From Firepits to Flat Tops: Designing Yards That Fit Real Life

Here’s the thing—your yard can’t be everything. And it shouldn’t be. The best ones aren’t packed with “stuff,” they’re built around how you live.

Poolside with white lounge chairs and umbrella on grass, modern house in the background. Relaxing ambiance with palm trees and string lights.

So before you start dreaming up a pizza oven, plunge pool, bocce court, and chicken coop… ask yourself: What are we really gonna use?

Start with What You Do—Not What Instagram Says You Should Want

We always start with this question:How do you picture using your yard on a Tuesday night? A Saturday afternoon?

Outdoor kitchen with stainless steel grills and wooden cabinets. Surrounded by lush greenery, creating a cozy, natural atmosphere.

Some of our best designs came from clients being brutally honest about their lifestyle.

Take our own yard. I love to cook outdoors—but we ditched the idea of a built in pizza oven. Why? Because we rarely use one. We added a flattop griddle instead. Now we crank out breakfast, Philly cheesesteaks (my personal favorite), stir fry—you name it. Way more use, no wasted space.

Outdoor patio with six wicker chairs around a concrete bar. Barbecue grill nearby. Tropical plants and a white house in the background.

Same goes for our waterfall bar counter. It doubles as a buffet during parties, and the see-through design keeps the layout light and open. Doesn’t block the view, doesn’t feel heavy. Practical and good-looking.

Real Yard Use = Real Design Flow

Poolside patio with wooden seating, white cushions, palm trees, and a fire pit under a clear sky, creating a relaxed, tropical vibe.

Once we know how a space will be used, the layout basically builds itself.

Our firepit area is sunken right next to the jacuzzi. So people in the tub can chat with people by the fire. Seamless.

Outdoor patio with wooden table, wicker chairs, and potted plant. Bright, modern home in the background. Sunny, inviting atmosphere.

The dining deck gets the most shade in the yard, perfect for mid-day lunch after some sunny lounging.

Outdoor patio with four cushioned chairs by a stone fireplace. Reflective pool and lush greenery create a serene, natural setting.

A large olive tree stands in a modern, stone-paved garden with black wooden fences. The setting is calm and natural, with lush greenery.

Over at the Minimalist Luxe project, the stone fireplace is dead center on the pool. It anchors the whole space and gives it that high-end feel. But the garden area? It’s tucked into the corner, with dark-stained raised beds and an olive tree throwing a little shade. Still stylish, just not competing with the clean lines.

It’s not about symmetry. It’s about purpose.

Multi-Use Wins the Game

You don’t always need more yard. You need smarter yard.

Cozy backyard with patio furniture, a chiminea, stacked firewood, and string lights. Green grass and a house in the background. Relaxing vibe.

The Cottage Garden project is a great example. We placed a gravel seating area in the middle, with grass all around. Parents chill, kids run laps. That one layout serves everyone without carving up the yard into weird zones.

Modern tiny house office with dark wood panels and glass door, surrounded by lush greenery and stone path. Bright, serene forest setting.

Wooden cold plunge and steps in a garden with green plants and pebble path, next to a stone and wood fence under dappled sunlight.

Our Wellness Garden client didn’t have a huge space—but we still gave them a private side yard setup with a home office, cold plunge, outdoor shower, and a tucked-away sauna. That little stretch of space became their sanctuary.

Social? Make It Easy to Gather

If your yard’s your hangout hub, design around connection.

A modern house with a stone path leading to a patio with chairs and a fire pit. Lush garden in the foreground, palm trees in the background.

The firepit in the front yard (yep, front yard) at our Host by the Coast project is where our clients kick back with neighbors and watch the kids shoot hoops.

Cozy front yard with wooden chairs, a fire pit, and lush greenery. White house exterior with a tree in the foreground. Relaxing atmosphere.

White shed amidst lush greenery, with surfboards inside. Concrete path leads to the shed, flanked by large banana leaves. Calm setting.

Outdoor shower on a white paneled wall with large green tropical leaves in the foreground. Mood is serene and refreshing.

The Casa Project has something similar—with a surfboard shed, shower, and fence for privacy so the side yard feels like a functional slice of beach life. Super casual, totally practical.

Final Take: Design for Your Life, Not Someone Else’s Pinterest Board

Skip the wish list. Get real about what matters to you.

Luxurious pool area with palm trees, white seating, and clear water. Greenery surrounds the space, creating a tranquil outdoor retreat.

A great yard isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about setting it up so the good stuff in life (laughing with friends, lazy weekends, watching your kids be maniacs outside) happens easily and often.

Need help figuring out what you really need? That’s where we come in.

👉 Let’s design your perfect-fit yard. Start with a landscape plan.