It was a big backyard and it was not doing much. Grass, azaleas, a chain-link fence. Plenty of space and nothing to show for it.

Before

After

I built a stage. Large enough for a band, topped with a clear polycarbonate roof so you keep the sky without losing your gear to the rain. Hardware for a projector screen went in so the space works for outdoor movies too.

A firepit anchors the far end and keeps people warm when the temperature drops. An owl box went up high in the trees above the stage. The Barred Owls were already using the yard. Might as well give them somewhere official.

The azaleas got thinned out to open the sightlines. Later the chain-link came down and a six-foot wooden fence went up in its place. That made the whole thing feel intentional.

On a lot of evenings this stage has had a band on it and neighbors in the yard. That is what it was built for. But on a quiet morning, with a cup of coffee and nobody else around, it is just as good. A covered place to sit outside and watch the yard wake up. The green room before the show, and the green room after.

Details

• Built performance stage with clear polycarbonate roof
• Installed projector screen hardware for outdoor movies
• Added firepit
• Installed owl box in trees above stage
• Thinned azalea beds to open sightlines
• Chain-link fence later replaced with six-foot wooden fence