I find your yard to be gorgeous with the magnificent trees and the shade they provide. I certainly wouldn't tile/pave/gravel the area and you already have a deck. Perhaps some small interesting shrubs/perennials along some of the fence line would be lovely. But I don't think you need to gild the lily here except if you wanted to establish a grilling/cooking area somewhere near the deck.

The best play surface for a preschooler is grass. Also, the easiest outdoor surface to maintain is grass. If you're determined to make changes, hire a local landscape designer to guide the process.

Why didn't you buy a condo? THAT location paved over? Good grief.

Replace the deck with a nice patio, add some pretty seating, an umbrella or canopy if needed and a fire pit. I grew up in NYC, I could not imagine intentionally paving over that yard for my kids to play on PAVING.

Thanks everyone. I'm not paving over half an acre! But we NEVER use the yard because we don't like it as is. I'd still love ideas on a functional living outside area with minimal grass.

What does "a functional living outside area" mean to you? Do you want a deck/patio/firepit/outdoor kitchen/ pergola/gazebo?

Beautiful yard and view! Not what I was expecting before I opened the thread. :)

Does your yard abut the pond, too? If so, my first thought was a nice path of some sort going from deck to a charming gate (an arbor/gate combo would be great) to the pond, and having a bench or seating by the water.

You could do flower beds, of course, inside the fenced area. Inside the beds could be plantings with garden art and decor for interest — bird bath, bench, child’s bench, gazing balls, obelisks, etc.

Are you wanting low upkeep, or is that not a factor? What part of the country are you in? A rough idea of budget? Have you looked through any inspiration pictures … is there any certain style you’re drawn to (cottage garden, Japanese garden, natural, other)?

Getting some furniture, potted plants, and other garden decor on the nice deck will be a big change, too. An outdoor rug with seating, big pots.

Re: a firepit … there are countless ways you could do one. Search ’firepit ideas’ for lots of inspiration.

A few thoughts:

The deck is unattractive. I would replace it with either a new deck or a patio. If choosing a new deck, you then need to decide between composite wood or real wood. Each has their benefits and drawbacks. Composite can get hot in the sun but it's splinter-free and requires no maintenance other than power-washing. Wooden decks require restaining and can develop splinters if not maintained but they don't get as hot underfoot in the sun. If you are mostly shaded, then maybe wood is the way to go. We changed out out our poorly maintained wooden deck for a composite deck because we KNEW we would NOT keep up with the restaining. I like being able to go out onto the deck without shoes, so the composite was the winner in several respects.

A stone or brick patio is also an option.

Adding attractive seating and maybe an outdoor rug would create that outdoor oasis you may be looking for.

I would also look into a playset for your child/children. In our neighborhood, the kids would go roaming from yard to yard to hang out on different playsets.

You'll probably want to consult a local hardscaping company. Do your research! My neighbor had a set of brick steps installed at their entrance and it disintegrated in 2 months. They had to pay another company to fix it and ended up spending many, many thousands.

Thank you! So our deck IS falling apart, as is our fence. Both need to be replaced. We would do patio over the deck except it's still some ways down, so we would need at least some steps. I prefer low maintenance, I am NOT a flower person - can't keep them alive. And our grass fenced in area is pretty much destroyed by our dog. I think we'd like to create a side run for him to play in next to the house- by expanding the fenced in area. Some of the pictures here is what I'm looking for. I'd love a kitchen area, maybe a dining/sitting area, a Hammock, maybe a hot tub. We have the space! And maybe a play area for our child. And we're OK putting the money we need to into it as long as it becomes a place we can enjoy everyday.

Oh and I'm in Florida :)

I would definitely talk to a hardscaping company then. They can come up with a plan for you and if you want a hot tub, I believe those require a robust base so planning for it from the get-go is key. Start looking around and seeing what you like, talk to neighbors that have had some work done.

Type in "backyard patio" into Google. Find ideas you like and when you take them to a company, you'll find out if they're doable in your area.

Also, our dog is allergic to grass! And the whole thing is uneven. We aren't looking to pave over half an acre. Just create spaces at least within the fenced in area.

Hire a designer. That is a gorgeous setting and it would be a shame to interfere with its appeal and current aesthetics without a well thought out design plan in mind. And while you may get some helpful or interesting suggestions from an online forum populated primarily by non-professionals, you are not going to get a well considered design plan from the same source. A local design professional will visit in person, get a feel of the property and for your family and life style and then be able to make appropriate suggestions for functionality, usability and ease of maintenance. That's unlikely to happen with a high degree of success here.

Just to clarify, we absolutely love the setting of our home! And to put the space in perspective, the fenced in area is about 2,000 square feet. Our entire yard is about 22,000 square feet ( a little over 1/2 acre) and the house itself sits on about 3,000 square feet

. That leaves about 17,000 square feet (the grand majority) which will be left as seen, with large old Oak Trees, Palm trees, grass, and flower plantings. So, for this one area, we are looking to create a low maintenance, outdoor living/entertainment area.

So, for this one area, we are looking to create a low maintenance, outdoor living/entertainment area.

Find a local company that has a landscape architect or designer associated with them.

We have a very well-regarded company that has an architect. The owner told my friend that her project of 30K was on their low end and they would not normally consider it. They are booked out for many months. The work they did was very thoughtful and the hardscaping is beautiful.

I like your goals, but it's a big enough project with enough special needs (of climate, soil conditions, etc) to make hiring a local landscape designer worth while.

Landscape Design rule number one. Define the problems and then the solutions. First, decide what you want to do in your backyard. Why invest in something that you won't really use? If you will not use a barbecue more than once a year, why build one? How are you using your patio? Is it too small for your needs? What would your children like- a sandbox, a small grass hill to roll down, a well designed attractive fort that could be transitioned to a "get away for teens and finally a studio or guest room? What are your dogs needs- grass that he or she is not allergic to, an alternative ground cover, soil garden berms planted with flowering perennials and vegetables with decomposed paths around them that are perfect for Big Wheel riding?