Patio of the Week: Family Yard for Relaxing and Entertaining
After a fire destroyed their home, homeowners rebuilt it and then redid their outdoor areas with help from pros
After a fire destroyed Lou Biasin and Louise Smith’s home of 14 years, they rebuilt it, channeling the style of the original century-old structure. They then turned their attention to the front yard and backyard, which, after the fire and the construction work, needed to be redone. “We didn’t have any experience landscaping, and we were overwhelmed and had a bit of decision fatigue from rebuilding our home,” homeowner Smith says.
The homeowners looked to design-build firm Earth and Sole to help them get the outdoor spaces they wanted, including a place for growing veggies and an area where their dog could play. Also, Smith says, “we wanted a relaxing, low-maintenance space where we could entertain large groups.” The family hosted a friend’s wedding just a couple of months after the yard’s completion.
The homeowners looked to design-build firm Earth and Sole to help them get the outdoor spaces they wanted, including a place for growing veggies and an area where their dog could play. Also, Smith says, “we wanted a relaxing, low-maintenance space where we could entertain large groups.” The family hosted a friend’s wedding just a couple of months after the yard’s completion.
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A flagstone walkway (Kota Black limestone) next to the narrow driveway leads from the sidewalk to the front porch. It provides a clear path from the street and adds room for the homeowners to get into and out of their cars. “Grasses frame the path and create drama for the entrance,” Hallman Mailloux says of the ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) and blue fescue (Festuca glauca) lining the walk.
‘Annabelle’ wild hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’), hakone grass (Hakonechloa sp.) and ‘Blue Zinger’ sedge (Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’) grow along the front of the house, underneath the porch railing.
‘Annabelle’ wild hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’), hakone grass (Hakonechloa sp.) and ‘Blue Zinger’ sedge (Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’) grow along the front of the house, underneath the porch railing.
A new fence at the end of the driveway that the homeowners share with their neighbors leads to the backyard, providing privacy and security.
The backyard, seen here from the house, is a long, narrow rectangle with neighbors on both sides. The homeowners wanted a space that felt contemporary, needed minimal maintenance and would allow them to host and gather with friends and family. (Though the family is currently socially distancing, 70 wedding guests filled the backyard before the quarantine.)
A large L-shaped deck takes up a good portion of the yard and provides the homeowners with an outdoor dining area and a shaded lounge. “We used brown pressure-treated wood, [which is] cost-effective and low maintenance,” Hallman Mailloux says. Over time the wood will age to a grayish color. Inset lighting in the deck provides nighttime ambiance.
Pavers salvaged from the original yard lead to a new shed installed by Three Tree Renovations that’s used for garden tools and bike storage. The lawn surrounding the path provides the family dog with a soft surface to play on.
A large L-shaped deck takes up a good portion of the yard and provides the homeowners with an outdoor dining area and a shaded lounge. “We used brown pressure-treated wood, [which is] cost-effective and low maintenance,” Hallman Mailloux says. Over time the wood will age to a grayish color. Inset lighting in the deck provides nighttime ambiance.
Pavers salvaged from the original yard lead to a new shed installed by Three Tree Renovations that’s used for garden tools and bike storage. The lawn surrounding the path provides the family dog with a soft surface to play on.
One corner of the deck features an outdoor lounge area. A shade sail strung from pressure-treated wood posts provides shade to the outdoor sectional below. The homeowners say this inviting spot has doubled as a home office during the pandemic. They take the shade sail down in winter.
Shop for outdoor umbrellas and shade sails on Houzz
Shop for outdoor umbrellas and shade sails on Houzz
A built-in raised bed installed to the side of the deck grows edible plants for the family. “It was really important for my husband to have a space to grow veggies,” Smith says. Hallman Mailloux lined the bed with plastic to create a barrier from the pressure-treated wood and insulated it with foam in order to regulate the soil against temperature swings.
7 Tips to Ensure Success With Raised Bed Gardening
7 Tips to Ensure Success With Raised Bed Gardening
The team saved rocks from the original yard and strategically placed them within the new design. This rock piece was placed as a feature in the deck, with each piece of wood custom cut around it.
Plants frame the yard’s perimeter and will grow in to soften the fence and provide privacy from neighboring yards.
Plants used in the backyard include: tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), ‘Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’), coral bells (Heuchera sp.), ‘Silver Mist’ lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Silver Mist’), blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens), variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’), inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), ‘Lemonjade’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Lemonjade’), hakone grass (Hakonechloa sp.), ‘Blue Zinger’ sedge (Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’) and ‘Ice Dance’ Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’).
The homeowners couldn’t be happier with their new outdoor space. “They helped us turn a very upsetting and traumatic experience into a beautiful, welcoming, unique home,” Smith says of Earth and Sole.
Plants used in the backyard include: tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), ‘Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’), coral bells (Heuchera sp.), ‘Silver Mist’ lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Silver Mist’), blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens), variegated Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’), inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium), ‘Lemonjade’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Lemonjade’), hakone grass (Hakonechloa sp.), ‘Blue Zinger’ sedge (Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’) and ‘Ice Dance’ Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’).
The homeowners couldn’t be happier with their new outdoor space. “They helped us turn a very upsetting and traumatic experience into a beautiful, welcoming, unique home,” Smith says of Earth and Sole.
Irrigation: Urban Irrigation Solutions; Shed, fence and front porch construction: Three Tree Renovations
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Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: Lou Biasin, a physiotherapist; Louise Smith, chief operating officer for a charity serving homeless youth; and their two teenage sons
Location: Toronto
Landscape designer and builder: Shelby Hallman Mailloux and Adrian Mailloux of Earth and Sole
The homeowners wanted their front yard to be a welcoming space that fostered a sense of community. “We have always loved the street, neighborhood and our home,” Smith says. “It was important that the porch was a place we could sit in the morning sun, read the paper and have a coffee.”
They relied on Earth and Sole to achieve the feeling they wanted with the landscaping. “We had no ideas about how to manage the front yard — just that we wanted a welcoming curb appeal,” Smith says. Opting for low-maintenance plants that would provide an inviting vibe, designer Shelby Hallman Mailloux planted a new front lawn as well as a silver maple (Acer saccharinum), a fast-growing native tree that will ultimately grow to shade the front yard and sidewalk.
For now, the homeowners are spending time at home with a more intimate group. “We are very, very fortunate to be able to enjoy our beautiful yard during the pandemic,” Smith says. “We use it as an outdoor office, we project movies on the fence for outdoor movie nights, we clear the furniture off the deck … and play hockey, soccer and basketball. We also just sit, read and relax. The space has become so important to our ability to enjoy the outdoors in a safe, socially distanced way. The front porch is a lovely space for us to sit and chat with our neighbors.”
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