We changed the patio in our backyard. May I temper the natural expectation for a stunning before and after? Here we only have room for small delights, not those home makeover dramas… And sometimes I think it’s better that way.

It all began because the garden space felt disorganized. The area between the house and the garage is almost triangular, and using rectangular patio blocks seemed to require a straight line somewhere. We chose to run the patio parallel to the garage. I played with the layout using rough measurements and miniature patio blocks cut from gray cardstock. When the snow melted and the rain stopped, Christian got to work.

We were kind of proud of the fact that this project was only going to cost us the gravel and the machine-rental to pack it. The patio blocks were already ours, scattered in little groups here and there around the yard; under the deck, behind the garage and part of the little patio glimpsed above.

Somehow I am always surprised when we execute these projects how much we change the feel of our space. This summer now has evenings when we sit under the stars and tend a fire in the fireplace, sometimes roasting marshmallows.