Small backyard and big ideas? We got you. Check out this shaded patio and outdoor kitchen project in a Decatur backyard that we designed and built last year in collaboration with two other contractors.

The brick patio makes for a secluded outdoor living space within a busy neighborhood, with a grilling area and covered with a modern aluminum pergola for shelter from the sun as well as the rain, thanks to its automated rotating louvres. The patio connects through glass doors to a light-filled sunroom, merging the indoor and outdoor spaces of the home seamlessly.

Two decks were added to connect different parts of the house, extending the interior into the outdoors. Sleek black metal handrails complement the modern lines of the decking and pergola.