Hyde Park Residence Contemporary, Austin

AFTER: Frank and Orr, of Studio Balcones, presented three schemes to address the screening, ranging from a covered pergola to bamboo in containers. While Frank says she and Orr thought the client would want a 12-foot-tall fence and call it a day, they were pleasantly surprised by the clients’ enthusiasm for the third, and least conventional, option: “the moviewall.”While the backyard has hosted outdoor film screenings, projecting movies on a hanging sheet, the garden area behind the wall is the real performance. Through the wall's opening, visitors discover a lush and overgrown “wilderness to play in,” Frank says. To achieve the look, the designers planted this shady site with natives and well-adapted non-natives. Throughout the seasons, the homeowners witness the evolution of the garden through the aperture. It’s a point of reference for the passage of time and is a great way to really appreciate and see the yard — not to mention it's a fun place for kids to play and explore.

AFTER: Designers Jennifer Orr and Ilse Frank cleverly devised an 8-foot-tall movie wall as the focal point of the new backyard. The wall frames a lush overgrowth of shade-loving plants, bisecting two distinct areas of the garden and serving as an aperture for the changing seasons and a stage for childhood games. Though you can still make out the building beyond, these homeowners are thrilled with the privacy and cover provided by their new outdoor space.See more of this garden: In Austin, a Backyard Wall Provides More Than Privacy

ClimateIt’s hotter than hell sometimes in Austin. The last summer I lived there, we had triple-digit temperatures for more than 90 days in a row. It’s scorching. But most of the time, the weather is rather moderate. Alter puts it this way: The difference between the inside and outside air in Austin will never be very drastic, maybe 35 degrees at the most, in summer and winter. In places like Canada, though, which reach temperatures of 20 degrees below zero, the difference is 90 degrees from the inside to outside, and designers have to plan accordingly.

1. On a perfect evening at home, you’re most likely doing what?Acting as host to a large, lively dinner party with all my friends [Orange]Having an all-night backyard barbecue under the stars [Green]Working on a personal project or just playing video games in my study or hobby room [Brown]Discovering something new, whether it’s a hobby, movie or dish [WHITE]Having a calm dinner with just my spouse [Black]Preparing for the next day, but maybe with a good movie playing in the background [Red]Relaxing at home with the family, helping my kids with homework or my neighbor with a task [Blue]Playing one of those charade-fusion board games with friends [Hot Pink]Maybe doing yoga, then enjoying the view with whoever wants to join me [Yellow]

Kind of a "framed" feeling of space and yet feels "open" with the view focusing on the greenery planted behind it and not the higher apartments as much. Still pretty exposed from above apartments. The issue is the extermination of privacy that house will bring to me unfortunately.

gravel stepping stones, bulb string lights, gravel

Some strangers in our backyard using our backyard BBQ

stepping stones with grit around them

Love the outdoor lights hanging from the tree.