These clients were looking to expand their usable deck space to lounge and watch TV. We replaced their existing cedar deck with a larger ipe hardwood deck, flanked it with steel planters, and covered it with a shade structure to match the existing covered porch roof. We also proposed a separate, secondary grill area and dining patio out in the yard to activate it.  We also moved the gate, installed limestone pavers for an entry sequence through a tejas black planting bed. The spaces rotate around a crushed limestone patio with an arroyo sweetwood accent tree. The grill counter has ipe details, a concrete countertop, and connects to a larger steel planter along the back of the yard, which holds clumping bamboo used to both screen the utilities and bridge the height of the neighbor’s wall.