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Inspired by Mark D. Sikes LA Backyard
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y goal is to have a backyard like Mark D Sike’s Hollywood garden. I have one of his amazing books here. Ok so maybe I can’t have a backyard similar as I don’t have a multi-level backyard and his amazing house, but I can at least try to achieve the feels. He does blue and white well and not in the way I’m seeing it with an overabundance of white. I love that he uses black to anchor his spaces so the blue doesn’t just look like it’s floating in all white rooms. He just does everything right!
I found some items that are identical or look similar around the web that can give you the Mark D Sikes backyard look since I’ve been looking myself! So here is a blog post about it!
Images are from Mark D Sike’s website here this is his Hollywood garden, see all the goodness here. 
OK now that we’ve studied it, or I’ve studied it long enough, here are some sources to get this look. Do you study photos as well? I can stare at the same image forever!
I’ll reshare the images below so you can follow what I’m showing you.
Level 2
We have been using the same brick! I love this brick because it can give a bit more dimension but I also love solid red. Ok I love all brick in general! We use solid red brick in the front and for the raised beds and backyard and kitchen area, we use the used bricks, great especially for a patio area.
I like that if you splash something on it that you won’t worry about it, it already looks worn.
^^ old brick
Make sure you make a nice brick “patio” for your bench so you can mow around it. No one wants to move benches to mow around – at least that’s what Benjamin has expressed to me over the years which is why I haven’t had a bench in the yard for a while!
The teak looking bench I ordered that arrived last week –
^^ Carved acacia wood garden bench here or available here.
The terracotta pots can be found at The Home Depot in two sizes – 22 and 17 inch they are heavy rimmed and an identical match! Now you just need to fill them up with Japanese boxwoods!
Main level
There also needs to be a grand outdoor dining table, preferably made of stone, cast stone or travertine. Mark’s looks like an antique and I’ve been trying to find similar but you now how hard that can be. But, here are some ideas.
^^ Lucia Dining Table, Cast Stone
^^ Single pedestal outdoor table
There is an itty bitty small garden stool, like one you can’t sit on and it’s holding the door open. They call this the mini garden stool and boy do I love how rustic it looks! It’s only 11″ tall.
Now for the furniture part, this is tricky. I cannot find the black with the blue and white welt, but I find other combos that come pretty close. I think I have to go custom and visit On the Veranda for the actual look where I can buy the iron couch and pick my fabrics. If you want a white frame, here’s this look.
^^ Avery sofa, white with blue and white piping
Or if you aren’t sure you can commit to the blue (but why not?!) then here’s this black and white look.
Now for the blue and white garden stools – here’s where I notice these are not freshly new Home Goods style blue and white pieces but rather dingy and worn, like I like them! If you can find them, go for it although some photos they can look old then new, but maybe if you leave them out and rub some dirt on them it will help.
What I like about garden stools is they can double as a side table and extra seating and look beautiful. You can’t sit on an actual side table so having a garden stool really is having two in one.
Here’s the fish motif –
But if you want the same as Mark D Sikes, here’s the dragon motif – although I’m unsure how new or old they will arrive because some of the product images look old and then you scroll and it looks new! So confusing. It might be best to go to a store if you can!
^^ Dragon motif garden stool, (newer look)
Now let’s talk about the things to go on the table – the blue and white bowl and vases. Now that makes me a little nervous like what if they fall over or get hit accidentally. Gah. They are not cheap! So just keep that in mind and perhaps look on Facebook marketplace or Home Goods if you don’t want to invest. Personally I would go for an in-between, I like the old look and so I’d scour the thrifting and antique stores like Brass Armadillo!
Don’t forget the Japanese boxwoods, topiaries and white geraniums to put in the terracotta pots! Ahhhhhhh so heavenly.
Diana Elizabeth is done touching the yard for a bit, the winter rye has gone in, and now it’s time to let the backyard rest and the new plants to grow!
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