Name: Jeffrey D.
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Size: 220 square feet (including garden)
Your Favorite Thing About Your Outdoor Space: Our favorite thing about our backyard is that it is completely transformable. We eat breakfast and dinner out there as often as possible. We also fold up our table and make fires in our contained fire pit in the colder months. At one point we threw a dinner party and seated 18 people with two rows of chairs down a combination of rectangle card tables. It's such a warm and cozy space to hang out in. The small size of the yard has never kept us from using it to the absolute max!
Biggest Design Challenge With This Space: The biggest challenge for us was creating a fantastic space for entertaining guests while also integrating enough landscaping and potted plants so it would still feel like a backyard.
Tips for Creating a Great Small Outdoor Space: Working in small spaces in many ways simplifies your design options. Finding furniture that is small enough to not take over your space is very important. Also when working with such contrasting materials in a very small space like large stone patio pieces and planted bushes and flowers makes the use of potted flowers and succulents a nice way to blend the two aspects. Finally, lighting is a fun way to really make a good space great. Finding a way to keep your backyard/patio a usable space at all times of the day is a rewarding exercise.
Thanks, Jeffrey, and good luck!
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Don't forget to vote! Finalists will be announced Monday, August 29th.
The entry voted the favorite by our readers gets a brand new PUBLIC bike!






Shaw's Original Fir...
Warm and welcoming!
love it. evenings in this space must be fun.
Very fun lighting
Very cheerful and fun!
This space is awesome! Love the colors & that basset hound is one cute dog!
Wow, this is special. I would like to get a closer look at the planting area in the background of the 4th picture.
i love the lighting...we have been looking for something exactly like it....does anyone have any ideas where i can get them?
My fave! The lights+table+chairs+hounddog! LOVE!
lovely! did you lay the slate by yourselves? if so, how did you do it and how hard was it? thanks!!