Nestled below street level, this front yard featured a decommissioned water feature which was of no use to the family. The room above the entrance had a disproportionately large window, which overwhelmed the front door below (see before photos). We switched out the large window for two smaller ones, beefed up the entrance and added a small porch. The water feature was removed. Instead, we added a patio. The windows that had previously looked out onto the water feature were transformed into French doors, for convenient access to the new patio from the kitchen. The garden has evolved over the years, with trees and shrubs adding a privacy screen from the street. Formerly pretty much useless space, this shady patio has become the family’s favorite hangout.