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What was once bare grass is now a warm and inviting outdoor space featuring a South American charcoal BBQ, a stone fire pit, and a thriving herb and vegetable garden. Most of the materials used were recycled, including the fencing, bricks, and stone, giving the project a sustainable edge while keeping costs low. Designed for connection and outdoor living, this space brings together culture, sustainability, and creativity, turning an unused front yard into a functional, eco-friendly retreat perfect for cooking, relaxing, and gathering with family and friends.
Materials
-Recycled double bricks
-Logs from a falling tree as seating
-recycled cobble stone edging for fire pit and garden areas
-Recycled sandstone rocks for the fire pit
-White pebbles for the fire pit
-left over ceramic tiles for the BBQ
-Recycled Stackstone cladding (from a building site)
-200 x 75mm 2.4m Treated Pine Sleeper H4 for garden beds
-Organic Soil
-Black plastic
Tools
Circular saw
Drill
concrete mixer
levels
shovel
Concrete hand tools
Steps
Step 1
The first step was to do the formwork out of the sleepers to pour the concrete for the BBQ's base and also to make the garden beds on either side out of the same sleepers. We also lined the garden beds with black plastic to stop too much moisture getting to the timber and the timber treatment to seep into the soil.
Step 2
The second step was to create a base with the double bricks for the concreate benchtop
Step 3
The third step was to create the formwork for the benchtop, beam, the roof and the chimney top and pour the concrete mix and let it set for a couple of days. The benchtop (approx 60mm high) was poured in situ while the chimney, beam and roof were poured on the ground. A hole was left on the roof slab for the chimney.
Step 4
The fourth step after removing the formwork once the concrete was dry was to add the next level of bricks making the walls of the charcoal bbq, leaving a section to the side for the prep bench.
Step 5
Then the beam is added to support the opening of the BBQ and the rest of the bricks are added following the angle to achieve the desired height of the BBQ (the angle can range from 20-30 degrees)
Step 6
The concrete top is then lifted into place on a bed of mortar
Step 7
Then the rest of the bricks are put into place for the chimney leaving a gap on the left and right hand sides for the smoke to come out, then the concrete lid is added on a bed of mortar. And a little celebration dance is done!
Step 8
Then planter boxes are filled with soil, plants added and mulched. everything is then painted with an exterior semi gloss paint in white on white.
Step 9
To create the fire pit, dig the circumference of the firepit down, the add cobblestone tiles and secure with some concrete along the edges, then sprikle concrete mix and add water to form a thin barrier to stop weeds.
Step 10
Then add the sandstone rocks to form a circle in the middle and then add the small white rocks around it. Add the logs around the fire pit and some stepping tiles between the BBQ to the fire pit.. that's it! time to enjoy a charcoal feast and some marshmallows by the fire...
