He Turned the Stones on an Angle: Now This Backyard Retaining Wall Looks Like a Sculpture
Retaining walls tend to form a backdrop for planting, but this backyard hardscaping puts the stonework first. Narrow pieces rise at opposing angles, changing direction as the wall curves around the beds and climbs beside the patio stairs.
Stone artist Steve Strand used sandstone and bluestone to create what he calls a “curved, leaning herringbone” wall. Broad paving slabs and horizontal stair risers meet the diagonal stonework, giving the patio entrance three distinct arrangements of the same materials.
Planting niches interrupt the retaining wall, while a granite capstone holds a carved hand-washing basin. Each closer view reveals another detail built into the hardscaping, from stones fitted around openings to chiseled edges along the steps.
Diagonal Stonework Changes Direction Across the Wall
Blue-gray strips cross rose-colored pieces, while ochre stones break up the darker sections. The herringbone pattern changes direction at intervals, creating pointed junctions where long runs meet.
Up close, the arrangement reveals how much variation it accommodates. Some stones are thin and straight; others widen, taper, or carry broken edges. Small fitted pieces close the gaps between those unequal shapes, preserving the pattern without hiding the character of the stone.
The Curve Gives the Retaining Wall Depth
From the side, the leaning face becomes as important as the pattern. The wall rises beside the stairway and bends around the planting bed, giving the diagonal bands a changing surface to follow.
Across the top, exposed stone ends trace the curve. That edge shows the thickness of the pieces and adds another layer of detail to a wall that could have ended with a flat, continuous cap.
Broad Patio Slabs Give the Stonework Room to Stand Out
Large, irregular slabs form the outdoor floor, with blue-gray and dusty pink surfaces divided by gravel-filled joints. Their broad faces contrast with the narrow pieces in the wall, allowing the colors to connect the hardscaping without repeating its pattern.
The paving reaches the foot of the stairs through fitted curves and uneven polygons. Looking across the patio, the change in scale becomes clear: expansive stone underfoot, fine bands along the garden edge.
Chiseled Treads Carry the Colors Up the Stairs
Thick bluestone treads have rounded corners and rough front edges that follow the widening stair outline. Beneath them, horizontal strips of stone form the risers, introducing a change of direction beside the angled wall.
Colorado and Arizona sandstone accents bring warm tones into those risers. Their placement connects the stairs to the surrounding masonry while keeping each step distinct.
The overhead detail shows several slabs fitted together within each tread. Curved seams, varied widths, and chiseled edges give the walking surface the same attention as the vertical stonework.
Openings Become Part of the Pattern
Looking down from the upper patio reveals larger planting niches within the wall. Stone bands frame the openings, with diagonals meeting around their edges rather than stopping at a square border.
Smaller recesses remain visible near the stairs. Lighting to illuminate the entry steps is part of the artist’s plan; the photographs show the openings before that installation is complete.
A Granite Capstone Holds One More Detail
At the high end of the wall, pale speckled granite surrounds a carved hand-washing basin. Its rounded hollow contrasts with the angular masonry below, while the thick, rough outer edge keeps it connected to the stonework.
The basin occupies the capstone itself, adding a use to a place where the wall would otherwise finish.
Wall, Floor, and Stairs Form One Composition
From the lower patio, the full arrangement comes together. The retaining wall descends around the planted border, the stairs open toward the paving, and the same stone colors travel across all three surfaces.
The craftsmanship lies in how those surfaces meet: diagonal strips against horizontal risers, curved masonry beside broad slabs, and rough edges fitted into a defined outline. Each part has a job, and each contributes to the hardscaping as a work of art.
Which detail would make you stop for a closer look—the herringbone wall, the fitted stone stairs, or the carved granite basin?
Images courtesy of @steve_strand.