Hi! I recently heard great things about Houzz- how people helped a friend with a mock up design and thought I would check it out. Below is a picture of our backyard patio which used to have a large pond with a liner. The liner started leaking and upkeep on the pond was becoming too much so we cut out the liner and want to make a larger seating area. After much deliberation and looking at many options (including filling in and leveling off, but that would just be too high and allow no privacy.) We think we would be happiest with continuing the two steps that are started in the foreground all the way across. That would keep the walkway path at the top all at the same level. And leave the largest seating area. We have that table with 6 chairs to put on the lower level and the firepit and propane grill. The back wall of the pond would be cut and pond filled in with stone and concrete.

More pictures and details below, but any suggestions or images to help visualize this would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!!

Then everything will be topped with limestone like we have on the steps in the close foreground below. Down the road, we might be interested in a built in stone fireplace.

Here's another picture of about how much of the pond wall will be cut off. I have already transplanted some plants in hopes of keeping keeping them. Fingers crossed.

The two pictures below show the back portion of the pond/flowerbed that currently has shrubs where a short wall/footer will need to be added with the same curvature as the other side. Ideally it will be close to symmetrical.