Whitaker - Phoenix, AZ

Highlights

My husband and I decided to remodel our backyard because it was very compartmentalized with small, cramped spaces that made it look much smaller than it is in reality. Entertaining was a problem even with only four people in what really is a very large backyard! We had trouble in the winter months because the orientation of the site gave us a tiny bit of sun on the lip of the pool which we crammed into to enjoy the sun's warmth. We were also not getting the full impact of our views which we have since discovered are far more expansive than we had realized over the 16 years we have lived here.

Our objective therefore was to maximize the space with multiple areas for entertaining using comfortable seating which would provide sunshine or shade as desired during the daytime and warm relaxation during the evening. We added an upper level deck with a boulder firepit which has the flexibility for entertaining in comfy chairs in the evening, sunning on chaises in the spring, or enjoying a magazine in the sun's warmth in the winter. Paddy O' Furniture had exactly what we needed! One challenge was the size of the chairs which needed to be narrower than typical due to the size of the deck but still extremely comfortable. The other stores only had dining chairs to offer which definitely would not do! Paddy O' came through offering slightly narrower cushioned chairs with high backs for gazing at stars we never knew we had!

We didn't want to clutter the yard with too much furniture since we are only one couple who rarely entertain more than one other couple at a time. We picked multi-functional pieces that worked differently in different areas depending on the number of people, time of day or night and of course the season (think summer in Phoenix!). With only seating for six, we can entertain four people in three different areas by moving it around as we mix and match depending on the desired function. Also, since our location backs right up to the desert hillside, we wanted the color of the furniture to blend in as if the desert behind the fence was part of the yard.

Accessorizing is still a work in progress as is the completion of the remodeling, however we plan to keep it simple and sturdy so we don't have to worry about the wildlife that we encourage to enjoy our space with us. I have no doubt that Paddy O' will have exactly what we have in mind! Thanks for coming through for us!