Tom Milus and his wife have owned their Pleasanton, California home for over 30 years. The comfortable single-level home has an expansive backyard that backs up to a busy main road. Originally devoid of trees or landscaping, the backyard had grass and concrete for a basketball court and would get hot on sunny afternoons. Fast forward 30 years and the space is unrecognizable from what it once was.
Professional landscaping was the first change, replacing the grass with native and drought resistant plants and trees to provide much needed shade. Later the couple desired an upgraded area for entertaining family and friends. A visit to a winery led the couple to install a large Douglas-fir pergola just off the home’s main living space. A redwood deck was later added creating a true indoor/outdoor environment.
Five years after the first pergola was installed, an identical Douglas-fir pergola was installed over the concrete area where the basketball court had been. Surrounding the entire backyard is a board-on-board redwood fence.
“We didn’t consider composites, generally because I like things that are authentic,” states Tom. He also appreciates how low maintenance the wood is, “It’s very low maintenance and continues to look great.”
Quality time together and with loved ones means the space is used daily. The couple even married in their backyard with 65 guests in attendance. With ample furniture, tables, a fire pit, pizza oven, and barbeque, the couple can easily entertain and get the most from their backyard.
“The wood is part of the experience. Aesthetically its nice and I don’t think we would have gotten that had we built with a different material other than wood,” according to Tom. He continues, “It feels very relaxing and park-like.”
Redwood specification information including CSI 3-part and Canadian CSC formatted specification, BIM objects, CAD drawings, product catalogs, and LEED credit information, along with American Institute of Architects (AIA) LU/HSW credit hour webinars may all be found by visiting https://www.getredwood.com/architects.
Photography: Jack Hutch Photography
