This young family wanted a sleek backyard to match the ultra-modern home they hand-built during their downtime from work. The homeowners were seeking inventive solutions for this large lot of flat land with its limited privacy from neighbouring homes. They introduced a shaded patio under the home’s extended upper floor and paved a walkway to connect to a sunken living and entertaining area. For privacy reasons, this living area was excavated to bring the level of the land down a few feet. Raffinato stone walls were used for both aesthetics and functionality: retain the earth around the sunken living area, providing more privacy and creating livable features such as seating benches, counter space, a sleek fire pit and an outdoor kitchen.