Decorating & Design
Garden Design Pro Sarah Keenleyside Reboots Her Own Toronto Backyard
Updated on November 28, 2023
A busy design professional and TV star (she’s the cohost of HGTV Canada’s Backyard Builds), Sarah Keenleyside let her own downtown Toronto backyard simmer on the back burner for more than a decade. With the birth of her baby, Jack, in 2019, she realized that even though she and her musician husband, Justin Rutledge, live in a big city, she wanted Jack to have plenty of opportunity to play outside. “I think having grass underfoot is a part of childhood,”says Sarah. “That’s what I remember — running through sprinklers, turning cartwheels on the lawn and splashing in blow-up pools.”
The backyard was a decent size at 1,265 square feet, but it wasn’t living up to its potential, with an old deck and overgrown garden punctuated by three spindly lilac trees. Sarah wanted the backyard to be an extension of their home’s main floor, with space for dining, barbecuing and lounging.
Scroll down to see how Sarah transformed her own backyard into a city oasis!
The starting point was building a new raised deck. Because she didn’t have a huge budget, Sarah chose cost-effective pre-treated planks from MicroPro Sienna, which resemble fresh-cut cedar and age beautifully to a soft grey. The same material was used for the fence, giving the garden a unified look.
The next area to go under the microscope was the parking pad abutting a creaky fence at the foot of the garden. “We have limited closets and storage in our home, and we have a tenant in the basement, so we needed to build a proper garage to store things like bicycles, as well as a car or motorcycle,” says Sarah. The end result is a two-car garage with plenty of storage that includes a drywalled studio for her husband and his band. “Now, in the summer months, he can go there and jam with friends; it’s a nice place to hang out.” To make the garage an attractive focal point, Sarah painted it black, used mullioned windows and installed a Corten steel “awning” to break up the flatness of the modern structure.
Finally, Sarah, pictured here with her husband Justin and baby Jack, wanted a place to gather around a firepit. This round version is given more presence with a curved herringbone concrete brick walkway that follows the contours of the firepit. The floating bench is nestled between two raised, built-in planters filled with white peegee hydrangeas. “The planters are high enough that when you’re seated the flowers aren’t in your face, and we can see and enjoy them from inside, too,” says Sarah.
Sarah considered how they use the backyard in the evening when she designed the transition from the deck to the fire feature. “We start with dinner at the table, followed by some lounging on the deck, then, as the evening progresses, we might wander over to the firepit and congregate,” she says. “I really like the layout and having that sort of flow.” A flow that’s best enjoyed by taking a barefoot walk over velvety blades of grass, and forgetting you’re in the city at all.
“I love the mid-century modern aesthetic, but I was having a hard time finding outdoor furniture with enough soul,” says Sarah, who ended up bringing her 1970s Italian chairs with snap-off upholstery outside. “Adding pendant lighting outside also creates so much intimacy and acts like a ceiling,” she says. She spray-painted the shade black and tucked the wiring along the fence.
The poly-rattan sofa looks great with or without the cushions, which can be stowed away during bad weather.
Sarah used breeze blocks spray-painted white to partition the deck from the stairs to the basement entrance. This provides privacy without blocking airflow or light.
Peegee hydrangeas are hardy and do well in lots of sun.
Keep scrolling for Sarah’s backyard design tips!
Sarah’s Tips For An Inviting Backyard
1. Turn Down The Light
A dimly lit backyard feels like an oasis amidst the city’s light pollution. “There’s nothing worse than harshing the vibe with a fluorescent light,” says Sarah. “All of the lighting is indirect and very subtle; big washes of light are too grandiose to me.”
2. Add Fire
“A fire feature in the backyard extends those shoulder seasons and becomes a defined central meeting area.”
3. Dress Up The Garage
Sarah’s garage looks like a cool studio with modern sconces and a Corten steel awning. “It makes the backyard feel more like a courtyard — a little escape.”
4. Be Practical
“Sometimes I just want to sit outside without waiting for the cushions to dry, so consider what furniture looks and feels like without them.”
5. Pick Hardy Plants
If you have small kids, avoid plants that sprout thorns or spiky bits. “The tough panicles of peegee hydrangeas can take a beating and bloom with little upkeep.”
Valerie Wilcox
House & Home June 2021
Sarah Keenleyside