Take it outside: Small spaces, huge impact

A U-shaped plan gives this Palmetto Bluff backyard four unique spaces. 

Story by Barry Kaufman + Photo by Kim Smith

When your front door is a towering wall of glass gazing out onto the backyard, you had better create a backyard worth gazing out to. And with this brilliant design, Pearce Scott Architects were able to create not just one, but four splendid spaces. “(The owner) really wanted to live in the back,” said Project Manager Evan R. Goodwin. “So we created this U-shaped plan that gives her an upper courtyard, a lower courtyard, a French garden and a kitchen garden.”

1. French Garden

Secluded and tranquil, the French garden sits between the owner’s suite and a large planter wall, creating a special space for reflection and mindfulness. 

2. Upper Courtyard

The sun-kissed upper courtyard serves as the true heart of the home, enjoying sight lines to every room and a magnificent space for entertaining.

3. Lower Courtyard

Steps lead down to the hub of the outdoor spaces, where a yet-to-be-installed fire pit will create a gathering space between the other outdoor spaces.

4. Kitchen Garden

A final intimate space is found just off of the screened porch, offering a small plot of land where the owner can grow the herbs that infuse her cooking with Lowcountry flavor.