Backyard Makeover Reveal: Riverside Retreat

UPDATE: Do not miss Part 2 of this makeover, a One Year later update and Two Years laterupdate!

Today is the culmination of months of labor intensive, physically and mentally exhausting work (but as always… worth the effort!)

We started this project back in February, when the yard looked like this:

Knocking down the concrete landing and building a DIY gravel fire pit area was the first order of business.

After removing the old mismatched tile and pressure washing the concrete, the 27-hour stenciling saga ensued:

Then we built DIY string light planters, along with unfussy wood shutters, landscaping and paint touchups.

And finally—my favorite part—decorating! Last week we assembled all the furniture and added the finishing touches. I dreamed up a 'Modern Boho Garden Oasis' months ago, using classic black and white grounded by warm neutrals, a statement pattern, florals lots of greenery.

And this is how it turned out!

The backyard is divided into three different zones—a conversation/lounge area, a dining space, and fire pit seating.

First, let us step into the lounge spot…

With this future vacation rental home expected to house up to ten guests, I needed to maximize the seating area, so I combined two coordinating patio sets.

I waited for a Spring outdoor sale and scored both at 30% off.

This modular sectional by Safavieh is the anchor piece, and It helps to keep that it can be configured in many different ways to accommodate a variety of layouts and patio sizes.

I also found this coordinating 4-piece set that included a loveseat, two chairs and coffee table.

The furniture is made from acacia wood which is weather resistant and durable for outdoor use.

The cushions are double sided and have removable covers in a water resistant fabric—which is a huge selling point since they'll be getting plenty of wear!

I chose a solid black 7×10' woven outdoor rug which provides texture, but does not compete with the stenciled patio.

I cannot speak on the comfort/quality/longevity yet as we have not had a chance to sit down and enjoy them (and it has been pouring every day since taking these photos!) but we plan on throwing a dinner party here in the very near future… as soon as we have a free night (ha!)

And speaking of summer gatherings, every good party needs a barbecue! We have not had a grill in nearly a year so we were beyond excited to finally bring one home.

We went with a unfussy and affordable Char-Broil propane grill with solid ratings (it is $30 off right now!)

A few days ago we fired it up for the first time—grilled chicken sandwiches all summer long! (that is all I have been craving this pregnancy…)

Let us take a little stroll down to the fire pit…

Arguably the toughest part of this renovation (that concrete pad was a beast to jackhammer), but now we have a usable, functional space in the yard!

I ordered six of these cedar adirondack chairs,and after a day of debating, decided to paint them black to coordinate with the rest of the decor.

I used Valspar's Cracked Pepper (to match all of our other exterior accents) and it did not take as long to paint as I thought—just a few hours total.

I think they look so sharp against the greenery and light gravel.

Thestone fire pit was a kit we purchased a while back from Lowe's—had to be the easiest thing we did during this renovation!

And then there is the LED string lights, which brings the yard to life and pulls all the spaces together (also 20% off through tomorrow!)

Right now they are just connected via an extension cord on the side of the house, but we plan to hardwire them in and add a switch near the door.

This yard is truly magic when the sun goes down…

It may not be my most picture-well suited, high end designer style reveal. It is still a modest house in a modest neighborhood, with grass that has not grown in yet and old cracked stucco.

But we have racked up more hours and put more energy and sweat into this project than any other. We learned new tools and techniques, faced new challenges head on, and stepped into the unchartered waters of landscaping—all on a DIY'ers budget.

For that, I am just as proud of this Before + After as anything else we have done—maybe even a little more.

There is nothing like dreaming up, creating and finally getting to step into a space that you want to stay in for hours—which is not an easy feat when it is 90° with 90% humidity and you are being eaten alive by mosquitos… welcome to Florida summers 😉