p rin g is Ju stin e T idw ell’s fav o u rite tim e

o f th e year, an d th e backyard plays a

big ro le in th a t. P ink an d yellow tu lip s

b rig h te n th e p erim ete r, an d ch e rry

tre e s fo rm a p in k ish -w h ite can o p y o ver

th e paved patio. “I love seein g all th e co lo u rs

w h e n ev ery th in g is firs t co m in g u p ,” Ju stin e says.

“I try to p lan an e v e n t aro u n d w h en th o se tre e s

are in full b lo o m .”

G e ttin g an e n te rta in in g space re q u ire d th e

re in v e n tio n o f a n u n ap p e alin g sp ace o u tsid e

th e b ack d o o r o f th e T id w ells’ 1929 T u d o r-

sty le h o u se n e a r A tla n ta, U S. “W e av o id ed th e

F rench doors replaced

w indow s, opening the

fam ily room to the

patio,

above.

“It’s like

having a family room

th a t’s tw ice th e size,”

M ichael says. H is dad,

a contractor w ho did

m uch o f th e w ork,

created th e retaining

w all by standing

concrete slabs upright

an d th e n cladding

th em in brick.