Landscape Design
Before and Afters
Yard of the Week: Resort-Like Feel With Mediterranean Touches
Designers bring vacation vibes to a Utah ranch house with outdoor seating, a fire pit and beautiful garden surroundings
Interior designer Lauren Bald already had worked on this couple’s midcentury ranch home in the city of South Salt Lake, Utah, so when it came time to renovate their backyard, she had a great handle on their style. “They wanted it to have a Mediterranean resort-like feel, with formality, geometry and symmetry in the garden,” she says. Bald collaborated closely with landscape designer Laurie Van Zandt on the layout, materials and plantings to create an inviting outdoor space for gathering and entertaining.
After: The house is a midcentury modern brick ranch that was built in 1955. For the yard, “we created a layout that had that ’50s modern vibe,” Van Zandt says. “There are strong rectilinear lines and bits of concrete and steel throughout.”
The angular midcentury inspiration fell in line nicely with what the homeowners liked. “They wanted to incorporate a formal, very structural look in the gardens,” Bald says. “They also wanted things to be super geometric and symmetrical.” She and Van Zandt specified large rectangular powder-coated-steel planting beds set in pea gravel to create structure. These beds are 4 by 8 feet and 6 inches deep.
The concrete patio seen here serves as a fire pit lounge. The designers determined exactly where the fire pit would go in the plans so that a gas line could be run before the concrete was poured.
Find a home pro near you on Houzz
The angular midcentury inspiration fell in line nicely with what the homeowners liked. “They wanted to incorporate a formal, very structural look in the gardens,” Bald says. “They also wanted things to be super geometric and symmetrical.” She and Van Zandt specified large rectangular powder-coated-steel planting beds set in pea gravel to create structure. These beds are 4 by 8 feet and 6 inches deep.
The concrete patio seen here serves as a fire pit lounge. The designers determined exactly where the fire pit would go in the plans so that a gas line could be run before the concrete was poured.
Find a home pro near you on Houzz
Before: There’s a dramatic grade change between the front and back of the house. This upper deck was located off the kitchen on the main floor. The house has a walk-out lower level.
After: Bald and Van Zandt placed the concrete fire pit patio in a corner off the side of the rebuilt deck. Van Zandt treated the beds behind the patio as a kitchen garden, filling them with lavender, heather, thyme and culinary sage. Also, this was a good spot for the red roses on the homeowners’ must-have list.
One of the homeowners “has Greek heritage, and their style leans to that region. They are not afraid of color and pattern,” Bald says. “For the furniture, we went for a Mediterranean-vacation vibe with the cabana stripes and natural materials, including woven furnishings.”
Shop for outdoor furniture on Houzz
One of the homeowners “has Greek heritage, and their style leans to that region. They are not afraid of color and pattern,” Bald says. “For the furniture, we went for a Mediterranean-vacation vibe with the cabana stripes and natural materials, including woven furnishings.”
Shop for outdoor furniture on Houzz
Before: This abandoned dog run occupied part of the right side of the yard.
After: Removing the dog run made room for beautiful garden beds. An attractive fence was also high on the couple’s wish list. The new fence is stained cedar and powder-coated steel.
What to Know About Adding a New Fence
What to Know About Adding a New Fence
Before: The area underneath the deck was dark and uninviting. It contained a door to the lower level and unsightly mechanical elements, such as an air conditioner.
After: The designers covered the unsightly area under the upper deck with a slatted stained cedar wall, simultaneously adding outdoor storage. “Our clients told us they rarely use the lower-level door. But we used slats so that some light would still come in underneath the deck,” Van Zandt says. Behind the exterior stairs, the homeowners can access the underdeck area from the yard.
8 Thoughtfully Designed Underdeck Lounge Spaces
8 Thoughtfully Designed Underdeck Lounge Spaces
The new lower dining deck is also stained cedar. A few steps lead from the deck down into the rest of the yard.
The dining table is terrazzo. Bald brought in woven natural materials on the chairs. (Over winter, the homeowners cover the large furniture pieces and store the outdoor cushions in the shed.)
Railings made of steel cables, some powder-coated, lend an unfussy modern look on the rebuilt upper deck off the kitchen. “These railings are great, because they prevent the eye from stopping like the old railings did. Instead, the eye goes out to the rest of the yard,” Van Zandt says.
The concrete on the table ties it to the new patio and the sculptures in the landscape. While the concrete is modern, the base nods to classic Greek design. The black-and-white woven dining chairs have a Mediterranean-resort feel.
The concrete on the table ties it to the new patio and the sculptures in the landscape. While the concrete is modern, the base nods to classic Greek design. The black-and-white woven dining chairs have a Mediterranean-resort feel.
“We wanted to give them plantings with a Mediterranean feel, but we are in Utah, after all,” Van Zandt says. “I picked ‘Autumn Brilliance’ serviceberry [Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’, USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone] here because they have a similar structure to olive trees you’d see in Mediterranean landscapes.” These trees also offer year-round interest, with flowers in the spring, lovely leaves all summer, berries in the fall, and beautiful smooth gray bark and a multistemmed structure to enjoy in the winter.
Like the black-and-white fabrics Bald picked for the furniture, Van Zandt went for contrast among the plantings. The hardscape around the large raised beds is a light pea gravel. The gravel beneath the trees is darker, larger, flatter and more compacted. There is steel edging between the different gravel beds and between the gravel beds and the lawn.
A trio of concrete globe sculptures adds curves to rectilinear beds. Bald “came up with creative ideas like adding these globes, and she picked some of the planters,” Van Zandt says. “She is so creative, and it was really great to be able to see one of the landscapes I worked on completely finished like this.”
Plant These Garden Favorites for a Taste of the Mediterranean
Like the black-and-white fabrics Bald picked for the furniture, Van Zandt went for contrast among the plantings. The hardscape around the large raised beds is a light pea gravel. The gravel beneath the trees is darker, larger, flatter and more compacted. There is steel edging between the different gravel beds and between the gravel beds and the lawn.
A trio of concrete globe sculptures adds curves to rectilinear beds. Bald “came up with creative ideas like adding these globes, and she picked some of the planters,” Van Zandt says. “She is so creative, and it was really great to be able to see one of the landscapes I worked on completely finished like this.”
Plant These Garden Favorites for a Taste of the Mediterranean
Bald and Van Zandt recommended that their clients add a fountain. “At first, we had a rectilinear concrete fountain, but that changed,” Van Zandt says. “This figure of a woman is a juxtaposition to all the straight lines. I love that the water splashes down on her face, and the round base plays off the globes in the garden.”
The figural sculpture also nods to classic Greek design. The fountain brings soothing splashing sounds to the yard. The blackened-steel planter around the fountain ties in with the fencing, railing and other planting beds. Van Zandt filled the planter with sedge grasses to add softness. This bed also creates a nice transition between the deck and the rest of the yard.
Another wish list item for the couple was a generous shed. “These are the most neat and organized people I’ve ever met,” Bald says. “They wanted a place to store the lawn mower, garden tools and holiday decorations.” The designers placed the shed behind the garage, along the same angle of the area that it sits on (see plans at the end of this article). The trees next to it are eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis, zones 4 to 9).
Inspire Outdoor Relaxation With a Garden Fountain
The figural sculpture also nods to classic Greek design. The fountain brings soothing splashing sounds to the yard. The blackened-steel planter around the fountain ties in with the fencing, railing and other planting beds. Van Zandt filled the planter with sedge grasses to add softness. This bed also creates a nice transition between the deck and the rest of the yard.
Another wish list item for the couple was a generous shed. “These are the most neat and organized people I’ve ever met,” Bald says. “They wanted a place to store the lawn mower, garden tools and holiday decorations.” The designers placed the shed behind the garage, along the same angle of the area that it sits on (see plans at the end of this article). The trees next to it are eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis, zones 4 to 9).
Inspire Outdoor Relaxation With a Garden Fountain
Van Zandt picked ‘Cologreen’ juniper trees (Juniperus scopulorum ‘Cologreen’, zones 3 to 7) as a nod to the cypress trees of the Mediterranean. They will reach 10 feet tall and have a columnar form that mimics the region’s iconic trees.
The contractor installed the new fence in front of the existing fence in the back, which allowed the team to preserve the abundant Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, zones 3 to 10) vines that were growing over the old fence.
Local fabricators made the large powder-coated-steel planters. The black picks up on the color scheme of the patio and decks. Van Zandt filled the planters along the back of the yard with succulents and ‘Little Bunny’ dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’, zones 5 to 9).
Note: Some species of Pennisetum can self-seed and spread, depending on where you live and your yard’s conditions. Check with a local landscape professional or reputable nursery before planting.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The contractor installed the new fence in front of the existing fence in the back, which allowed the team to preserve the abundant Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, zones 3 to 10) vines that were growing over the old fence.
Local fabricators made the large powder-coated-steel planters. The black picks up on the color scheme of the patio and decks. Van Zandt filled the planters along the back of the yard with succulents and ‘Little Bunny’ dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’, zones 5 to 9).
Note: Some species of Pennisetum can self-seed and spread, depending on where you live and your yard’s conditions. Check with a local landscape professional or reputable nursery before planting.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Site plan: On this plan, the thick black lines near the center represent the house and garage. The multilevel deck is off the house to the left (and labeled), and the patio is represented by the gridded rectangle above it. The fountain is located off the top-left corner of the dining deck and has a black dot in the center. The new shed sits near the bottom-left corner of the plan.
The interior designer and landscape designer enjoyed collaborating with each other so much that they are currently working on another project together.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
The interior designer and landscape designer enjoyed collaborating with each other so much that they are currently working on another project together.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Sponsored
DC Area's Award-Winning Interior Designer | 12x Best of Houzz
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: South Salt Lake, Utah
Size: 6,000 square feet (557 square meters)
Designers: Lauren Bald of A\ Typical Design Studio and Laurie Van Zandt of The Ardent Gardener Landscape Design
Contractor: Kyzer Construction
Before: “The yard was a large expanse of lawn and an abandoned dog run. Also, their existing deck was in very rough shape,” Bald says.
The homeowners wanted their yard to be an inviting destination for themselves and their guests. “They love to entertain, so they wanted different places for people to gather in groups, as well as some grass for lawn games,” Bald says. Their wish list also included a new fence, a fire pit, a dining area, a new shed and red roses.