Most people think of shade structures, but what if you don’t use your patio at noon, especially in a place with hot summers? Maybe you like to see the evening sky, too. The solution? An evening structure, designed to screen late afternoon light but let the glory of the night sky shine through.
When we designed the structure, we looked at shadow patterns in CAD. During the hours our clients wanted to enjoy their patio, a covered structure would have shaded the fence and areas east of the patio, not the patio itself. However, a trellis screen placed on the west side of the structure would indeed place them in comfortable shade. If that wasn’t enough, it could also support vines that could grow over the top of the structure.
For now, we’re leaving the thing minimalist. It goes with the home’s remodel, looks great day and night, and so far nobody missed the extra shade – but the structure was completed after the hottest period of the year.
In the future, if things prove too hot, a shade cloth frame can drape over the top of the structure during the hot periods – or vines can grow up the trellis, although they’re a messier option. Another option is using sun umbrellas over the table (the structure is high enough to allow this).
Back yard
Naturally we didn’t just create the patio and structure. There’s a patch of lawn for golf practice and to visually calm the space. Tall hedges of mixed species will one day create a green wall around the lawn and patio, screening out adjacent homes and infrastructure. A raised bed lets a bit of urban agriculture happen, with a nice selection of tomatoes for salads and sauces.
Additional screen walls mask the air conditioner and a utility area for waste receptacles. Wider paths make it easy to roll things in and out of the back yard.
Outdoor cooking
Along a side entry, a new parking space for a rolling gas grill sits behind a screen wall equipped with a shelf where the chef can set plates (and drinks) as he cooks. A new gas line means no more running out of propane in the middle of cooking.
Instead of a permanent pizza oven that would not get frequent use, our clients catered the inaugural party. They called Bella Familia, who brought a wood-burning oven to the site along with their pizza expertise. They served a knockout variety of Neapolitan style thin crust pizzas, made from scratch. Considering the cost of a dedicated pizza oven, this is a great solution – the cost of installing a true wood-burning pizza oven buys a lot of catered pizzas! Better yet, you gain more outdoor space. It’s a definite win-win!
Front Yard
The front yard now welcomes visitors with a path zigzagging through a brick wall that branches off into a decomposed granite path as people head toward the home’s entry. The brick matches the same material on the home and in a new raised planter, bringing the house’s architectural theme right out to the street. Built-in lighting further welcomes visitors coming to enjoy (or having enjoyed) the evening patio.
As people approach the entry, they pass between two trellises festooned with Chinese lanterns (Abutilon), step up to a broad landing and are welcomed into the house.
Planting
The planting theme is soothing: shades of green, mostly evergreen shrubs and ground covers, and seasonal variation from saucer magnolias and Japanese maples. Carpet roses are the main flowering accent during the year, along with the abutilon. For something different, there’s a California native spice bush tucked into an area near the side path, where people can smell its flowers (kind of like used red wine barrels). More traditional fragrance comes from a bed of sarcococca planted near the house where it will perfume the air in the front yard. Various types of very low maintenance Nandina will develop colorful foliage in winter so that each season will have its spotlight.
We eliminated all lawn except a small patch of green in the back yard that would get frequent use. The end result is a beautiful year-round landscape that balances reduced water use with the owner’s lifestyle.
Photos
The evening structure after a party
The structure’s lighting compliments illumination from the sunroom
gray green will contrast with deep green, looking good year round
The trellis has up and down lights
A brick-capped seat wall divides the patio from the lawn area
Arrival through the side gate
This shelf is gently lit
A series of screen walls hide utility items
Front entry
Front entry path
Bella Familia, arrived to cook pizzas in the driveway
These are initial photos taken soon after project completion. We’ll go back when the hedges have grown, the roses spread and the abutilon has covered the trellises.
 A new evening structure for warm summer nights Most people think of shade structures, but what if you don't use your patio at noon, especially in a place with hot summers?
