the lower lawn with a granite fireplace to draw visitors. From the design (mostly his own) to the landscaping (mostly by his garden-pro cousin, Wayne Vassey), Buck couldn’t be more pleased. “I wanted my yard to nurture the people I love,” he says, “and it does.”
More Outdoor Room Elements
The lower lawn was the first to be leveled, with a stone wall delineating the middle tier of the yard.
Stone pathways
Stepping-stones lead in a straight shot from the fireplace patio to stone steps, then on to the deck stairs, connecting the three spaces.
Seating: Room & Board
Brick pillars
A pair of brick pillars with ball finials anchors the flagstone seating area between the deck and the stone wall. Matching brick posts support the corners of the deck and echo original columns on the front of the 1930s bungalow.
Homeowner Tip: “To tie all the spaces together and add atmosphere at night, I ran commercial patio string lights all the way from the fireplace to the deck’s brick pillars.”
—Buck Davis, Atlanta
Custom cabinets
Custom red cabinets brighten the outdoor kitchen area, some with media-style doors that slide back when open, so guests can grab a plate and serve themselves. An ice chest fits under the island counter to save the cost of an outdoor fridge.
Custom red cabinets: NeatNooks, Atlanta
Deck lounge
Seated guests can stash drinks and even plates on cube-style side tables that Buck designed. Votive candles twinkle from DIY shelves on the privacy fence behind the railing. To keep the candleholders in place, Buck used a Forstner bit to drill recesses into the 2x4s. A dining table and grill area sit on the deck’s other side.
Dining chairs: Pottery Barn
DIY chandelier
Buck fashioned a custom outdoor chandelier using commercial string lights, a wire basket, plastic clips, and chain.
Cedar dining
Eight feet long and 31 inches wide, the dining table crafted from cedar 24s sited near the fireplace can seat a crowd.
Table and benches: NeatNooks, Atlanta
Grill station
The grilling station is on one side of the deck, which spans virtually the width of the house. From there, homeowner Buck Davis can serve guests at the nearby dining table and catch a glimpse of what’s happening on the fireplace patio at the far end of the yard.