Hoping for helping in designing kid-friendly, family backyard
michelleinidaho
17 years ago
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Comments (14)
Saypoint zone 6 CT
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoaegis1000
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Please help with backyard deck and pool design
Comments (14)where do you live? will the pool be closed 9 months of the year, for example? while we adore our RI pool, i wish the previous owners had built it further from the house. we have 3 months of pool and 9 months of pool cover. so if you can site yours a bit further from the house, with a patio in between, you'll enjoy your yard more. also, be 100% on top of what your local code requires as far as gates, alarms, etc. most of the 'pretty pools' shown at houzz would get a big frown from the inspector. you'll save a lot of time and a lot of money on discarded designs if you go in knowing whats what. you can not depend on contractors to know the code on pools....See MoreDIY Backyard Patio Design Idea Help
Comments (6)You are off to a great start because you have shown up with probably the most useful design tool that it's possible to have ... the BASE PLAN! And beautifully drawn to scale!!!! In spite of its awesomeness, I'm wondering if, on a copy of it, you wouldn't make a few changes to it that makes it even more useful in forumland ... Remove the tree symbols and replace them with plain black dots that approximate the actual size of the trunk diameters (which will be our clue to their size.) Keep their names but don't draw any canopies. Since we don't yet know what's yet to come, the tree canopies are a little distracting and could end up being in way of brainstorming. Remove the color shading from the patio. Remove only those dimensions that are shown inside the fence (which will also potentially get in the way) and replace them with two plain, black ten-foot lines drawn inside the house or outside of the fence. Make one line horizontal and one line vertical and label them: 10'. Leave the dimensions that are inside the house or outside the fence. Are there any buildings, such as your's or a neighbor's garage or outbuilding that occur nearby to your fence? If yes, then add their outline to the plan. If neighboring houses are very close, you might even want to show their outline on the plan, because screening them from view or for your privacy will probably be something you'll want to do. Then, figure out your needs and desires. Since a main amenity is the patio, consider how many people you want it to serve, its functions for them, and if you might need to expand it. It'll probably need a place for a grill, table & chairs, side lounge chairs, etc. After figuring out what the necessary things are, draw out an overhead view of them to the same scale, print them out on paper, and you can toy with various arrangement configurations in order to see what works best. Share the drawn out furniture here, too. (It can be crude.) You'll likely want a permanent walk to/from the patio to the garage or outer yard. Ponder what other major features you'd likely want to incorporate. Fire pit? Pool? Recreational features? Screening to block view or provide privacy? Vegetable garden? This is the time to figure out what you want, both near term and far. Even if it's something that won't be installed for 10 years, you'll want to reserve the space for it. Bring the things you're contemplating back here and let's see what kind of shape we can get it into....See MoreNeed help with designing a family friendly backyard
Comments (26)It must feel like you're not getting much help here, probably because your yard is quite small and your wishlist rather long. I don't think your backyard will ever be a fun space with a play structure, etc. unless you tear everything out and turn it into a playground. Realistically, even if you did that, your kids will outgrow it in a couple of years and you'll be stuck with an unattractive, deteriorating, view-blocking structure that no one uses. My suggestion is to embrace what you have and try to make it better, even if only for the adults. Think cozy courtyard, or intimate patio. With that view it could be fabulous. A few thoughts in no particular order . . . tear out the shrubs that block the view tear out the lawn replace the lawn with raised beds for vegetables and flowers, or replace the lawn with attractive, low-growing, drought tolerant plants plant a couple of patio-size trees that can be limbed up to preserve the view install a drip system look into staining the concrete patio divide the space into zones -- dining, socializing, quiet space and provide furniture for each add a table and chairs that can be used for dining, games, work, etc. if you go the veggie route, figure out where your tools and supplies will go figure out how to provide shade -- umbrellas, shade cloths, awnings, pergola, etc. figure out lighting so the space is useable more hours each day invest in several beautiful large pots; use them to help define zones; fill them with shrubs, small trees, etc. put speakers outside so you can listen to music go to open houses in your area and spy on what your neighbors have done in their yards HOW ABOUT A HOT TUB? The kids will love it! =) Oh, I think I just spent your $20k. Good luck with your project....See MoreHelp Please, Need backyard design ideas
Comments (14)Hmm not a kid friendly back yard for sure. Running a jack hammer is really not all that impossible and given your concrete is chunked with all the lines I see you could easily start near the grass and see how much you want to break up /remove. You are lucky you will have defined places to stop with no weird chopped edges given the blocking I see. What do you want for your child? I see all these super expensive play sets--and given the lifestyles of most families very little time at home to play on it is available. Back in the day we got away with a LARGE sand box, a swing under a raised deck (sand box was under the deck) and a Little Tyke's large climbing/slide apparatus. The wait a year and see is tough as kids grow fast and they need what they need NOW. If we are talking toddler #1 right now I would be hitting the garage sales and buying every riding toy I could find. We had a fleet of those things and quite a race way in our unfinished basement!! All that cement is premium rolling space. A kiddie pool will fit in one of your grassed areas...optimize what you have!!...See MoreEmbothrium
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agorunktrun
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSaypoint zone 6 CT
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoburntplants
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agomjsee
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agospunky_MA_z6
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoannieinaustin
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agomichelleinidaho
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agospunky_MA_z6
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
17 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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Saypoint zone 6 CT