OUR OUTDOOR PEBBLED TERRACE —

Our outdoor pebbled terrace is one of my favorite places to spend time during the warmer months. I love taking our simple dinners out for an evening of alfresco dining or lounging under the umbrella while Meriwether plays.

This was a DIY project Carson completed last year and I'm so impressed with the work he did all on his own.

This area was a hill before, with a smaller slope hugging the house that had been built up when it was under construction. We have a large backyard, but it wasn't practical for spending any amount of time relaxing outside as a family. We wanted to create an area where we could have family meals, along with a little green space for Meriwether to play.

Eventually, we'd like to add another terrace level, possibly with a small plunge pool. If you have a hill for a backyard, there are wonderful options for terraces to create special spaces, each with its own level.

If you have a flat yard, this would be very simple to do! Here's how Carson completed the project…

BEFORE

The before photos. Gosh - I can't believe this used to be the space! As you can see, it was a small slope close to the house that gradually turned into a hill. We put the table here for our reference, but looking back on this, I'm so happy we did this project. We've gotten to enjoy it so much since Carson built it out! I need to get better at taking progress photos, but I'm hoping these give a good indication of the process.

The Process

First, Carson dug out the area in a rectangular shape and leveled it as best he could with the existing dirt. He also dug a square bed next to the wall, because eventually I'd like to grow ivy on a trellis or try my hand at a few espaliered trees.

Next, he dug around all sides of the rectangular area to case it in with beams. On the sloped side, he stacked two beams to make up the distance and secured them in place. Once the beams were installed, he added sand in places that needed it (for leveling) and tamped everything to pack it.

After tamping, he rolled out a weed barrier cloth. I'd recommend doing this anywhere you plan to put pea gravel or pebbles. Otherwise, you'll be constantly battling weeds. This at least holds them to a minimum. He secured the cloth in place with small stakes and stapled the edges to the exterior beams. Once that was done, he added the pea gravel and we moved the dining table to its new home!

Once the dining area was mostly completed, he added a small wall with shelves for my potted herbs and plants. This is also a great spot to place the water pitcher or other dining necessities. Then it was on to the green space flanking the gravel dining area...

The first task was digging the holes and pouring concrete for the vertical wood beams. Once those were in and secure, he added the interior wall and lined it with black plastic to protect it from rainwater, etc. Once the interior wall was complete, he brought in dirt and backfilled the hill. As you can see, the bobcat he rented left a lovely trail in the backyard. Thank goodness grass grows back! Once the dirt was level, we put down sod.

Next, he added stairs in the middle of the two green areas and cut off the excess wood on top of the beams. We initially thought we would case in the wall, but now that we're thinking of added another level, we're holding off. I added an umbrella for shade during the afternoons and of course my plants and things.

We've enjoyed countless meals at this table during sunset - from take away pizza to dinners on the grill, it's been a great family spot for us. I need to snap some updated images with the thriving grass this year, but until then, I think these give a decent idea of the space and how it turned out!

If you're building out an outdoor dining area, I hope this helps! Please don't hesitate to reach out with specific questions. Carson is happy to walk through this process in greater detail too!

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