Hi Marisa - any luck with this? Seems like a great canvas to play with! What kind of style do you like, and what budget did you have in mind? How do you use the space?

What a lovely place you hqve. Agree with Wuff & Gioenne. You have many options, but it dependent on your budget and the style you would like to achieve. Relaxed Moroccan boho or sleek crisp modern would work equally well, on my opinion.Some lovely lights strung through those overhead beams would help to make it a magical bbq dining area and you could even put a large outdoor rug on the pavers.

I have tried looks from many different cultures in my backyards over the years. Right now you have the beginnings of Crocodile Dundee 3 or 4? The croc wrangler goes to Mexico. What about a huge knife on an outdoor kitchen?

No. Changed my mind, that idea is cactus.

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Hi marisalyons6. You certainly do have a (fabulous) blank canvas to work with. If I may - starting with that pink wall, someone had already suggested painting it a dark colour. I agree. Great and easy place to start. A deep grey or a Prussian or Oxford blue. Prussian would be my go. On this wall I would hang 2 or 3 "living wall pockets" or some "plants ape vertical" to add a wonderful touch of nature. The garage door has to go, sorry. Either replace with some folding wooden doors to match the stairs and inner doors, or if this is out of your price range simply paint it the same colour as the back wall. If the garage is not in use, it becomes your perfect storage and work area. Maybe even use it as a guest room if you make it over. I'd also be inclined to pull up that fake grass. Sorry, but yuk! Again, depending on your budget add either a shallow floating deck or better still (cause I love stone) is to have a beautiful river stone floor laid.

The "drop" from the top to bbq area concerns me, especially if you're having friends over for drinks. Add a tapered stair for both safety and to conserve some space on the bottom there. The angle of closure doesn't really matter, and in fact you may find the greater this angle (from a narrow bottom step to the top step being as wide as the upper area) using a lovely chrome and wire hand rail, will really bring the spaces together and won't really take too much space away from the bottom bbq area.

Again, to bring the lot together either floating wooden decking/floor or the stones.

Just some thoughts I hope you enjoy reading, and more so enjoy the project. I'd love to get my mitts on it, but I'm a bit far north.

Best of luck, and please post updates. Would love to see what you end up with.

I like the pink wall. The garage door and surrounds need to be painted something different and change the pots to brighter, complimenting colours (see colour chart).

To make the area look larger you could add a mirror or two (see picture)

I would look at an extendable glass-top outdoor table and chairs for BBQ area and wicker outdoor lounges (see pictures).

For plants - clumping bamboo, climbers and a lemon tree (Meyer is best for pots).

Hi Marisa,

Wow, you definitely have a blank canvas to work with! Your space would benefit from a focal point at the back of the space to be viewed from the lounge/ kitchen area in the home. I would recommend breaking up the wall, maybe with steps leading directly up into the top space, with planting either side to disguise the retaining wall. Leading to the upper space I would keep space for a car as this adds value to your property but this can be landscaped in a way that it does not look like a car parking space, I would have some built in seating with lots of cushions and create a relaxing space for long dinners with friends or just a space to read a book and have a cup of coffee.

Have a look at my website MUSA Landscape Architecture, I would love to work with you on this project!

Ryan McMahon