plz show photos of front and back yards

Patio blocks pitched away from the house with good drainage underneath. Install a simple fence in front of the radon fan and gas meter but install a gate so you have access. Install coach lights along the back of the house to light the area and since it's your fence do planters along the fence to add color and visual interest.

Thank you! Those are really great ideas. the side yard is about double the width, but I'd like to keep that clear for the kiddos to play.

I would probably put the main patio area to the pump side. place a lattice screen to hide the pump. lay a heavy landscape fabric to cover gound. lay stepping stones or flagstone with 2-3 " between them. infill around them with pea gravel or a small decorative stone. you could do another lattice panel on the ac side. do a similiar stepping stone area and place grill by the lattice.

I personally feel the area is just to tight to hang out in. Claustrophobic.

What other space options do you have?

I agree with maven. I would feel claustrophobic here too and it's not conducive for entertaining. I'd look for a way to make the wider side yard do double duty as patio and play area.

Okay I appreciate the advice. The side yard needs a lot of love. This Saturday I will be ripping out the side porch. It has severely dropped on one side and is a bit concerning. perhaps a Flat patio will still provide room for entertaining while still allowing room for play.

from your side door to this

adding water feature even..

this story was a couple days ago. narrow yard is the point.

[https://www.houzz.com/magazine/25-ideas-to-perk-up-your-side-yard-stsetivw-vs~66417448[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/25-ideas-to-perk-up-your-side-yard-stsetivw-vs~66417448)

I had a narrow side yard like this & I did raised vegetable beds the entire length of the house with a center walkway of gravel. No more mowing. I then put an arch with a gate, planted morning glories in the spring to trellis over the arch and I had a magical walkway from the front to the back. Guests loved to see the vegetables, strawberries, etc. I would not put guest in that side yard.

These are all really great ideas! Thank you all so very much!

Avoid the temptation to build a deck close to the ground because it will attract creepy crawly things beneath it. Avoid the temptation to pour a concrete floor or create a solid floor with brick or paving stones that will not let the back yard drain.

Paving stones for a sidewalk with small white gravel or moss or ground cover planted between them is a good idea as is the fence around the utility items and space between the paving stones (very slightly tilted away from the house) for adequate drainage, staining all the treated wood the same.

Make sure those any utility items you fence in, such as heat pump or air conditioner or electrical or plumbing, have both access for servicing and, importantly, sufficient room as may be needed for air circulation required for them to work properly -- lattice for the fencing could be useful for this.

You'll want to be able to exit the back yard in both directions, leaving the end of the back yard with the patio wrapping around the corner of the house and/or extending into the back part of the side yard open but do add a gate at the other end, perhaps beside a corner bench affixed to the fence, making sure it is easy to rake or sweep below any bench or other item built permanently to the fence.

You could create a 4' x 4' treated deck board landing at the back door and turn the steps toward the ac/heat pump. Then focus on creating your actual entertainment area primarily on that side of the house in both your back and side yard. If at all possible, put the actual patio -- at least the part where you'll be using the grill -- in the far corner (first pic) actually in your side yard so it will be away from the house farther than you could if you put a grill in the back yard.

On the other end of the 8' back yard / path, you'd still want to cover utility items, and add the paving stones and stain all the treated wood the same. You might even consider adding a bench to the end of the back yard farther from the grilling part of the patio, creating a private conversation corner.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4c/96/8d/4c968d5238b6bc22a1c71aa3f5cea44d.jpg

You could add a few storage boxes that could double as tables and/or plant stands, preferably with castors to make moving them for cleaning easier.

Plants should be chosen in part because they grow tall and narrow or can be trimmed to be. A trellis can help plants grow vertically rather than spreading out to take up room. Posts with solar lights atop them and brackets for hanging baskets of flowers can help as well.

http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/courtyard/images/narrow-courtyard-design-ideas-39.jpg

http://thisforall.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Small-Backyard-Patio-Ideas-On-A-Budget2.jpg

Serving and storage and planters can also be affixed to the fence. If you use wood planter boxes, first buy the rectangle plastic flower pots and build the wood planter box to hold it to protect the wood.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a3/8a/a7/a38aa7655baf2ae7a11a95703e5cb3b8.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/27/8e/d3/278ed345f74723bcc5d93c46dbec8b0f.jpg

Enjoy.

Suezbell, wow, thank you for all your information. That was very very helpful and I greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much