The land for Dan and Blair Rasmussen’s new home in Country Club Hills presented an initial problem in the form of a 25-foot slope. To solve that issue, the builder carved out a flat lot and installed a retaining wall toward the rear of the property. But the grading solution created another challenge: an unsightly 15-foot-high wall that dominated the backyard.
Scott Brinitzer’s eponymous Arlington landscape design firm came highly recommended, so in 2017, Blair “gave him free rein” to create an inviting and private backyard gathering space. Looking out from inside their home, the owners also wanted to enjoy the view.
The wall had to be “rendered invisible,” Brinitzer says, describing his series of solutions as “a visual trick—simple ways to give scale,” that both steer the eye away from the wall and counteract its height with architectural and botanical distractions.
Arborvitae plantings capture the viewer’s attention, as do sweet gum cultivars that stay elegantly slim. Crape myrtles in elevated planters further counterbalance the wall’s verticality and provide year-round interest with their graceful shape and smooth bark.
The steel pergola, designed by Brinitzer, gives the terrace area a visual “roof” and inspires the desire to sit under it. That helps to “create a space that feels cozy,” he says. A climbing clematis and large planters provide appealing seasonal flora without being too busy.
Blair pitched the idea for the two hanging chairs, which “add a whimsical flair,” she says, and appealed to the couple’s two kids. A dry well beneath the swinging chairs allows accumulated water to be absorbed slowly so the property won’t have runoff issues.
Flagstone with decorative limestone bands adds interest to the pathways throughout. During the pandemic, the Rasmussens added a fire feature.
They now enjoy this flexible space for both family time and entertaining. Blair describes it as “a little oasis back there.”