Broken Arrow Outdoor Living Before and After — Backyard Transformation Stories
The best way to understand what VistaScapes & Design delivers for Broken Arrow homeowners is to look at real transformation projects — what the space looked like before, what the challenges were, and what the finished outdoor living environment became. Here are representative examples of the types of transformations we complete across Broken Arrow and the Tulsa metro.
Transformation 1: Empty Slab to Complete Outdoor Room
Before
A newly built home in south Broken Arrow with a builder-standard 12×12 concrete slab — essentially a plain square pad with no cover, no features, and no connection to the home’s architecture. The homeowner’s family included three kids under 10 and a strong tradition of weekend family cooking and entertaining. The builder slab was too small, too exposed to Oklahoma sun, and had no functionality for how the family actually lived.
Project Goals
- Significantly expand usable outdoor space
- Create a functional outdoor kitchen for the family’s weekend cooking
- Add shade and coverage for summer afternoons
- Provide a safe gathering point for extended family gatherings
After
A complete outdoor room transformation: the original slab was expanded with an adjacent stamped concrete extension creating an 800 square foot total patio area. A 20×16 foot attached cedar pergola with a corrugated metal roof covers the dining and kitchen zone, with a ceiling fan for summer. The outdoor kitchen includes a 42-inch built-in Blaze grill, outdoor refrigerator, side burner, granite countertops, and stainless storage. A gas fire pit with natural stone surround and seating wall anchors the adjacent open patio area. String lights under the pergola complete the evening ambiance.
Result: The family reports using the outdoor space 3-4 evenings per week from April through October — a dramatic change from occasional use of the original builder slab.
Transformation 2: Overgrown Slope to Terraced Outdoor Living
Before
A 15-year-old home on a sloped lot in west Broken Arrow where the backyard had significant grade change — roughly 4 feet of drop across the usable yard area. The slope made the yard essentially unusable for outdoor furniture or gathering, and drainage during Oklahoma rain events created erosion and mud problems near the back foundation.
Project Goals
- Create a level usable outdoor living area despite the grade
- Address the drainage problem permanently
- Build a fireplace as a gathering focal point
- Create a design that works with the slope rather than fighting it
After
A two-tiered outdoor living design: an upper terrace adjacent to the home features a natural flagstone patio with a built-in gas outdoor kitchen and dining area. A natural stone retaining wall — approximately 3 feet tall — drops to a lower terrace with an open natural stone patio anchored by a wood-burning natural stone fireplace. Stone steps connect the two levels. French drain systems along both terrace edges redirect water away from the foundation and eliminate the erosion problem. The slope that made the yard unusable became the defining design feature of the finished project.
Transformation 3: Aging Deck to Premium Masonry Outdoor Kitchen
Before
A 20-year-old pressure-treated wood deck that had been the home’s main outdoor living surface. The deck boards were starting to show serious weathering and some rot at the post bases — a full replacement was necessary. Rather than replace the deck with another deck, the homeowners decided to think bigger.
Project Goals
- Replace the failing deck with something more durable and more functional
- Add cooking capability beyond a portable grill
- Create a space that would be a feature of the home rather than just a functional platform
After
The deck was demolished and removed. In its place: a natural Choteau limestone patio with a full-service outdoor kitchen — 48-inch Blaze grill, outdoor refrigerator and beverage cooler, granite countertops on a natural stone masonry base, and an integrated sink. A brick and natural stone outdoor fireplace with a reclaimed timber beam mantel anchors one end of the patio. An attached cedar pergola with full corrugated metal roof coverage creates a sheltered outdoor room from the kitchen to the fireplace zone. The finished project is more durable, more beautiful, and more functional than the deck it replaced — and will outlast another wooden deck by 30+ years.
Start Your Own Transformation
Every transformation starts with a free on-site consultation. Call VistaScapes & Design at 918-779-1317 to schedule yours. We will come to your Broken Arrow property, assess what you have, listen to what you want, and show you what is possible.
