The first project that Kevin took on last spring when the pandemic started was our little retreat area. We had a little side area out back that we wanted to fill and didn’t want to just landscape the area. The goal was to make it a relaxing space that also had a bit of privacy to it.

Originally, we wanted to build a small deck area aside from the existing one that was already attached to our home. Once we built it, we decided that we also wanted to add a pergola as well. When we ordered this, we also ordered the swing set at the same time because we wanted it all to match. The pieces that we chose were from Backyard Discovery.

Once the hot tub was installed we hung outdoor lights above the pergola and also did some landscaping. Although we liked the look we currently had, we thought we needed to use some paver stones to tie this look into our design plans that we had for the rest of the backyard. At this point, Kevin made the decision to add EP Henry stone veneer all across the bottom of the deck. In addition, he also added steps on both sides to make accessing the space a little safer for the kids and anyone else who might want to enjoy this area. 

We also added in a little fairy garden and stepping stones on the shaded side so that our girls could play in this space as well. Lots of imaginative play went on in this space this past summer.