René Petersson grew up in Silver Lake. He remembers a time when the Los Angeles enclave was a secluded and tight-knit community, long before it became synonymous with trendsetting cool. When René and his husband, Michael Castagnetto, started looking at homes to buy on the east side, they both hoped to find a place that had retained its original character and felt tied to the past.

Before: Front Exterior

After: Front Exterior

“We had been feeling pretty worn down and uninspired by the sterility of the modern world, and we wanted a space with personality and a story,” Michael says.

They found it in a Spanish-style home located in El Sereno, roughly 10 miles northeast of downtown, and they bought the property in February 2024. The pair of eye-catching arches at the front and the terra-cotta roof tiles gave the home a storybook quality, but the landscaping wasn’t as appealing. An expanse of concrete covered much of the generous plot, riddled with cracks that showed its age. The surrounding plants were overgrown and largely surviving off rain—a forecast that’s hard to come by in Southern California. René and Michael longed for their home to be a serene retreat, so they decided to address the site itself.

Before: Backyard

After: Backyard

“Being in a moderately sized house on a spacious lot in L.A., where the weather allows outdoor living almost year round, we wanted this investment to essentially double our living space,” Michael says.

They reached out to landscape architect Brendan Bettwy about a year later, and he liked the idea of creating a sanctuary where Michael, a psychotherapist, and René, a creative operations lead, could unwind. It didn’t hurt that they’re all old friends—Michael even introduced Bettwy to his wife (something Michael loves to mention).

$5,400 General Demolition	$5,100 Concrete Demolition	$2,345 Mulch
$8,263 Gravel, Stones, & Boulders	$25,642 Assorted Plants	$8,376 Cork Oak Trees & Installation
$3,200 Fescue Sod	$3,400 Sprinkler/Drip System	$9,600 Fences & Enclosures
$1,400 Zia Tile	$19,340 Furniture	$2,426 Hardware & Fixtures
Grand Total: $94,492

Having an existing relationship made it easier for everyone to be upfront about the scope of the project and its budget: Michael and René saw the advantages in Bettwy’s push for a front-to-back update, but they didn’t have the type of cash that could clear the land entirely. Bettwy had to figure out what could be salvaged.

Before: Patio

After: Patio

“There was a lot of existing plant material, and some of it was not ideal, like ivy,” Bettwy says. “But removing and replacing it was too expensive and it would have taken a while to grow in. This project was about combining the new landscape with the older, overgrown plant material I wouldn’t have ordinarily chosen.”

The couple agreed with Bettwy that the front yard had to be simplified, and they opted to replace the patchwork greenery with a range of drought-tolerant and native plants. In the backyard, they decided to ditch the concrete for a lush garden, patio, and dining area. To keep costs in check, Michael acted as a general contractor and he hired separate subcontractors to handle demolition and building a new retaining fence—work that cost about $21,000. They also salvaged the wall separating the firepit and dining area, placing a boulder on one end as a stepping stone.

chairs, which the owners consider to be their biggest splurge at $11,263. The chairs are made of Spanish cedar, and they’ll patina over time. " layout="" credit="Photo by Kevin Coffey" photoUserId="7295817964169805824"/>

“My firm, Golden Landscape Architecture, is based in Orange County, and I couldn’t be at the project every day,” Bettwy says. “Michael acting as a general contractor made sure the plan was executed appropriately without sacrificing quality. He ran everything by me, so it was a true team effort.”

The backyard’s perimeter is covered in ivy, and there’s a rose bush that’s been growing for a century. An orange tree that’s about as old adds beauty and fragrance, while fresh Acacia iteaphylla and oaks sway in the breeze. Michael and René refer to this area as the meadow, as it’s blanketed with no-mow fescue sod that grows wild underfoot. A short path connects the meadow to the dining area and firepit nearby, which are offset in gravel. A smattering of succulents, herbs, and other flora add to the relaxed atmosphere, which the team created by spending a little more than $25,000 in plants.

Adirondack chairs from Crate & Barrel, which cost a total of $3,846." layout="" credit="Photo by Kevin Coffey" photoUserId="7295817964169805824"/>

“Our biggest splurge was the Kalon Rugosa chairs that sit nestled back under the oak tree in the meadow,” René says. “We wanted to make sure these central pieces were beautiful, comfortable, and would stand the test of time.” The chairs cost about $11,000, and the project’s other furnishings include an $800 dining table sourced from Facebook Marketplace and a $3,846 set of West Elm chairs.

The entire renovation wrapped up in August 2025 for $94,492, and in the year since, René and Michael have made the most of their fresh-air living space. “When we have friends over, we host dinners outside or lay an oversize quilt out in the meadow for picnics,” Michael says. “When it’s just the two of us, we try to leave our screens inside. This yard has made a genuine difference in the quality of our lives.”

More Budget Breakdown stories:

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An L.A. Artist Gives His Home a Colorful Overhaul—and a New ADU—for $320K

He Designed and Built a Bright-Pink Duplex in Los Angeles for Less Than $400K

Project Credits:

Landscape Architect: Brendan Bettwy, Golden Landscape Architecture / @goldenlandscapearchitecture

Builder: Abel