Riley backyard in Rancho Bernardo with a covered outdoor kitchen, sod lawn and a Melville-block water feature with spheres
Portfolio · Project No. 05 · Rancho Bernardo, California

The Riley Transformation

Builder-grade landscaping on a brand-new home, elevated front and back to match the quality of the house it surrounds.

Location
Rancho Bernardo, CA
Scope
Front & Backyard Design-Build
The Difference

Before & After

Drag the handle to compare the yard before and after.

Before: the bare dirt Riley backyard with exposed AC units against a vinyl fence
After: a paver patio, Melville-block wall and a louvered screen concealing the AC equipment
Before
After
The Brief

A referral job with one goal, to lift builder-grade grounds to match the house they surround.

The Transformation

Referred by previous clients whose son's home we had completed years earlier. The new house was beautiful; the landscaping it came with was not. Our job was to close that gap, front and back.

Builder-grade groundsMatched, elevated property

The front yard was rebuilt to make a first impression: an expanded driveway and walkway in premium pavers, custom retaining walls in Belgard Melville block, and integrated stair, wall, and pathway lighting, finished with decorative rock, mulch, and drought-tolerant planting. It reads now as one of the standout properties on the street.

In back, the Melville block continues as raised planter beds, and a natural sod lawn was kept for the family's dog. Dual patio covers define the living space: an insulated, solid 4K aluminium cover with integrated LED lighting and ceiling fans over the dining area, connecting to an open architectural pergola that spans the back of the home.

The outdoor kitchen is built from the same Melville block, with a premium built-in grill, refrigerator, trash and recycling storage, multiple drawers, and seating for roughly fifteen to eighteen under custom mitered porcelain countertops with LED strip lighting beneath the overhangs.

Melville-block water feature with two scuppers cascading past stone spheres into a dry-riverbed reservoir
Signature Detail

A riverbed that never runs dry

A custom water feature built from the same Melville block. Water cascades into what appears to be a natural dry riverbed, then disappears beneath the decorative stone into a hidden reservoir where it continuously recirculates, an effect with no visible plumbing and no waste.

What We Built

Every craft, one vision

01

Recirculating Water Feature

Melville-block scuppers cascading into a dry riverbed over a hidden, recirculating reservoir.

02

Belgard Melville Block

Custom retaining walls and raised planters carried from the front yard through to the back.

03

Dual Patio Covers

An insulated aluminium cover with LED and fans, connected to an open architectural pergola.

04

Outdoor Kitchen

Grill, refrigerator, and storage in Melville block with seating for fifteen to eighteen.

05

Mitered Porcelain Counters

Custom mitered porcelain countertops with LED strip lighting beneath the overhangs.

06

Premium Pavers

An expanded paver driveway and walkway continuing into the California Room.

07

Integrated Lighting

Stair, wall, and pathway lighting layered across the front and back yards.

08

Side-Yard Dog Run

A dedicated dog run with a custom access ramp into the home, and matching aluminium gates.

Client Reviews

Trusted across San Diego County

Verified reviews from Modern Yardz clients on Google and Yelp.

Verified Google Review
Honestly can't say enough good things about this company. We are SO THRILLED with the finished product. The difference to our entrance way and side yard is truly night and day. I never thought I would be so…
Rebecca M.
Pavers, Turf & Drainage · San Diego
Verified Yelp Review
From initial consultation and design to project completion, Jake and Frank were excellent: professional, respectful, and responsive. Jake was quick to provide a design and itemized estimate, and his help to…
Josh L.
Demo, Turf, Concrete & Drainage · San Diego
Verified Yelp Review
After 2 years in a new home, I finally got my backyard project done with Modern Yardz. I had collected information about landscaping companies for years, and Modern Yardz became the best choice for me. Best…
Ji Y.
Backyard Transformation · San Diego
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