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Backyard remodel dilemma | flow of steps

Elaine
hace 6 años
última modificación:hace 6 años

Hi All. I am in the midst of a complete overhaul of my yard. I need to decide in a couple of hours the shape of the steps going from the upper yard (kitchen slider leads to outside) to the lower patio deck which is the main part of the yard.

We moved the retaining wall closer to the house by 4 feet which changes where the steps start and stop compared to the way they were prior. The attached photographs show the way the path from the kitchen door curves towards the area of the steps. The new steps will extend into the patio space about 3 feet beyond the new retaining wall. Our contractor, who has done a lot of these projects, is telling me that the steps should curve following the curve of the path on the upper yard. I am no backyard designer but I think it would look more symmetrical if the steps and the wall attached to the sides of the steps both slightly curved outward in opposite directions.

Please see the attached images for my attempt to show what I'm talking about. Any thoughts on this are greatly appreciated.






Respuesta destacada
  • PRO
    CB Conlin Landscapes Inc.
    hace 6 años

    The layout of the stairs and adjacent walls should be tied in with the overall master plan of the site. It is the job of the designer/LA to make sure the stairs work visually with the rest of the project. As can be seen in K&D’s above photos, a large staircase is an extremely important design element that can make or break a project’s success.

    Comentarios (22)

    • suzyq53
      hace 6 años

      Maybe you could curve the path but make the steps more like rounded landings.

      Elaine agradeció a suzyq53
    • Christopher CNC
      hace 6 años

      My natural inclination would be to follow the curve of the path above. However, the steps are leading to a pool deck and going to protrude three feet onto the lower deck. You need to think about the space below. How will it be furnished/used and what effect will shifting the steps landing to the right or left have on that space. That may be a more important consideration.

      Elaine agradeció a Christopher CNC
    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      Suzq53, I also thought about them being rounded landing, where there is no wall on either side of the steps involved in the design. I like that idea better than having a curved wall at the steps.

    • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
      hace 6 años

      From what I can see, I agree with the contractor. The steps should curve towards the main destination. Humans, like dogs, want to go in the shortest, direct line if they are going somewhere. If you fight that too much, you end up with problems with shortcuts.

    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años

      This is an view of the space from our 2nd floor. We use the far corner for dining, under trees and always shaded. The pool is a 10 feet to the left of the photo but not included in shot.

    • PRO
      Dig Doug's Designs
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años





      Create a stair well leading to the lower area.

    • Kim in PL (SoCal zone 10/Sunset 24)
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      It's difficult to give advice from these photos that will be set in concrete in a few hours! But... I think I agree with Dig Doug. Start the steps back several feet before the retaining wall. Curve the retaining wall back along the side of the steps, having the steps end at the bottom of the wall, or only a single step extending beyond the wall. This photo sort of illustrates what I'm trying to say.

      Terraced hillside estate · Más información

    • PRO
      BeverlyFLADeziner
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años


    • PRO
      Cascio Associates - Site Planning - Landscape Arch
      hace 6 años

      Elaine

      If I may propose, the primary consideration in this design is that this is, and will be, the major view, the major point of structural interest, the connecting point from upper terrace to lower terrace - what you will see from the rooms of your home, every day in the future.

      Think of it as a painting on your back wall. There is the handsome woodland at the top of the picture, with colors changing throughout the seasons. To the right is the dining and entertaining area for family and favored guests, with all the fabric colors.

      To the left, with a light blue area in the center, is the informal play and relaxation area, when home alone, or when the kids bring over their best pals to hang out here, rather than at the mall.

      Back to the picture on the wall. Draw the circular pool on the top left, a little below the green foliage mass of trees. Draw the kitchen slider thresh-hold at the lower right. Now draw a sweeping curve, slight at the kitchen origin, and tightening as it grips the pool below. The bathers can sit on the broad steps as they play or socialize at poolside and above, perhaps admiring the opposite sex.

      The steps themselves are called ramped steps. The wide tread, wide enough for a couple to walk side by side, is 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) long between risers, which are 6 inches (15 mm or 0.3 m) high. They could be reduced to 4 inches (10 mm) but I wouldn't recommend it.

      I know neither the distance, nor the drop, but you can see the painting hung on the back wall, a beautiful curve, tightening as it drops below the wall, connecting the upper terrace with the lower terrace, rather than having them just divided by the retaining wall. A joy to look at - each day forward.

      Enjoy! Send us a picture of your picture, if you remember.


      Joe Cascio

      analyze first, then plan


    • PRO
      Cascio Associates - Site Planning - Landscape Arch
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      Elaine

      Look at kimipl's estate photos, just above. I think it is the third one that shows the beautifully constructed long ramped steps, very well.

    • PRO
      Yardvaark
      hace 6 años

      It's probably too late to make a difference, but in the future, include a plan view drawing, showing options on the drawing. (Surely, there would already be a plan drawing given all the work that's in progress.) It might be shown in several versions of the plan. (And still include pictorial views of the complete setting.) This would make it a lot easier to understand and to give feedback on it.

    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años

      No plan drawing worth showing. Just a simple drawing by a landscape architect. Although noted for next time.

    • PRO
      Revolutionary Gardens
      hace 6 años

      You need to decide in a couple of hours? Oh my god. Slam on the brakes and have your contractor - the person you're paying for an awesome result - run through all your options with you. If that includes standing in the yard for half a day with a case of spray paint and string lines so you can visualize things, that's what has to happen. If your contractor isn't capable of that, find a good landscape designer and pay him or her whatever it's going to take to get out there asap, and no one touches a shovel till then.

      There is no reason why a professional ANYTHING should leave their client in a situation where they're looking for help from online strangers at the 11th hour. You should not be in this position. There are two phases in every project, a design phase and a construction phase. You can't skip phase one. I'm pretty irked on your behalf.

    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      Hi there. I agree. I did pay $1K to a designer who provided a hand drawn simple design that had the steps curving off in opposite directions where they touch the patio. My contractor is the one who has strongly recommended the steps curving in the same direction, hence me throwing it out there in this forum for opinions. I guess it's up to me at this point. Thanks for your thoughts.

    • Christopher CNC
      hace 6 años

      This makes more sense now. You are talking specifically about the look of the three foot extension of the steps on to the pool deck. That will amount to about three steps/treads. Yes, having those steps expand out on both sides whether rounded or squared would look better and allow for travel in any direction.

      That means each step down past the face of the wall would need to be about 11 inches bigger than the step above on each side. You are now expanding the steps three feet on each side as well as straight out.

      How is this going to effect the area for your dining table? Is there enough room left?

      Your other option like others have suggested is to move that three feet of steps to the top.

    • suzyq53
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      Yes, that's why I suggested landings, they are multi-directional. Something like these steps.

    • PRO
      Dig Doug's Designs
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      This is a stairwell using your photo (number of steps can be adjusted on-site):


    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años

      OK, WOW. Thank you very much!

    • PRO
      KD Landscape
      hace 6 años

      No two situations are identical but here is a staircase situation with similarities and how we handled the grade and the stairs. Reference @Revolutionary "Slam on the brakes and have your contractor - the person you're paying for an awesome result - run through all your options with you. If that includes standing in the yard for half a day with a case of spray paint and string lines so you can visualize things, that's what has to happen."

      Frankfort Landscaping · Más información

      Natural Stone Steps · Más información

      Stone Retaining Walls · Más información

    • PRO
      Yardvaark
      hace 6 años
      Última modificación: hace 6 años

      "... who provided a hand drawn simple design that had the steps curving off in opposite directions where they touch the patio." Though you say it is simple and not worth posting, I think it is exactly the STARTING PLACE because it is what you have and it is something instead of nothing (which is the plan view we have.) Even if it is flawed or incorrect, it might show the places that need to be connected and allow for suggestions of how it might be better done. I'm not asking you to show the whole plan, just the relevant portion. If it doesn't fit on a scanner, you could upload a photo of that part of the plan. (This is FYI.)

    • Elaine
      Autor original
      hace 6 años

      What a beautiful design. Thank you for your reply and images. I will be showing these to my GC.

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