This Hillside Garden Succeeds on Multiple Levels

Once a kids’ playspace, this terraced backyard now has a hot tub, dining area and other lounging spots for grown-up fun

The family that lives in this Studio City, California, home was ready for some changes. With the kids grown up and heading off to college, it was time to turn a space that included a play area into a chic place for entertaining.

One level, 1,000 square feet and facing a retaining wall, was formerly a bike-riding area for the kids; it now accommodates an outdoor living room that’s perfect for hanging out with friends. A gas-powered fire pit is set in a cantilevered concrete hearth. A dining area sits at the far end of the space.

The contemporary look of the hardscape and furnishings matches the aesthetic of the home’s interior. Architect Jeffrey Tohl designed the hearth’s steel backdrop, welding together metal plates and bolting the piece to the wall. The raw steel has developed a rich patina from weather and the heat of the fire.

The dining area is screened by timber bamboo (a clumping variety) and other easy-care plants, set in a raised planter. “We built that to stop the dog from digging up the garden,” Tohl explains.

Continue reading this Hillside Garden Succeeds on Multiple Levels

This Hillside Garden Succeeds on Multiple Levels