Backyard Makeover

Whitney Hawkins
by Whitney Hawkins

We moved into our house in March of 2015 and we could not WAIT to start this transformation!



We haven't had the chance to host a get-together yet, but we're all set to party in whatever bipolar Texas weather mother nature has to offer!

This. This was the backyard we inherited from the previous owners of our home. There was a giant dog pen (I like to refer to it as the dog jail) and a 3 foot river rock moat bordering the entire perimeter... We were able to post photos on our local online sale groups and offered them free to whoever would come get the rock. It was all gone in about a week!

Once all the rock was gone, we saved up for a month or two and bought some sod to fill in the gaps—our pups really enjoyed having their own yard for the first time! They didn't really care what it looked like. Haha!

As you can see from the last photo—the existing 'patio' was a 10x10' rock bordered crushed-granite pit. Red mud was constantly everywhere and our chairs would actually sink when you sat in them. We decided this was our next step. Bigger and better were our goals.

We were able to have the slab constructed and poured by one of our neighbors! Turns out he's not too shabby! We purchased the materials and paid him for his labor, this portion of the project was during a merciless-Texas-July, so he and my husband worked in the evenings to get it done.

Once the slab was poured, we spent the rest of the summer and fall saving up for the porch! My mother helped us draft the plans out and of course quickly became the foreman for this adventure.

There were hiccups and bumps, and days that turned into nights (abiding by the sundown rule when it came to racket) but they got it done! The morning after it was finished my husband and I cooked breakfast in a cast iron skillet over his grill and enjoyed the first meal under the new roof!

The rest is history! I'm in awe. It's so hard to believe that this is OUR HOME! This little oasis takes my breath away. It was an 11 month long, slowwwwww, back breaking, project BUT so incredibly worth it. I'm so proud! Here's a list of where I purchased all the decor: • Outdoor loveseats - Kohl's • Cushions and pillows - At Home (formerly Gardenridge) • Fire table - Home Depot • Curtain sheers - Walmart • Curtain rods - Big Lots • Carnival lights - Big Lots • Tree - Local online resale group

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  2 questions
  • Debbie Bond Debbie Bond on Jan 11, 2016
    What did you use on the roof? It looks like partical board in the picture,is there something on top of it? If there isn't it will rot quickly.
  • Catherine Catherine on Jan 14, 2016
    It is gorgeous and well worth your efforts. Will you paint the underside of the roof? A nice sky blue might keep the wasps and hornets from trying to build their nests.
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