Are you set on keeping the dirt area for your puppy or are would you consider container gardening? Does the area get a lot of sun? My first thought is there is alot of brick already between the facade of the building and that two story portion shown. But the herringbone paver layout is great. If it were my home I would probably take that Trex decking and extend it over in to the dirt area at an angle and then use pots to make my garden. Really great pots that you can move around and change by adding colorful plants when the season permits and then I would invest in really nice outdoor furniture to make the space. I see you have a small teak table and with a good powerwash it can be made to look new. Then add some outdoor chairs and hang a piece of outdoor art on the brick and that would be a great start but definitely start by just getting rid of all those odd plantings. It will be a lovely retreat. Good luck.

Yeh. Sorry. Origin picture looked like fence. I live in austraila and my husband built something like that and the planter boxes. Ours is jarrah wood ( with a few coats of decking oil) and already needs re coating because of weather and living near beach. Too hot to do that now though.we are happy with the look as it's much better than plain fence.

Hi guys , you are about to embark on a major renovation that will enhance your lifestyle which is great . I would highly recommend that you engage a professional landscape designer to maximise your investment . The long term benefits will definitely outweigh the relatively small investment of a couple of thousand dollars on a great design of the spaces and how they will bring the most fun and enjoyment to your family , and at the same time increase the value of your home . Step one is to seriously consider your budget , and then get a great design that maximises every dollar . Your budget will drive your overall design concepts and your construction priorities . This is even more reason to be working with a good design plan which will guide you through the whole process and keep you on track . The plan will manage your trades and keep the project true to the overall design objectives . From a design perspective , your suggested black and grey colour scheme would work if you are going to render and /or paint over your house brick , so that the actual home is modernised as part of the total project . If you are not going to do that , then maybe you would consider a lighter but still modern colour scheme for your outdoor structures . You can still trim with touches of black . The black pool fence is designed to make the structure visually disappear , so I am not sure if you should be choosing black as your dominant outdoor colour as dark structures also are hard to see in bright sunshine , plus they are harsh on the eyes up close . But black trim added to lighter thicker timber pergolas can add a sophisticated and elegant detail line . Have you had your pools pressure relief valve checked to make sure the concrete shell doesn't pop out of the ground whilst the pool is empty ? Your photos show that the view from inside your home out to the pool area takes your eyes beyond the pool area and into the distance . A good landscape design and placement of outdoor structures will help you bring your outdoor pool areas " back to the house " . Also choosing appropriate planting will be an important part of creating your own little paradise at home . Don't be scared to create some visual vertical barriers as they will give a beautiful private resort feel to your home , and they will actually make the outdoor pool area seem larger , but cosy . Carefully look at the orientation of everything that is designed for your outdoor spaces , as your pool area is exposed , so shade and weather protection are crucial as part of the design. Lastly , I hope you guys read my comments as constructive input and not negative , as I am just trying to help you consider the " big picture " with your home and investment . If you do it well , you will have great fun and maximise your dollars . Good luck Glenn

A pool of any sort is going to be expensive. The photos imply quite a steep slope. You either need to cut in or raise up, both of which will require elaborate and costly engineer designed retaining walls. Why bother? It's a great looking natural site that could be really enhanced with a good garden that would retain the slope and be far cheaper.