6 Inspiring Yard Transformations After Removing the Lawn

Rethinking your lawn? These six Houzz-featured yards from 2014 offer ideas and inspiration. Each homeowner replaced grass with something better suited to their needs—from a sidewalk farm to a restored natural shoreline welcoming wildlife, to enhanced outdoor living areas.

1. Farming the Parking Strip

That narrow strip between sidewalk and curb—often poor soil, limited water, and city-regulated—can be a "hell strip." Some maintain it like the rest of the yard; others let it go.

BEFORE: Tom Richardson's 1,000-square-foot Seattle parking strip was lush lawn. An urban gardener across from a park, he wanted to expand crops and create an accessible spot for walkers.

AFTER: Designer Erin Lau replaced lawn with six custom juniper raised beds, pollinator beds, and a stone birdbath. Bed size/placement follows regulations; extra-wide seats offer rest stops. Richardson grows tomatoes to carrots, enjoying nightly fresh salads and frequent conversations about edible gardening.

2. Losing Chemicals for Wildlife

Windi Heaton's Marin County waterfront property abuts a lagoon across from a bird sanctuary.

BEFORE: Expansive lawn and weathered deck required heavy water and chemicals—a wildlife desert. No path from deck to water, no seating beyond the deck.

AFTER: Designer Eileen Kelly mixed California natives and drought-tolerant plants in burgundy, orange, yellow. A paver path eases movement; multiple seating areas invite lingering. Eliminating lawn minimized maintenance, reduced water use, and welcomed birds and bees back.

3. Reclaiming a Native Coastline

Another waterfront lawn, this time on Lake Washington near Seattle.

BEFORE: Lawn and concrete bulkhead didn't reflect the original coastline or allow advantage of the nearly 1-acre site. Owners wanted a landscape blending with the natural setting.

AFTER: Designer Paul Broadhurst took owners kayaking to Yellow Island Preserve to envision the lush natural landscape. He added a pool, abundant local native plants, and restored the shoreline with pebbles, boulders, and downed timber—welcoming wildlife and drawing the family to the water. Featured as a pilot program in a WA/BC shoreline restoration initiative.

4. Embracing California's Climate and Lifestyle

Designer Chris McCullough and architect Peggy Hsu remodeled a 1920s Spanish bungalow in LA.

BEFORE: Backyard lawn was fading; front grass still strong. Space needed year-round outdoor living with minimal water.

AFTER: Mature yuccas frame a platform deck and dining area. Gravel, decomposed granite, and flagstone cover ground; drought-tolerant lavender and Jerusalem sage frame the space. Minimal watering, low maintenance, enhanced Mediterranean influence. String lights and reclaimed-wood wall complete the outdoor room.

5. Adding Enchantment and Mythology

Londoners wanted more than lawn removal—they wanted a story.

BEFORE: Long, narrow terraced garden had no progression. Inspired by Gaudí's Güell Pavilions in Barcelona, they brought the myth of his wrought iron dragon gate to London.

AFTER: Serpentine path winds through grasses, flowers, foliage, and a spiral seating area to garden corners. Mature trees, turf mounds, and celestial art draw visitors in. Night lighting and a fire pit create a mythical space.

6. Taking Indoor Living Outside

A soggy Seattle backyard in Mt. Baker.

BEFORE: Difficult alley-to-back-door passage, nearly impossible with groceries. Owners wanted architect Tyler Engle to smooth the car-to-house journey and build an outdoor room bringing inside life out.

AFTER: Concrete patio framed by concrete wall and wood trellis. Integrated fireplace warms the intimate space for concerts, dinner parties, fireside chats—used spring through fall. New concrete path eases the car-to-backyard journey.