A 1960s Yard Went from “Blank and Overgrown” to an Oasis (with a Cowboy Pool!)
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“We transformed a yard with a chain-link fence and no privacy into an oasis,” says Rebecca Taylor, a food stylist, photographer, and content creator living in Ojai, California, with her partner, Max. Over the past four years, they’d been slowly remodeling their 1960s ranch-style home, but their overgrown yard became neglected while they focused on making the inside of the house a place where the three of them (including their dog, Oli) could start a life together.
“It was a long, narrow side yard that was blank and overgrown, lacking flow,” Rebecca describes. And the idea of tackling it after a whole home renovation was overwhelming “to think about the entire design all at once.” So instead, they separated the backyard and then completed the side yard a few months later.
Rebecca and Max also decided to DIY a solution for an affordable fence, after Rebecca couldn’t handle looking at the original chain-link fence for one more day. “A neighbor offered us wood from an old redwood deck they had ripped out, so we only needed to purchase the hex netting, concrete, hinges, and supporting posts,” Rebecca explains.
The couple’s design inspiration came from their love of living in Ojai. “We wanted something that felt like an outdoor living space, but was easy to maintain,” Rebecca shares. They decided to dig up the yard and add a drip system to keep the native plants and privacy trees low-maintenance. They also had their attached guest studio and home’s exterior repainted with Dunn-Edwards’ Black Forest to blend with the landscape.
Soon, the afterthought of a yard became something much more than just an outdoor space for entertaining — it turned into a “charming” oasis.
New Walkways Connect the Casita and Create Intentional Flow in Their Backyard
Their outdoor space was so large that it felt “awkward,” and one of the main issues was the disconnect between their home and the casita, or the guest house.
By working with a landscaper, Rebecca and Max created flagstone paths that gave structure and created multiple points of interest in the yard. Rebecca had turned the guest studio into a walk-in closet during their home renovations, and a new walkway between their home and the casita brought intentional flow to the large yard.
“The added walkways gave structure and purpose to the large, awkward space,” Rebecca says.
Their Vintage Camper and a DIY Cowboy Pool Add Eclectic Details
“We wanted our vintage camper to feel intentionally part of the design as a bonus creative space, so we designed around it,” Rebecca explains. She uses it for her content creation, and it adds a point of interest to their yard.
But the cowboy pool was what brought the yard all together. Finding the steel livestock watering tank on Facebook Marketplace created the perfect opportunity to add an above-ground pool for relaxing and entertaining. Rebecca enhanced its look and durability with a layer of epoxy and added thrifted lounge chairs, H&M outdoor cushions, and a Jonathan Y scalloped patio umbrella to create a small oasis.
“Building the custom fence and adding layers of privacy trees, the camper, and the cowboy pool turned it from an afterthought into our favorite outdoor space,” Rebecca reflects.
The Backyard Is an Extension of Their Home
With plans to open the space for events in the near future, Rebecca and Max are excited to share the space they love with friends and strangers, hoping it’ll be a place to make new memories.
“Whether [you’re having] a morning fire or a relaxing afternoon by the pool, cooking at the grill, dining with friends, or working out of the camper, the outdoor speakers make you feel like you’re on a vacation somewhere,” Rebecca says.
Their yard, just like their home, is full of life and creativity, and it’s the perfect oasis to enjoy all year round. Want to see more of Rebecca and Max’s home? Check out their full House Tour!
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