The backyard of this Menlo Park home was spacious but woefully underused. There was little sense of place, and an expanse of grass required costly, frequent watering and time-consuming upkeep.

The owners of the property knew they had an exciting opportunity. The right combination of elements would create a much-needed area for entertaining while making a dramatic lifestyle statement.

We began this challenging project by establishing the must-haves: an outdoor kitchen, dining space, and drought-resistant greenery that was easy to maintain.