Courtyard Retreat
Walkway | Patio | Planting | Seat Wall
Everybody deserves the fulfillment of realizing their outdoor escape. Sometimes the most impactful spaces are those which are packed into intimate backyard retreats. This small residential site is located within eyesight of Lake Michigan in the quaint vacation town of St. Joseph, Michigan. The cape cod brick home faces east with a backyard harboring a welcome western exposure. The property is a corner lot with the local high school baseball fields right across the street on the southern border.
Every dream starts with a drawing.
Project Description
The clients wished to see an updated rendition of their 16-year-old backyard space now that their children had grown and gone. Their existing patio wasn’t large enough for hosting small groups and they wished to see their entertaining space expanded. Screening was prioritized as well to separate their private space from the high school. Using a more classical, crisp design language, the project utilized clean lines and soft, layered vegetation to encourage the visual break from private to public space.
To accommodate the 18 inches of elevation drop from the backdoor steps to the existing walkway and driveway, a new retaining wall was planned. This wall took the form of a seat-wall which allows for extra seating with larger groups and helps to define the space separating it from the existing walkway, encouraging the intimate setting. To expand the entertaining space, the patio was extended south and west. In the efforts of sustainability and price considerations, the existing brick were repurposed as a border to the new brick paver patio.
An arc and tangent design theme was utilized through the concrete walkway in order to incorporate the desired clean lines. A plant palette of purples and whites were introduced and during the spring and fall hues of red pop through the contrasting green foliage. Dogwoods were arranged in an arc to repeat the design language of arc and tangent while simultaneously screening and shading the backyard. Each design feature encourages the soft sense of seclusion without the abrupt introduction of hedges or a fence line.
This project unpacks the importance of what a well-planned and prioritized space can provide. By reimagining our own outdoor spaces it can breathe life back into the way we communicate and live within our environment. With this courtyard retreat we exemplify how defining the use of an outdoor space can transform the way in which we use it. Sparking a reintroduced purpose into your living environment is what our design team finds so much joy in.