Turnstyle Design came to us to design an outdoor courtyard experience for their client. Their goals were a courtyard that accommodates a dining table and an outdoor living room seating area, to address grading for proper water drainage on one side of the house, and fix the grading and to add to an existing patio on the other side of the house to create a more useable grilling/hangout space. The results were better than even we imagined. We cleared out and regraded the courtyard area and both side yards to give the landscape a fresh start and properly direct water away from the home. In the courtyard we installed concrete pavers in a subway tile design that give the entry to the home the elegance it deserves. To the left of the house we put in a walkway that stretches the entire side and walks you right up to the back porch. On the other side we used steel to frame out an extended patio and finished it with the same pavers from the courtyard and then added some pavers in the rock to give the owners more seating options. This property turned out absolutely stunning.

This client complained about their backyard being uneven. They wanted a nice place to sit, grill and throw the ball for their dog. They also wanted to up their curb appeal and add steel planters. In the front, we created a tiered steel planter as well as a bed around the electrical box to help hide it. In the back we made a wrap around bench with a large fire pit that doubles as a nice table to set drinks and snacks. We extended the patio out for a shaded area to add a table and a covered grilling space. Finally, we regraded the soil and laid out a soft zoysia grass that the dog will enjoy and feel great on barefeet!

Our clients were building a pool into a very steep slope on their property and were looking for a landscape that allowed for seating, native planting and walkways. One of the clients is an architect and had a clear idea of materials and look that she wanted. We took her vision and made it into a reality with a lueder patio at the shallow side of the pool, steel terracing and stone steps leading down the slope along the side of the pool, stone retaining walls at the top and bottom of the property and two custom steel fences at both ends. We finished it off with native plants and added Dripping Springs Ollas to help keep them watered during the long hot summer.

At this Rollingwood property, we created steel terracing down a steep hill to help keep soil from eroding. We also planted butterfly and bee native and adapted plants along with some herbs and fruit trees. Pathways were created with boulders down the hill to make the yard more accessible for children.

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This client came to us when they knew they were about to start installing a pool. They wanted to make sure the landscaping around the pool made sense and that they maintained plenty of privacy in their backyard. We had already built a tiered patio area off the back porch. We added a walkway, retained the area around the pool and regraded the landscape. Then we built trellises on both sides of the backyard and added vines to cover. We also built a fence around the area housing the new pool equipment.

We transformed this compact yard into a zen oasis with a modern touch. Despite size constraints, this project packed in all the essentials: a patch of grass for fur babies, a pergola for shade and hammock swinging, a soothing fountain water feature, and a cozy deck for dining and entertaining. With this extension of the home's living area, this is proof that with clever design, less really can become more.

A custom steel fence separates them from greenbelt on the side yard and leaves the view open in the back...we regraded the back and created a space for the kids to play. Their main concern was improving the yard for the kids and building the fence that was a little see thru and a little not. We planted vines by the deck to help screen the view into their private area.

This client came to us to add curb appeal and plantings around their newly renovated pool. They plan to stay in the house until their kids graduate from high school in about five years and wanted something functional to look good while they're in the house. They also want to keep an eye on how it would perform when selling the home. We removed the standard concrete entry and replaced it with a more modern entry that leads to a pathway to the backyard. We addressed some drainage issues of erosion due to lack of gutters and pooling in the side yard by adding large gravel where the water hits the ground and a rain garden to slow and direct the runoff. We also added plantings in the front and back that work with the sunlight and climate that really frame the entry and pool areas. We also replaced the St Augustine in the front with a more drought tolerant Zoysia grass.

Our client at Shoal Creek is an architect that needed help creating their vision, so they provided the ideas and we helped form those into a design. While the house was still in construction we went in to put together a collection of sustainable plants for, not only a stunning exterior, but something that could be viewed and admired from the inside.

With the rising cost of property taxes, this landlord was struggling to make a profit on his duplex property. He decided to give the interior and exterior of both units a facelift and modernization. We removed the tall fences masking the front yards & installed a lower fence around the front unit to create visibility from the street. We then created some off-street parking with walkways to both units. Around the back unit we constructed a taller fence to hide the views from the other properties. Both entry courtyards are unique to the units and have simple care free plantings.

Delta Dawn Gardens brought us this design for implementation of the hardscape. This client purchased the property next door and tore down the house to build a garden. We built a new fence around both properties, built custom limestone terraces, stairways and walkways around the property with steel railing to allow for easy planting and access to the entire garden.

Designed by Green Eye Studios, this was a remodel done by Barley Pfeiffer Architects. The yard grading needed to be changed because the house had flooded in the past and the backyard sloped towards the house. Green Eye Studios designed a retaining wall of limestone quary blocks (the big stones) and 8" limestone dry stack. We graded everything between the house and the retaining walls with a 1" drop for every 4' so that the water would quickly run away from the house. We installed a french drain all along the wall to catch all that water and then routed it around the house to flow out to the grass in the front yard. In the front, there was a significant grade change between the yard and the street. We pulled back the grade and installed another limestone quary block wall with a small bed and walkway in front. Additionally, the original sidewalk was removed and we installed a new walkway to the entry.

This design is simple and modern. We put together a lueder pathway by mixing some full sized pieces with some cut lueders we had left over from other projects to save the client some money. We used a combination of different sized gravel of the same color to vary texture for various areas. Finally, we installed a minimal planting plan because the client didn't want much fuss.

This client knew they were installing a pool and would need help regrading the landscape and creating some beds. We installed a few trees and a trellis for privacy around the pool. Then, we smoothed out the soil for all the grass areas and installed a new zoysia grass that will grow well in their sunny yard. We also added a shade tree in the corner to grow up and add some more afternoon shade.

This client came to us because the HOA said he had to do something about the soil in his yard eroding onto the street. Because he had some plumbing done, the yard was completely dug up and there was not much grass left. Additionally, all the plants around the house were old and dated and needed to be replaced. In the end, we came up with a terracing plan that used steel and boulders along with limestone block walls. We then reduced the height of the walls on either side of the entry stairs to make it more inviting. Lighting was added to the entry for night time use. The plantings around the front entry were arranged to try to give as much symmetry as possible to the asymmetrical house.

This is an enhancement project where we updated the walkways and reworked the areas where grass wouldn't grow. Plants are added and changed out regularly to retain lushness and color. The yard has deep shade issues we addressed as well and trellises have been added to enhance the space, which we maintain regularly.

We transformed this underutilized side yard into a chic patio for entertaining and relaxing. Pairing Lueders limestone pavers with black star gravel created a visually striking and low maintenance seating area perfect for enjoying with company. Custom steel planters add greenery and cleverly define the space, giving a sense of privacy within the larger landscape. We carried a black star walkway around to connect with the deck and give consistency in design as well as created a large perimeter flower bed to allow lush plants to grow.

In this South Congress area yard, we removed all of the gravel in the backyard and created a whimsical design space. The door/gate and brick patio already existed but the rest of the yard was simply gravel. We scooped out all the gravel and started by spreading and tilling compost. Then, we planted shade friendly plants around an Oklahoma Patio Stone walkway which utilizes river rock from an existing feature. Lights were repaired and adjusted to highlight the new setup. In the nook by the back door, we altered the planter into a little rain garden with mixed tumbled glass. In regards to irrigation, we added Dripping Springs Ollas around the plants that need more water.

The builder of this ranch remodel came to us with a landscape plan by Christy Ten Eyck and asked us to make that vision into reality. We scraped and regraded a large portion of the property around the house and the outdoor living areas. We built all of the masonry patios, steps, pool decking and pathways throughout the landscape. The beautiful fire pit is constructed from boulders found on site. We also installed a few hundred feet of limestone curb along the driveway and parking to frame that area. Lastly, we planted tons of native plants, some very large trees, laid buffalo sod and seeded the remaining yard space with buffalo grass and wildflower seeds.

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This client remodeled the inside of their home and wanted the outside to look just as good. They felt lost and overwhelmed with all the options out there and called us to help come up with a plan that worked well for their space. They had already started by addressing drainage problems with a dry creak and asked us to make it look good within the space. They also requested areas with drought tolerant grasses, bed areas to attract pollinators, as well as space incorporating edible plants.

In the front, we reworked their entry walk to be more elevated and alleviate erosion issues. In addition we removed several invasive trees and replaced some previously removed shade trees along the front and side. The walk now carries the user from the drive to the front door and around the side to the back where we added a patio space to complete the project.

This property is built on a slope beginning in the backyard and becoming more significant as it flows down the front yard to the street. As with any property on a hill, the challenges were halting erosion, directing water flow, and building spaces for the homeowner to sit outside and enjoy their space. This client wanted to be able to spend time in the privacy of the backyard and described the desired style as “responsible, funky, and native.”

We began with the highest part of the backyard by creating a small seating area surrounded by raised garden beds. We then sectioned it off with a limestone chop block wall that stepped down into a grass area for pets. We terraced down another level using stacked flagstone to build a retaining wall for a bed near the back patio around a beautiful heritage oak. Between everything we worked in a dry creek to direct all the water running through the yard to move around the side of his house and let it filter down over boulders and down the hill in the front yard.

In the front yard, we extended the front porch with charcoal brick and surrounded that space with garden beds filled with grasses and flowers. We built a stucco retaining wall around the patio and used steel and the same patio bricks to build steps down another level. The walk was completed by incorporating large boulder steps down to the street. We finished the project by filling the front yard with a mix of shade friendly grass.

This couple wanted a flat space to put some play gear for the kiddos. Their yard was sloping towards the house and there was just dirt because it was new construction. We had to create space for the water to flow out and around the house. Also, we didn't want to crowd the back patio by putting a wall right up against it. So we built a retaining wall a few feet out and put river rock and sloped the walk between the wall and the patio for the water to flow around the house. Then we filled behind the wall and sodded the area while creating a few small bed spaces to round out the design.

This project was created for an artist that was building an art studio that could double as a house. The design of the space was very minimal and she wanted a minimal landscape to match. We planted a few focal point plants and played with texture using various sized gravels and ground covers, but mostly kept it very simple.

This home gardener had a long list of plants she wanted to incorporate into her new landscape. They came to us to put together a plan that worked around their needs for patio space, walkways, veggie gardens, grass for the dogs and gardens. We came up with this fun design that meshed her long plant list with a few extra fun details!

A majority of the backyard was covered in asphalt and the front yard grass was receding. We made a simple design for the front yard with some shade friendly varieties. the client wanted more useable space in the back for his kids to play and have pool parties. the concrete around the pool was cracking and a hot tub had been removed so there was an open square with no concrete. there was also flooding around the pool We repaired the concrete & resurfaced it. then we installed a drain in the pool deck to alleviate the flooding. We removed all of the asphalt and created a grassy area and a bed all along the back of the house with some color and low maintenance plants.

They wanted a deck. I priced several decks and they went with the retaining wall version...We built a retaining wall to frame in the deck footprint that we wanted then we filled the deck area with roadbase. and put down pavers and gravel. Then we created two patio areas in the yard with bed spaces around them. we also created a creek for water runoff as this yard was used to chanel water from the neighborhood to a holding pond behind. We used a lot of rock dug out from the yard to line the swale and put boulders dug out from the yard into the landscape. The plantings were chosen for a french provencial look of lavendars and white flowers with a touch of light pink...

When the residents at Fortview first moved in, they sought after something different than the full bermuda grass their new house came with. They came to us wanting more of a grassy, beach-like feel with some slight cover from the street. We put in a colorful array of flowering shrubs, mexican feather grass, succulents and other drought tolerant plants. A large L-shaped planted was made for them to extend off the patio, creating more space and some privacy from the road. On the inside of the planter benches were added for more seating, and walkway connected the bench to the original front porch.

The yard has several large live oaks that block most of the light. They had grass and plants that weren't looking good due to the lack of light. The client wanted a lush green garden. I designed a yard that combined some of the modern elements of the house with some old south style to go along with this very old Austin style house.

With this project, we removed a concrete and decomposed granite patio area and then dug out along the house to help with water and erosion that was building up on the foundation. We pulled out all the soil, sloped everything away from the house and created drainage so the water would drain around the house and down the hill. We then laid out and poured the concrete bench and catelevered out the redwood portion. Next, we scraped up the yard, re-laid the sod and created bed spaces. Finally, we put up posts to hang a sail for shade. But the most fun part was building a custom putting green so the client could perfect his game!

This client is the mayor of Sunset Valley. She wanted to accomplish two goals, creating a more useable space in the front yard for her family and dogs to spend time in and preventing town members from knocking on her front door when they have requests. We created a plan with a fence around the front, expanded some bed areas, added a small seating area and incorporated some modern design elements mixed with her love of flair.

This was a new construction. We were recommended by the builder to the client to design & install the full landscape around both units. The client lives in the front unit and rents out the back. She wanted to create a courtyard space between the two units and a small private space for the back unit to hang out in. We built all the retaining walls, added a lot of soil and built the masonry steps to the front porch. We also designed and planted everything on the property.

A UT biology professor and gardener, this client came to us for help with their drainage and sloping towards the house. The Driftwood house is located on a hill and we needed to excavate and create a retaining wall along the uphill side to take the slope away from the house and direct the water around it. We excavated all along the house to slope the ground toward our new wall. Then, we built a limestone drystack wall and installed a berm with some of the excavated material uphill from the wall to slow the flow of the water. Between the wall and the berm we added good quality soil to create a native plant bed. Then around the house we installed limestone skirting under the deck and stairs down from there leading to a large stone walkway connecting the deck to the vegetable garden.

We reimagined our client's front yard into a vibrant, multi-functional retreat that balances privacy and community connection. A strategically placed, custom screen shields the property from passing headlights while allowing the homeowners to engage with neighbors at will. Working carefully around a heritage oak, we incorporated it into the design, respecting it's root system. Custom built raised planters enhance privacy and visual interest. A Mexican cream paver patio and bench seating are at the center of their "secret" outdoor living room, surrounded by fruit trees, herbs, and colorful pollinator and native plants.

This client was having problems with people coming into their yard from the busy street. To combat that problem, we installed planters creating a separation between the sidewalk and their yard. We also custom welded and powder coated a gate. Behind the house, we scraped the entire yard, put in new soil, custom beds and created an additional patio off the back porch for a grilling area.

The client wanted a more cohesive yard that connected all of their doors to the yard while also creating a seating area. In addition, she wanted a fireplace, pizza oven, some places to grow food and a bit of privacy. We had seen this pizza oven at the TNLA expo and got the information from the company. The structure is a kit made in San Antonio that came with the option to add the pizza oven. It seemed perfect for what we were looking for. We formed up the fireplace and their matching kitchen kit and used the brick veneer for the exterior. It was the perfect solution for the client's needs. In addition our masons customized the pizza oven with some of the patio stone to make it look that much better. We created a trellis all around the back yard where we'll be growing vines. We added some little veggie gardens in some of the sunniest parts of her yard and designed plants for the other bed spaces. The patio ties everything together to make this yard the perfect party spot.

This was a remodel. They had installed a pool and had about two acres in which they wanted a design that incorporated wild space, wildflowers and other plants for wildlife. We did a lot with water runoff and created two creeks on the property to guide water and help with some of the pooling and erosion they were experiencing. We used a lot of different types of stone in the creeks to create a more natural look. In the wild space we added several trees to replace ones lost in the drought. Then in the more manicured space we created a few large beds with a Texas meets mediterranean them for the plantings. We incorporated a walkway to two separate seating areas in the yard - one nestled under a grove of trees looking back up at the pool and one away from trees to create space for a fire pit. Then we built a funky shaped veggie garden. We also welded a few planters on the pool deck and filled and planted everything.

This client came to us wanting to add plants to their beds. When the wife mentioned that she hated the limestone cliff in their front yard, we decided the best thing to do would be to build up the cliff and add beds above it. We constructed a limestone wall with boulders, incorporating several cubbies to add plants. Down the wall, we also added various varieties of plants to spread across the bed along with some large yuccas, trees and succulents.

This client was referred to us by a builder we work with occasionally. They were remodeling their newly purchased home and wanted a large outdoor living space complete with Ipe deck and covered kitchen. They wanted to make sure we used the full landscape so we created pathways and areas to enjoy down the slope in the wilder areas as well as away from the main living area. There is a fantastic view that you can enjoy from the kitchen, some of the deck living spaces and the fire pit area. Down the hill you can feel more secluded in a hammock or playing on the trampoline. We framed in the pool with some flowering desert willows. On the deck we created a gravel seating area in the center to separate the different living spaces. We surrounded the deck with planters to help frame it and eliminate the need for railings. In the front we created a courtyard around the entry way with a more desert style. In the existing planters along the street we added agaves and feather grasses to complete the look.

Our friends at Circle C were putting in a new pool, and decided they wanted a modern backyard design to match their remodeling. To define a seating area we created a rounded retaining wall with custom made steel edging and formed a patio with a Lueders Limestone design that goes down into a small staircase and pathway leading to the pool. We removed the existing grass, leveled, put new soil and sodded where it was needed, creating a swale around the perimeter of the yard to redirect rain fall and promote healthy drainage.