Yes it’s official—our Spanish BnB has a name! We mulled over all of your suggestions (thank you!) and kept coming back to Hacienda Hideaway, so that’s what it will be referred to from here on out (and I had the name engraved onto a cutting board so there’s no turning back, hah).
Today, I’m sharing all the details about our grand plans for the backyard. Brace yourself, this one is a lot to digest. We went into this knowing that the majority of our focus and budget would be spent on the backyard, so we’ve been trying to sort it all out since before we even went under contract in March.
If you’ve been building or renovating over the last few months, you probably have an understanding of how insane it is out there right now. Prices have skyrocketed, demand is at an all time high and supply is at an all time low. Contractors are too busy to return your calls or they just flat out refuse the work. We’ve never seen anything like this in our years of renovating. Needless to say, it has been a struggle to get anything in motion and a very frustrating, defeating few months.
I’ll explain more about our setbacks/anticipated timeline in just a second, but first, let’s talk plans! Starting with the photos of how it looks today…
This yard is the perfect size for our needs. Large enough to have a pool, a spot to sunbathe, a large dining area with a grill plus a covered patio—but not so large that it’s too much to clean/maintain. Here’s the main yard space:
Here’s the other side, behind the primary bedroom—this will become the dining area:
I’m so excited about this covered patio. The double doors on the left are the entrance from the great room/living room, and the open door leads to the primary bedroom.
After giving it lots of thought, this is what we came up with:
Can you picture it?
The visualizations in my head only go so far, so I teamed up with Yardzen to bring the space to life through realistic renderings. They offered to create the 3D images (with input from their professional landscape designers) in exchange for sharing about my experience—of course I couldn’t pass that up! Now can you picture it?
Isn’t it amazing to be able to show you exactly what it will look like? Does this make you more excited for the renovation? I’m so pumped—we’ve never done anything like this before.
If you’re curious about how the process works with Yardzen, it’s quite simple. You complete a series of questions about what you want to include in your backyard, your budget, and share inspiration photos. You don’t have to have the plans already figured out like I did—they’ll come up with a design plan and all of the details (including a list of plants specific to your climate, and links to products within your budget). They can also match you with a contractor in your area to execute the plans.
I’ll be sourcing all of the materials myself, and potentially enlisting Yardzen’s help to find contractors for some of the installations. Here’s the aerial view so you can see the entire layout:
It’s going to be a very long process and there’s one giant roadblock to get through before we can start on anything else—the pool.
After lots of research, we decided to go with a fiberglass pool. Here’s what sold us:
- Little to no maintenance
- Built to last with a lifetime warranty
- Quick installation
- Non-abrasive surface
Fiberglass beats vinyl liner and concrete pools across the board, and they typically cost about the same as a concrete pool or slightly higher depending on the model (at least around here). The only downside is that you’re limited to whatever options they’re available in, but there’s plenty of options out there and this is the one we landed on:
It’s the Broadway model by San Juan pools. We needed a pretty specific size to fit our yard and fit code (at least 5′ from the house and property line) and this one was just right at 10’11” by 20″10″. I’m a huge fan of the double tanning ledges and wide steps in the center—it’s an ideal setup for sunbathing, swimming and suited for people of all ages.
After finding the the perfect pool, we had to find a local installer who carried this model. We were able to find two companies in the area, and in the end, it simply came down to price. Our total cost is expected to come in at around $35k installed (including a few upgrades like deck jets and a darker blue surface, salt water system and city permitting).
However, there’s one very big setback. The Texas freeze earlier this year has caused a resin shortage which means there is an unprecedented delay in fiberglass pools. Our installer is not able to provide an ETA on delivery/install, and San Juan can only say the pool will be available “sometime in 2022”. For us, it’s worth waiting a year or more to get the ideal pool that we’ll never have to worry about. We knew this house renovation would take at least a year regardless, so now we’ll just spend our time focusing on the inside and tackle the backyard last.
Let’s talk more about the design details! The plan is to install decking around the pool (durable and low-maintenance composite wood) to achieve this look:
None of the products have been sourced yet, since we won’t be able to start on those until after the pool is installed but I have started exploring options with Fortress BP.
On the left side of the yard, we’ll be using concrete pavers + pea gravel underneath the dining area—a cost effective landscaping feature that we’ll most likely DIY:
To provide shade and privacy, we’ll also construct a pergola over this area with a slat wall on the west side of the property. I’m picturing something similar to this, but ideally at least the main frame would be made from steel to avoid the frequent maintenance of wood:
Under the pergola I’d like to have two tables (seating for 12-14) plus a grill, and maybe even a hanging chair or two if there’s enough room…
It would also be fun to grow some sort of climbing vines and pretty hanging lights and lanterns…
After going through a major backyard renovation for a rental once (and then having to redo it a year later) we’ve realized how important having a low (or no) maintenance yard is. We can’t afford monthly landscaping services so we’re being very selective about the plants we use. The best thing we did in our Riverside Retreat backyard was plant fast growing bamboo along the fence, and we plan to do the same here, but around the entire backyard.
This is a relatively cost-effective way to provide privacy, and a gorgeous lush green backdrop needed for our Spanish-tropical style oasis. The bamboo will become more dense over time and really create that secluded sanctuary feel for our guests (don’t worry, we use the non-invasive clumping Seabreeze species!)
Now that the yard is covered, let’s talk about the patio! I’ve been going back and forth with tile options and honestly still don’t have it figured out. The only thing I’ve finalized is the sectional sofa (as seen in last week’s post) but I can’t make up my mind on the tile.
Here are a few favorites that stand out from my Pinterest board… how can you even chose?!
One thing I know for sure: I want the tile to make a statement. Whether that’s colorful mosaic Moroccan style or mixed with an accent of Spanish terra-cotta—still undecided. Whatever I choose, I want to repeat the tile on our front porch for cohesiveness, so it needs to work there too.
I definitely want blue to be one of the main colors, to tie in with the pool. Here’s a traditional blue Spanish tile from the rendering:
I could use a similar tile, or one of these other options on my short list (click/tap on each for the source):
Do you have a favorite, or another blue tile recommendation?
It is proving to be more challenging than I thought finding the perfect tile that’s outdoor rated and not crazy expensive (the options are far more limited compared to indoor tile). This is one of the most important choices for the entire house, so I’m not rushing into it.
Another decision is what to do with the porch walls. I definitely want to do something unique with those, and tile (at least on the lower portion of the walls) is one option I’m leaning towards. But there’s another idea that caught my eye recently—have you heard of treillage?
Also known as latticework, it’s a French architectural feature dating back to ancient times. You can find these detailed fretwork panels in all shapes and sizes, either freestanding or against a wall. I know it’s not traditional Spanish style but I can’t get it out of my head, and it seems DIY-able. I’m thinking it could be too much with patterned tile though, so I may have to put my treillage dreams on hold.
As of now, the order of events for the backyard will go something like this:
- Select and install patio tile (and wall treatment)
- Install patio ceiling wood beams
- Install pool
- Install perimeter fence and decking
- Install concrete pavers + gravel
- Install pergola
- Landscaping
- Furniture
The first two items are the only things we can do before the pool goes in, which again will be “sometime” in 2022. I wish we could hit the ground running and have lots of exciting backyard updates to share this summer, but delays and waiting have been the theme of this year.
Meanwhile, we’re slowwwwly working on the interior and I’ll have an update to share with you in a couple weeks. Did I miss any details on our backyard plans or do you have any questions/suggestions so far? Let me know in the comments!
Rebecca says
Love the plans for the backyard, what a transformation! I have to agree with earlier commenters that I was concerned when I saw the area under the tables. It looks like it could make the chairs very tippy.
The plans for the patio area are dreamy! I love the idea of the blue spanish tile and the lattice work. Personally, I don’t think it would be too busy. Can’t wait to see what you end up doing, you always do something beautiful!
Amanda says
Chairs in gravel, even without pavers, are a massive PITA. I’m regretting some of my choices over here. Pavers are pretty necessary for much walking in the gravel, but would also complicate the chair situation. I would do a solid surface under chairs and tables, although I loooove the look of gravel too. Love the look you are going for!
Torrie @ To Love and To Learn says
I love the vision! And what a cool program/service from Yardzen that allows you to visualize it all—I love it.
My only concern both if I were a guest or the person maintaining the property would be those pavers and gravel…Do you just have loose gravel between the pavers? I feel like that would take a lot of maintenance to that it didn’t go everywhere, and I also feel like it would be hard to dine over there with barefoot kids underfoot if there were loose pebbles scattered everywhere. Just a thought!
Can’t wait to see this new project come to life—you always have such an elegant touch!
Julie Marquez says
Well, at least your demo happened quickly. It’s so fun to plan up these things and the pool will be worth it, and I love the idea of the decking all around it.
Jenna Sue says
Yes, at least *something* has happened! Gotta celebrate the small wins, hah. In 1-2 years the wait will all have been worth it 🙂
Izabela Zielinska says
The fourth tile, Adessi Mercado, is my favorite! Love the delicate lines and a little contrast from the brown. As for the treillage – well, you’re just going to have to buy another house 😉 Or maybe do a subtle monochromatic look against the house color so it doesn’t get too busy near the tiles? Such a lovely idea, though. The whole plan looks sectacular!
charlotte says
i’ve followed you for years and LOVE getting your posts. so creative. regarding the dining area, the pavers and pebbles are a great look but not so much fun in real life. dining chairs are pulled in and out and different people like to sit different distances from the table, so the rocks between pavers are very difficult to navigate. i did this patio look myself and now regret it. maybe do all concrete are maybe decomposed granite or if you like the paver option, do decomposed granite between the pavers. and don’t forget, no ceramic tile on the porches, stay with the concrete tiles for rainy days. have fun
Jenna Sue says
Thanks so much for sharing this Charlotte! Someone else mentioned it as well and it was not something I even considered, but that does make sense. Perhaps we’ll switch to gravel with a paver border around the perimeter only. I appreciate your feedback!
Nadine says
I have been repairing & renovating since the Texas freeze and it has indeed been insane. I thought the skyrocketing labor prices was only limited to Texas. Plumbers are now demanding more money than a highly skilled surgeon. Contractors, when we do get one to come out, are quoting ridiculously high prices and weeks to months scheduling. I also, as a rehab addict and investor who has done many renovations over the years, have never seen anything like this.
Jenna Sue says
I feel like it was difficult to find reliable contractors before this, but now it feels nearly impossible! We’re pretty much forced to DIY anything we want to get done. And pay a whole lot more regardless. I’m hoping things will start to get better soon.
Stacy | Blake Hill House says
I am so excited to follow this entire project!
Bea says
Love my fiberglass pool- mine is going on 12 years old, and looks as good as it did the first summer. With the salt water, the maintenance is low- but get a tiger shark( robot cleaner) or it’s equivalent, and you are home free! And I live in Richmond VA with lots of trees!
Jenna Sue says
Awesome! I’ve only heard great things. I had a salt water pool years ago and that’s definitely the way to go. The goal is to not have to hire a pool cleaner/maintenance person!
Shannon says
This is all so beautiful! Lights over the pool? What if a strand breaks lose and falls in the pool? I ask because have been wanting to do this myself, but my husband has been so hesitant for that reason. We have bistro lights elsewhere and despite an incredible install with cable wires, the strands have fallen down 2x during storms. But they are sooooo dreamy, I’m hoping maybe you have a good solution what you are doing to do for yours!
Jenna Sue says
True, we would definitely have to make sure they were 100% reinforced! We haven’t had any issues with the string lights at our other house (going on 2+ years and we didn’t do anything special to reinforce them). We would also use plastic (not glass) LED bulbs just in case, and would probably take them down if there was a big storm coming.
Monica says
Lattice is very spanish too. Search for “celosia” for inspiration. Andalucia, the southern region in Spain is full of examples.
Jenna Sue says
Thank you Monica! I’d love to be able to use it somewhere in this house.
Nicole says
If you are afraid of the lattice being too busy, what if you just do the far wall, but in an arch pattern to mimic the look of the rounded doors in your Pinterest inspirations. Or alternatively, use the lattice as kind of a wainscoting height around the whole area. Then on the far wall still do an arch, but instead of lattice bring the wall tile up. It would look great with one or two shallow shelves to put candles and lanterns and plants on!
Ali Holme says
Would you be willing to share the pool company you will be using? We live in Tampa and are going down the same path!
Jenna Sue says
Hi Ali, honestly I can’t really recommend them–they haven’t been returning our calls and we still don’t even have a signed contract (we were supposed to have it finalized by the time this post was published). We are about ready to throw in the towel and start our search over. It has been a nightmare!
Janet says
After seeing this post, I was ready to find a dealer and order this exact pool since it checks all the boxes and would fit my yard perfectly. I’m in Kissimmee and liked the idea that the main office for San Juan Pools is in Lakeland. The lifetime warranty had me sold. Then I happened upon Yelp reviews for San Juan Pools and EVERY customer leaving a review gave the company one star and said the warranty was worthless. Further research found more of the same, distraught customers out a lot of money, some with unusable pools, all very stressed and unhappy.
You might want to research further before signing a contract. I hate to be negative but just wanted to give a heads up. ?
Jenna Sue says
Hey Janet! We did a ton of research before deciding on this model and San Juan Pools. San Juan is one of the most reputable fiberglass pool makers in the industry. Not only for their manufacturing process, but their warranty includes a lot more than the others when you read the fine print. We spoke to several people in the industry as well and they all said that San Juan (along with a couple others such as Viking, now part of Latham) was a reliable option.
We saw plenty of negative reviews across the board for every pool, but the vast majority of them were experiences working with their installer, not the manufacturer. I’ve spoken to several people at San Juan directly while doing my due diligence and never had any issues getting people on the phone or getting answers to my questions. We believe that choosing the right installer is the most critical part of getting a fiberglass pool as that is who you will deal with if any issues arise in the future. I hope this helps 🙂
Sharon L Wiseman says
Oh my goodness, this is going to be beautiful! Can’t wait to see it!
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Sharon, I’m excited to share our progress!
Caroline says
I can’t wait to see this all come together! It is going to be amazing!
Jenna Sue says
Thank you Caroline! We are so pumped about this one!
Deb says
I love the plans and the realistic visualizations, with one exception. The concrete pavers are great for pathways and other “static” areas. But they look problematic underneath dining chairs. In the one side view, it looks like the chairs will tip off the edges into the gravel. I would be afraid of moving in my chair if I were eating there!
Jenna Sue says
Hi Deb, thank you for your input! I’ll have to look into this more. I don’t think I’ve tested out this patio setup under furniture before but it’s quite common so I’m wondering how others feel who have used it for a while. Maybe we’ll just use gravel in the center and have the pavers around the perimeter only. Something to think about!
Mirror says
If you want to keep the design, maybe look into chairs with continuous legs? Like it’s all on one piece that connects the front and back of the chair, if that makes sense. Then you don’t have feet to get stuck in the cracks.
Leslie says
Exactly my first thought when I saw the rendering. Beautiful but problematic with chairs!