Decorating & Design
May 17, 2022
See How An Underused Backyard Was Transformed Into A Relaxing Oasis
Designers have been hearing a common lament over the past two years: we need a relaxing retreat in our own home. That was exactly what Vancouver couple Jennifer and Michael were craving for their 2,800-square- foot bungalow. Having already completed a partial addition and full basement reno, their focus turned to the backyard. They considered adding a large structure that would include a two-car garage, a workshop for their high schooler who loves to weld plastics and a space that could accommodate a workout or, for their university-age daughter, quiet study time. “But when the contractor staked out the footprint, my clients realized it would swallow up their entire backyard,” says intern architect Andrea McLean, who was hired to lead the project.
Since the couple parked on the street in front of the house, Andrea proposed two accessory buildings instead of a large garage: one structure could serve as the workshop for now and be converted back to a single-car garage in the future (a must for zoning and resale), and a separate cabana could act as the mini gym–yoga studio, and also serve as petite guest quarters in a pinch. “Their work is intense,” says Andrea. “They wanted to decompress in nature and have a place to work out, but they didn’t want to feel like they were in a fishbowl.”
Both buildings have expansive glazing, polished concrete floors and flat roofs dotted with skylights (learn more about them here), but that’s where the similarities end. The workshop is shingled, like the main house, while the cabana (pictured) has a stucco finish with a large overhang so Michael can read outside — even when it’s raining. Inside the cabana, millwork conceals a wall bed, and there’s a TV and two-piece washroom for guests.
Keep scrolling to see this spectacular backyard makeover!
To establish the lush, private environment the homeowners were after, landscape designer Aaron Teer planted three large Persian ironwood trees to shade the yard from prying eyes. Then, around the perimeter, he planted 14-foot-high yew and Portuguese laurel hedges. “Privacy was key, but it had to be instant,” says Aaron. “So we pulled out diseased bamboo in favour of a less invasive variety that was already 25 feet high.” The result is jungle-esque: outside the workshop, a hammock is nearly hidden by Hollywood junipers and magnolia trees.
A generous outdoor lounge space off the kitchen is set with comfortable sofas and a fire table, and an adjoining sunken dining patio seats 10 near the barbecue pad. And now, because their teenage son uses the workshop every day for his projects, Jennifer and Michael have reclaimed the main floor of the house. Designer Andrea McLean chose outdoor seating in a subtle palette that wouldn’t be jarring on grey days.
The dining area is perfect for entertaining guests (pictured here is Ashley Teer, with her children, Lyla, on the left, and Fiona). It’s surrounded by a new Portuguese laurel hedge (Prunus lusitanica) and defined by an artisanal stone wall.
But it’s the cabana that’s proven to be the real game- changer: Jennifer can feel serene there without being cut off. She can observe what’s going on in the yard and workshop but, because the trees provide natural screening, her yoga or meditation practice remains private. A large opening at the back of the cabana looks directly into the bamboo grove, so it feels like working out in a tropical resort. “It’s hard to balance your kids’ bursting energy with the need for space,” says Jennifer. “These outbuildings have been a lifesaver for us. It’s so chill in there; I can just exhale.”
Ema Peter
House & Home May 2022
Andrea McLean