South Austin Backyard Patio
This South Austin property had a concrete patio that was cracked, stained, and barely used. The backyard had space and potential but no sense of purpose or comfort that would draw anyone outside.
Over four weeks we replaced the existing patio with large format sandstone pavers, added a defined seating and dining area, installed raised garden beds along the fence line, and finished with outdoor lighting that makes the space as usable at 9pm as it is at midday.
Completed
Duration
4 weeks
Location
South Austin, TX
Services
Hardscaping · Turf Installation · Garden Bed Design
Good Space, No Purpose - A Yard Nobody Was Using.
The existing backyard had been left to its own devices since the homeowners moved in. The concrete slab was original to the house and had cracked in several places. The lawn beyond the slab was patchy and uneven. The fence line had nothing along it.
The homeowners had a clear vision. They wanted to entertain outdoors, somewhere comfortable to sit, and a fire pit for autumn evenings. What they lacked was a design that pulled those things together with the right materials and proportions.
The main challenge was the existing slab. Breaking it out and reinstating at a slightly higher level gave us the opportunity to improve drainage at the same time, something the original slab had never managed correctly.
We designed the space to feel generous without being overwhelming for a property this size, patio large enough for a proper dining table and a separate seating group, with enough lawn remaining to feel like a real garden rather than an entirely paved courtyard.
What We Changed:
Removed the existing cracked concrete slab and installed a proper compacted base
Laid large format warm grey sandstone pavers in an offset grid pattern throughout the patio
Created a defined seating area with a dark metal fire pit and outdoor furniture arrangement
Installed string lighting between the house and a new timber post for evening ambience
Built raised garden beds along the full length of the back fence with dark hardwood mulch
Planted raised beds with Mexican sage ornamental grasses and dwarf lantana
From an Empty Slab to the Best Room in the House.
The finished patio is the kind of space that changes how you live in your home. The homeowners now spend most of their evenings outside, cooking, eating at the dining table, and sitting around the fire pit when it gets cooler.
The sandstone pavers have aged well in the months since installation, developing a patina that makes the space feel more established than its actual age. The garden beds along the fence have filled in quickly and give the patio a sense of enclosure and privacy that the original space completely lacked.
The lighting transforms the space after dark. What was previously an empty slab that nobody used after 6pm is now where the homeowners spend most of their free time.
The backyard used to be somewhere we walked through to get to the garage. Now it is where we spend every evening. The difference is genuinely hard to overstate." — Marcus & Lisa K
