The Front Steps Ended at the Lawn Until This Wood Walkway Took Over the Garden
Three concrete steps once connected the front door to the yard, with white metal railings enclosing the narrow route. Past the bottom step, the entrance stopped at a patch of lawn beside established ornamental grasses and shrubs.
The homeowner, Reddit user u/mvmdl, removed the railings and used the open section of the front garden for a new approach. Wood platforms now descend from the porch, change direction between planting beds, and reach the driveway. The creator even questioned whether the project counted as a deck, describing it as a set of steps built far beyond what the entrance required.
Concrete Steps Once Marked the Whole Entrance
Brick, concrete, and white metal defined the original approach. Three exposed steps dropped from the covered porch, while railings followed both sides down to the grass.
The short staircase left much of the space between the house and driveway to planting. Mature grasses filled the bed beside the foundation, with a large tree occupying the lawn in front.
Clearing Space Revealed a Route Through the Planting
After the railings came out, soil was cleared between existing grasses and shrubs. Instead of stripping the bed, much of the established planting remained around the proposed path.
The open ground shows how much space sat in front of the old steps. That area gave the builder enough room to move the entrance outward and introduce several changes in direction.
First Frame Turns Away From the Porch
New timber steps were built at the porch, followed by a rectangular platform set lower in the garden. Rather than continuing in one straight run, its frame turns toward the driveway.
That change sets the layout for the rest of the project. Broad landings handle the descent while allowing grasses and shrubs to remain beside each section.
Multiple Frames Handle the Drop in Grade
The exposed structure shows separate sets of joists beneath the steps and landings. Wood posts support the outer edges, while the upper section connects near the concrete porch.
In the Reddit discussion, the builder said a ledger was fastened to the concrete with long expansion-type bolts. He described the concrete beneath the porch as a massive block rather than a standard wall.
Lower Platform Reaches Toward the Driveway
Another frame continues from the first landing and fills the open ground between two sections of ornamental planting. Joists run across the span, with gravel visible beneath them.
Its width creates more than a passage from one point to another. Each section provides enough surface for a broad landing, breaking the grade into shallow transitions rather than a long flight of stairs.
Lights Were Installed Before Deck Boards
Small lights were fitted into the faces of the wood frames while the joists were still exposed. Fixtures appear on the new steps, upper landing, and lower platform.
The homeowner said the lighting system uses cable extensions plus a dimmer and remote kit. A light sensor switches the fixtures on after dark.
Deck Boards Turn the Frames Into a Garden Path
Once covered, the separate structures read as one route from driveway to porch. Boards run across each broad platform, while short risers mark the changes in height.
No side railing interrupts the planting along the path. When a commenter questioned that choice, the homeowner said local code required a handrail above 24 inches and noted that an open edge makes snow removal easier.
Built-In Lights Change the Entrance After Dark
At night, the fixtures reveal each step and platform without relying on the porch light alone. Their low placement traces the path from the driveway, across the garden, and up to the door.
The brick house and much of the landscaping stayed in place. What changed was the ground between them: a short staircase that once stopped at the lawn now connects to a wide wood route woven between the plants.
Would you keep this entrance open like the homeowner did, or add a railing along part of the walkway?
Image credit to Reddit u/mvmdl.