Three usable levels on a steep Murray backyard

A Murray lot with a significant drop behind the house. Retaining walls, a deck and a patio turned one unusable slope into three connected outdoor levels.

Retaining walls set the grade first and created the terraces the rest of the project sits on. A concrete patio and retaining wall system tucks in beneath the elevated deck, using the space under the structure rather than leaving it dead.

A multi-level composite deck steps down from the house with illuminated stairs and modern black metal railings, landing on a spacious paver patio at the lower level. Boulder retaining walls and stone stairs handle the hillside at the edge of the site.

A freestanding shade pavilion anchors the paver patio, and a louvered patio cover gives a covered dining and lounge area that stays comfortable through the middle of the day. Low-voltage lighting runs through the beds and up the stairs so the levels remain usable after dark.

Composite decking needs no sealing, staining or painting, so ongoing maintenance on the finished space is an annual clean and a check of the fasteners, railings and stairs.