Dexter Backyard: the Beginning
THE DEXTER HOUSE When we first bought the Dexter House last year, the backyard resembled a wild, overgrown jungle. There was so much foliage that you couldn't even see that there was paving on the ground. I wish I could dig up a picture for you guys, but apparently I never took one. Anyway, sometime mid-summer, Garrett and Papa unleashed a pruning massacre upon the backyard - which was totally unsanctioned, I should add - that left nothing in their wake. I was less than pleased. The backyard was now sparse and looked even worse than before. But even I had to admit, at least we could finally see what were working with. The backyard also served as a staging ground for construction debris, which explains what you're about to see.
Yeah, it's bad. I know. But we've been sporadically making progress on the backyard ever since. We've pressure-washed the concrete patio, turned the broken fountain into a planter, did some more pruning (seriously, those tree/bush/shrubs grow like weeds!), and tore down that old, rotting fence. I'll show you more about that in the weeks to come. But today I wanted to introduce you to this space and show you what we're working with. Here are a few pictures from earlier this year.
Our backyard is 780sf. Not big. But still pretty awesome for a small, urban house in Seattle. Garrett and my goal is to turn this space into a welcoming courtyard. A secret getaway in the middle of the city that doesn't quite feel like the middle of the city, if you know what I mean. Sure, this isn't going to be an outdoor spot to play soccer or host a wedding but hopefully it will feel like another room for us to share with the boys during the summer months. Here are a few inspiration images:
Okay, what do you guys think? Are you on board for our courtyard/getaway/outdoor-room concept?
xoxo -Cathy
p.s. Did you guys see this master bedroom makeover? It's sooooooo good!