Reuse & relax

With no privacy, no personality, and—the biggest drawback of all—no place to sit, this Venice, California, side yard had little to recommend it. Luckily for homeowners Amy Swift Crosby and Josh Crosby, a truckload of salvaged redwood came to the rescue. Designer Steve Siegrist (stevesiegristdesign.com) used some of the boards as the backs and bottoms of cushion-topped, built-in seating; others he placed to add height to the existing cement-block wall, and still others were turned into a sturdy dining table. What’s more, the aged redwood brought with it the character the yard had been missing. With space to dine, gather, and play, the area is now the family’s favorite hangout in the garden.

More: 7 ways to transform a small backyard