With summer here, it's the perfect time to tackle outdoor projects—and the first one I want to share is my front yard transformation. In this post, I’ll walk you through the entire process of how I redesigned my boring, high-maintenance front yard into something sleek, modern, and—best of all—easy to maintain. I hope this gives you a few ideas for your own space!
I’m Tony, and let’s dive in.
Step 1: Assessment – What Are We Working With?
Before doing anything, I started by really looking at the space. The landscaping I had was overgrown and totally not my style. The shrubs were messy, there were random patches of nothing, and some mulch flower beds that had completely lost their shape. Sure, a few of the flowers were cute—but not my vibe.
The AC unit area needed serious leveling, and the ground around the foundation was sloping the wrong way—bad news when it rains. The front yard gets full sun all day, while the backyard is mostly shaded thanks to a big tree. I took measurements and recreated the house in a 3D model using SketchUp, which really helps visualize the changes. With everything mapped out, I was ready to move on.
Step 2: Clean Slate and Site Prep
My vision was to give the space a clean, modern look with decorative stone borders and sleek pavers. Instead of planting directly in the ground, I planned to use large potted plants. They just look neater and can be rearranged later if I want to change things up.
So, I had someone come in to remove all the shrubs around the house. After that, it was my turn to clean up the area—pulling roots, removing leftover mulch, and getting the ground ready.
Next up: grading. The soil was sloping toward the house, which is a recipe for water damage. I fixed it by hauling in topsoil from the hardware store and building it up around the foundation. I packed it down with a manual tamper and kept going around the house until I had a nice slope directing water away.
Luca popped in to check on the progress—he approves.
Step 3: Creating the Flower Beds
I laid down gray landscape fabric to block weeds and keep things tidy. The gray color blends in really nicely with the decorative stones I planned to use later.
To hold everything in, I chose Onyx modern pavers from Lowe’s. Based on my SketchUp model, I calculated I needed 170 pavers. I used string to outline the perimeter and dug a shallow trench. Then I poured in fast-setting concrete as the base, tapped the pavers in with a rubber mallet, and made sure everything was level.
Once each section was in place, I brushed the extra concrete toward the pavers, removed the string, and gave everything a quick rinse with the hose using the jet setting. One tip—this kind of concrete sets fast, so work in sections and use a trowel to clean up the edges as you go.
I repeated the process around the entire house.
Originally, I wanted to use Mexican pebbles to fill the flower beds—they have such a clean look—but the quote came in around $4,000. Yeah… not happening. After some searching, I found Ontario Trap Rock, a similar-looking stone for $850, delivery included. Much better.
Step 4: Accessories, Pots, and Plants
With the base done, it was time to make the space pop. This part is all about proportion and balance. I kept the focus around the outdoor fireplace wall, which is already a natural focal point. I chose three pots for this area—a tall one, a short one, and a medium—making sure they were wide enough but not too tall to block the windows.
On the other side of the house, there’s a secondary focal point—a smaller wall with a window. I didn’t want to draw too much attention there, so I kept it simple with four evenly spaced pots that fill the space just up to the bottom of the window.
I picked up some pots from Home Depot and At Home, choosing based on size and shape to match my plan. Color didn’t matter much since I planned to paint them anyway.
To level the pots, I set down cheap pavers as a base, then gave the pots a fresh coat of dark gray paint to match the Onyx pavers.
Step 5: Landscape Lighting
Who says your landscaping can’t shine at night? I ordered three different types of solar lights from Amazon:
- Upward spotlights for highlighting key features
- Adjustable wide-angle spotlights for cool shadows
- Downward lights for corners and pathways
I waited until dark and played around with placement until I got the dramatic effect I was going for. Lighting adds so much ambiance and makes the whole yard feel high-end.
Step 6: Choosing the Right Plants
Now came the trickiest part—plants. It’s easy to design in SketchUp, but real-life plants come with a lot of variables. I had to think about
How big will they get?
- Do they like full sun or shade?
- Are they annuals or perennials?
- Will they survive my winters?
- Do they bloom, and if so, what color?
I wanted the look to stay green and modern—no multi-colored flowers, just clean lines. Since I live in Hardiness Zone 5 (with temps as low as -20°F), I needed tough plants. And because they’re in pots, not in-ground, I wasn’t even sure if perennials would survive—but I gave it a shot.
I spent a lot of time reading labels at the nursery to find the perfect options that wouldn’t grow too tall or wild.
Potting Tips and Final Touches
I didn’t want to fill the giant pots entirely with soil, so I started by tossing in leftover rocks from the patio to add weight and keep the center of gravity low.
Next, I added empty plastic bottles (yes, including Diet Coke ones!) to fill space without adding too much weight. Then I laid down a barrier to keep the dirt from sinking, and finally topped it off with soil I had leftover from last year. Honestly, I had no idea if it was the right kind—but fingers crossed!
With all the plants potted and in place, it was time for the best part: the before-and-after reveal.
Final Thoughts: A Clean, Modern, Low-Maintenance Yard
I’m honestly so happy with how it turned out. The clean lines, the dark stones, the lighting—it all came together just like I hoped. I kept the sides and back of the house minimal on purpose because I’ve got more plans for those areas later.
And let’s not forget about the night view—those solar lights really add that extra touch of magic.
Thanks for sticking around through the transformation! I hope this project gave you some ideas for your own yard.