Small Backyard, Big Escape

What makes it so? Start with a place to have a drink and watch the game, add a location to dine, and then finish with a spot to relax by the fire.

Landscape architect Rick Griffin of Griffin & Egger Landscape Architects gets credit for transforming what had been a boring, empty yard. “The cheapest thing you can ever purchase is good advice,” notes Yandell. “Rick took one look and immediately knew what to do.”

Guests enter the yard through gates on either end or through glass doors connected to the kitchen. The latter option brings them to an outdoor extension of the kitchen, outfitted with a gas grill, a granite-topped bar with stools, and a wall-mounted TV. A roofed arbor gives shelter from sun and rain, while ceiling fans keep the air moving.

To the left is the dining area, which is clearly defined by a table and chairs sitting on a painted wooden deck. Behind the table rests a spa. A few steps to the right of the bar is the fire pit. An outdoor fireplace, decorated with items Yandell acquired in the Southwest, dominates this sunken garden room.

Twin bottle trees crafted by a local artist are mounted on either side of the chimney. They never fail to start people talking. “I wanted them because bottle trees have a lot of history in Mississippi,” says Yandell. “People say they scare off evil spirits.” A heavy metal tray serves as an anchor for the iron trunks and branches.

Yandell couldn’t be more pleased with the way things turned out. “A lot of times, we’ll have cocktails and hors d’oeuvres by the bar and watch TV. Then I’ll start cooking, and we’ll move to the dining table,” he says. “Finally, we’ll move over to the fireplace for after-dinner drinks and more conversation. It’s a nice way to spend an evening.”