Van Rum Project

About This Project

This Central Austin project centered on creating a functional, beautiful outdoor living environment — one that could be used year-round without demanding constant upkeep. The existing backyard was largely unused: flat, hot, and lacking any defined spaces.

We designed a flagstone patio as the anchor, framed by gabion retaining walls that doubled as planting terraces. A layered native planting scheme filled the surrounding beds, with Flame Acanthus, Salvia greggii, and Mexican Feathergrass providing color and movement.

Low-voltage LED lighting tied the design together, making the space usable after dark and highlighting the texture of the stone and plantings. The result is an outdoor room that feels as intentional as the interior of the home.

What We Did

• Flagstone patio installation — back yard entertaining area
• Gabion retaining walls with planting terraces
• Native planting scheme: Flame Acanthus, Salvia greggii, Mexican Feathergrass
• Decomposed granite pathways connecting patio to gate
• Low-voltage LED landscape lighting — path, uplighting, accent
• Drip irrigation for all planted areas
• Custom steel edging separating turf from planting beds