Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Wayfair.
Our backyard makeover has come a long way over the past five years, and it’s been an incredible transformation to watch unfold. Here’s a look at all the projects we’ve tackled to create the outdoor space we now love and enjoy—a true backyard retreat for our family.
Just a few weeks ago, we revealed the latest addition to our outdoor area—our brand new outdoor kitchen. We are absolutely in love with our new setup, and we find ourselves out there almost every single night, spending time as an entire family.
When I first shared photos of our space, I heard from so many of you who felt like the finished “after” shots seemed far from the reality of your own backyard renovation. And honestly, I totally get it. That’s exactly what inspired me to write today’s post.
I want to show you that our backyard didn’t always look like this. Nope. When we bought our home, the backyard was far from the beautiful retreat it is now. It was mostly patchy lawn, with bare spots, a rusty old chain-link fence, and very little functionality.
Home Takes Time
But here’s the thing—home takes time. We didn’t wake up to a gorgeous outdoor living space. It’s taken years of careful planning, a lot of hard work and money, and a bit of patience to get it to this point.
So, in today’s post, I thought it would be fun to take you through the before and after of each zone in our backyard transformation, from our cozy lounge area under the pergola to the new outdoor kitchen. Plus, I’ll share some mood boards so you can “get the look” for your backyard project—a great way to find inspiration for your space.
The Dining Area – Before
When we purchased our home in 2019, this area was a complete mess. This part of the yard housed two 20+-year-old air conditioners that were not only incredibly loud but also an eyesore. Along with the ugly chain-link fence, we had a muddy area that simply refused to grow grass.
The only time we even ventured into this spot was when Finn mowed the small spot of patchy lawn and dirt. It wasn’t functional in any way, and we knew it needed a major transformation to become a great place for family gatherings.
The Dining Area – Progress
The first thing we did was replace the chain-link fence with a white vinyl fence. This instantly gave us more privacy in our outdoor space, and created a much cleaner look throughout the entire yard, as all the fences now matched. It was the perfect first step toward turning this messy corner into a functional outdoor living space.
Finn also worked on that mud pit and got things looking better with the grass following these tips.
The Dining Area – Today
In 2021, we dedicated three months to renovating the entire backyard. Instead of trying to manage more grass, we opted to install a paver patio. This gave us a solid, flat surface that was ideal for adding a large dining table. It’s become the perfect spot for outdoor meals and gatherings with friends and family.
To enhance privacy between our home and our neighbor’s, we planted three hornbeam trees. They’ve grown incredibly well over the past three years, and it’s amazing how much they’ve added to the feel of our backyard oasis. These trees are truly a great addition to the space.
We also upgraded our air conditioners and moved them to the side of the deck so they wouldn’t take up valuable real estate in the yard.
We added a large six-person teak dining table, and even though the teak does require some maintenance, it’s been a wonderful addition to the outdoor dining area. Oh, and I was even able to add the DIY trellis to the space this past summer.
Dining Area – Get The Look
As mentioned, this post is sponsored by Wayfair. Many of the items in my backyard are no longer sold, so I had a blast finding similar items shopping on Wayfair. I love that they sell a bit of everything – from fencing, to trellises, furniture, decor, and more. Since it’s the end of the season, now is a great time to stock up on patio furniture and outdoor items.
The set of two trellises is a crazy good price. If I would have seen those sooner, I may not have DIY’ed mine out of fence panels!
The Lounge Area – Before
Welcome to what we used to call the creepy corner of our backyard. This area was nothing more than a mud pit, and the only time I ventured back here was to take out the trash to the alley. It certainly wasn’t a functional part of the yard, and we never spent any time here. It desperately needed a transformation to become a great place for relaxing.
Lounge Area – Progress
During our 2021 backyard renovation, we decided to tackle this neglected corner. We removed the old concrete sidewalk and replaced it with a paver patio and some thoughtful landscaping. A beautiful Japanese Tree Lilac and a few shrubs brought much-needed greenery to this space.
To make the area more usable, we added a sectional, which instantly made this corner feel like a cozy lounge area. However, we found ourselves spending more time in the dining area closer to the house, especially since this corner doesn’t get any shade in the summer—it was just too hot to hang out here comfortably.
The Lounge Area – Today
Last spring, I added a DIY pergola to this corner, and it’s been a total gamechanger. The louvered pergola allows us to open and close the slats, although we usually keep it closed to keep the area cool and dry. This simple addition has transformed the space into a backyard retreat.
The pergola also prompted us to move our outdoor television to this area, which was another gamechanger! Now, we host our Friday night family movie nights out here, and it’s quickly become a favorite place for the whole family.
With the addition of the pergola, we use this space so much more. It feels so much cozier with the ferns and hanging lanterns, creating a truly inviting outdoor living space.
The Lounge Area – Get The Look
Wayfair sells our exact pergola! We have it in the 10×13 size and cherry oak color. I also got our black round coffee table from Wayfair and it has held up great all summer long.
The Outdoor Kitchen – Before
Here’s another look at our ugly chain-link fence and a direct view into our neighbor’s yard. Not exactly the backyard oasis we were dreaming of, right? This part of the yard wasn’t used for much of anything. It was just an underutilized space that left us craving more privacy and functionality.
The Outdoor Kitchen – Progress
During our 2021 backyard renovation, we decided to make better use of this spot by adding pavers and some landscaping. We planted another Japanese Tree Lilac along with a few bushes to soften the space. I even added a chaise lounge chair and spent many afternoons each summer relaxing in this area.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. The Japanese Tree Lilac became diseased, and many of the bushes and shrubs didn’t survive. It was clear we needed to rethink the backyard design for this spot and come up with a different use for the space.
The Outdoor Kitchen – Today
Our most recent addition to the backyard was the installation of an outdoor kitchen. If you would have told me a few years ago that we’d have space for an outdoor kitchen in our small yard, I would have laughed. It seemed impossible!
But it turns out this was actually the perfect use of the space. We now have a fully functional outdoor kitchen and bar seating. This setup has made our backyard the go-to spot for gatherings. We’ve truly become the hosts of the block, and we absolutely love it! Our new outdoor kitchen has elevated our backyard retreat to a whole new level of comfort and style.
The Outdoor Kitchen – Get The Look
The two biggest decor pieces from the outdoor kitchen area are from Wayfair, including the black planters and the bar stools.
The planters are huge, sturdy, and an incredible price for the size. When I went to plant them, I bought a ton of dirt, thinking I would need to fill the entire piece. However, they have an insert at the top so you only have to plant about a foot down. Genius!
Comfort and quality were top of mind when purchasing the bar stools. We wanted to choose chairs that would be comfortable for hours of hanging and chatting with our friends. These barstools are perfect!
Our Side Yard – Stayed The Same (Almost)
The one area that has remained mostly unchanged is our grassy side yard.
While we did upgrade the fence for a cleaner look and more privacy, and added a stone border, we wanted to keep this area as a wide-open space for our kids to play. It’s the perfect spot for outdoor games, running around, and simply enjoying the great outdoors.
We’ve also relocated our DIY playhouse to this section of the yard, and our children absolutely love it. Plus, there’s still plenty of space for our inflatable water slide, which has quickly become a hit with all the neighborhood kids on those hot summer days!
Creating An Outdoor Oasis
It’s truly special to look back at these before and after pictures and see just how far we’ve come in the past five years. When I first saw this backyard, I knew it had potential, but I never could have imagined what we’d create today.
That’s the beauty of homeownership—spaces evolve, and with a little vision, some hard work, and a lot of patience, your dream backyard may be more achievable than you think.
Outdoor Project Roundup
Looking for a particular tutorial from our backyard? I’ve got you covered…