A narrow side yard can hold a surprising amount of outdoor space while serving little purpose beyond a strip of grass between the house and fence. Reddit user u/mlsherrod changed that setup by replacing much of the lawn with white gravel, large concrete stepping stones, planting, and path lights leading to the gate.
The project kept the existing fence, mature palms, and access through the yard while changing the ground surface. Concrete pads create the walking route, white stone fills the space around them, and a row of lights makes the path usable after sunset.
Grass Filled the Space Between the House and Fence
The side yard began with lawn running from the house to the wood fence. A gate closed off the far end, while utility equipment and stored items occupied the wall beside the house.
There was enough width for more than a narrow passage, but the ground had no defined route through it. Grass covered almost the entire area, leaving the fence line and house perimeter without separate planting or walking zones.
White Gravel Started Replacing the Lawn
Work began by removing sections of grass and laying landscape fabric across the new gravel areas. White stone was added around the outdoor AC unit and extended toward the gate.
Existing palms beside the house remained in place and became part of the new layout. Instead of clearing the side yard from fence to wall, the project used the established greenery as the planted edge of the future path.
Concrete Pads Created the Walking Route
Large rectangular forms established individual stepping stones rather than a continuous concrete sidewalk. Fresh concrete filled the forms while white gravel was installed around completed sections closer to the gate.
Spacing between the pads leaves gravel visible across the route, breaking up the concrete and repeating the white stone used along both sides. The path runs through the center of the side yard instead of hugging the house or fence.
Path Lights Added a Second Layer to the Walkway
Once the concrete and gravel were finished, slim black path lights were positioned beside the stepping stones. Their placement follows the route toward the new wood gate and gives each section of the walkway its own pool of light.
White gravel now covers most of the former lawn, while palms form a planted border along the house. A smaller palm near the gate brings greenery to the opposite side without narrowing the walking surface.
Side Yard Became a Defined Garden Path
The before-and-after comparison shows the change at ground level. Grass once filled the entire strip, with utilities and the fence defining the edges but no feature connecting one end of the yard to the other.
The finished side yard uses concrete stepping stones to establish that route. White gravel separates the slabs, plants soften the house side, and path lights continue toward the gate. The footprint stayed the same, but the former lawn now works as a garden walkway instead of an open strip of grass.
Image credits: Reddit user u/mlsherrod.