Front Yard Paver Steps and Turf Island in San Jose, CA

This San Jose front yard is compact, so every element has a job. Curved paver steps with rounded edges lead from the walkway to the front door, and a paver walkway runs beside the driveway.

An island of artificial turf in red mulch gives the yard a green focal point that never needs mowing or watering, and a white picket fence encloses the whole yard. The soft curve of the steps repeats in the shape of the turf island, and the pale tan pavers stand out against the dark red mulch.

The drone photos show how the pieces fit together from above: the steps, the walkway, the driveway pavers and the turf island, all inside the fence line.

Steps are where paver work gets demanding. Every riser has to be the same height and the base underneath has to be compacted so nothing settles, so we build steps and landings with the same compacted-base process as our patios and driveways.