14 Before-and-After Backyard Transformations Photos

Whether your dream backyard is designed for entertaining a crowd or just relaxing with a good book, our landscaping and remodeling pros pull out all the stops to take these backyards from blah to breathtaking.

1. Before: Buggy Backyard

Buying a cottage on Cape Cod was the homeowners' dream but the weedy, wooded, spider- and mosquito-filled lot had become a nightmare.

2. After: Dream Realized

Chris Lambton and crew push back the wilderness and clear the weeds and fallen, rotting trees then extend the deck to create designated dining and food prep areas. Insect-repellant flowers and herbs, like lavender and marigolds, keep pests at bay while a slate pathway and patio lead off to a small pond and a shady hanging daybed.

3. Before: Barren Lot

With just a few weedy patches surrounded by overgrown bushes this backyard isn't the relaxing retreat the homeowners envisioned.

4. After: Private Oasis

New turf, borders filled with low-maintenance plants and an Old World-inspired fountain give this backyard a park-like feel. Landscape designer Sara Bendrick added a long, open pergola leading to a shady garden oasis that features cushy bench seating and an outdoor fireplace that can also function as a grill.

5. Before: Safety Hazard

A too-small deck that's literally falling apart and neglected, overgrown lot filled with leftover building materials make this unusable backyard the family's least favorite area of the home.

6. After: Picture Perfect

A sprawling two-level cedar deck and brick patio anchored by an outdoor fireplace and pergola provide ample space for alfresco dining and relaxing with friends or family. To soften all the hardscape, Chris Lambton and crew pushed back the wooded area to make room for a sinuous bed filled with perennials for year-round appeal and blooming annuals for color.

7. Before: Basic Backyard

The homeowners love to entertain outdoors so they added a brick paver patio, small grill and dining table to their backyard — but the only way to access the outdoor area is down a flight of stairs and through the basement making grilling out a hassle.

8. After: Multiple Outdoor Living Areas

Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, the Cousins on Call dramatically increase the home's outdoor living area with a 2-story deck featuring a full outdoor kitchen upstairs with a cozy Moroccan-inspired lounge beneath. A massive bluestone patio, hanging fire pit, new sod and dining table complete the backyard's transformation.

9. Before: For the Birds

The owners of this Los Angeles backyard are folk musicians who are trying their hand at raising chickens. Although the birds are thriving, the lawn is not — the chickens have destroyed the grass turning the yard into a muddy mess.

10. After: Folksy Nightclub

To better house the chickens, landscape designer Sara Bendrick built a custom multi-level coop then reimagined the backyard as an outdoor club to suit the homeowners' passion for performing live music. She used reclaimed lumber to build a barn-shaped stage at one end and a massive outdoor bar at the other. A dead tree that previously divided the property was cut down, then sliced into 3 and 4 inches discs that were used instead of flagstone pavers to create a wide patio and pathways.

11. Before: Neglected and Unused

A tumbled-down cinderblock retaining wall, rusty metal drum, pile of yard trash and a lone tiki torch are the sad view from the homeowner's deck.

12. After: Fireside Lounge

Chris Lambton and crew clear the brush, grade the yard and install a wide brick patio, anchored by a custom-built brick and slate fireplace. A pergola, constructed in a sunburst pattern around the fireplace, provides dappled shade and a bit more privacy.

13. Before: Too Small for Socializing

This backyard is the social hub of the block — where neighbors young and old gather to grill and hang out. Mismatched chairs, barstools and benches are everywhere but there still isn't enough seating to accomodate the big parties that gather here on warm nights.

14. After: Ready for a Crowd

To make food prep easier, cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneriadded a raised deck area off the home's kitchen for housing the grill with steps leading down to the deck's main area below. Bonus: The raised deck conceals a swing-arm-mounted table that pivots out to provide extra seating when needed. Built-in cedar benches on all sides accomodate even more guests while custom planter boxes are a great place for the family to grow herbs or veggies.

https://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/15-before-and-after-backyard-transformations-pictures

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