MEGAYARD

Well 12 months or so have whizzed by, I think I was going to do a post about putting up our swing chair (I took some photo so I might do it retrospectively) but i've pretty much had my hands full with Kodie who's now 14 months old. In the summer I got chatting to one of our neighbours on the road who's a builder (and master of stunning stonemasonry) about converting our old back-lavvy to a covered back yard. He's up for it so I need to make him some decent plans. I've got an idea about the size I want, but i'd like it to have a bit of character, so i'm going to figure out some sort of model with the power of COMPUTORS.



That mess where the bikes and a load of junk are now used to be the lavatory 100 years ago. I want to drop it down to ground level and dig the back wall out a yard or two or three.

Ground level view, that doorfame used to be the old entrance to our lavvy I presume. Next doors still exists but ours has had the roof and wall removed. I had a chat with Anne and Mike next door and we have a plan to put our wheelie bins down the shared 'entrance path' between our houses when I get the wall moved back (3 wheelie bins width further)

This is next-door-but-one's back yard. Sort of exactly what I want, the place looks huge but cosy and really natural. Plus I have loads of lovely toddler memories of a currogated plastic lean-to at my mum and dad's house. I was originally going to copy this exactly

On my birthday last year, Zoe bought me this 1978 Barbequeing book, and this particular photo really caught my imagination. Back door and brick-built BBQ. It made me think it'd be good if the back wall of our yard looked something like this. Boozy salads.



This is sort of the vibe i'm after (and can't admit to copying Jamie Olivers fantasy lifestyle), i'd really like to sort out a central wooden table with a fire, probably same height as the table top that we can cook food on and keep warm with.

Next up is a stack of outdoor BBQ's that i'm using as a 'mood board' - I'd like it to look a bit less Miami and a bit more Peak District than most of these though:



This one's the closest I think, it'd be nice to have a sort of open fire in a grate inside a chimney, but crossed with a barbeque. I wonder if it's possible to do both.

Quite nice and 'trad' BBQ but I still think i'd like to do for the open fire / Flintsones version. The tiled top might be an idea...

This one has a pretty nice stone front under the counter, wouldn't mind copying this idea.



That oven-y thing on the right is spot-on!

Nice stone oven

This one's a bit more minimal, but I like the way it looks like it'd warm you up rather than cooking food.

Full on pizza oven by the looks of it. Unfortunately not really got the budget to dig out that much earth and sink a great big oven into the hillside.