Chickens, Chess and Swimming Star in a Silicon Valley Yard

When Michelle Pettigrew and Jerry Kaplan purchased their Georgian colonial home in Hillsborough, California, on an acre of land, they wanted to create a place that was welcoming for family and friends. Part of that meant making over the yard, which wasn’t being utilized well.

With landscape architect Michael Callan, they transformed the home’s outdoor areas into a series of rooms that encourage entertaining and play. The design, which included an outdoor swimming pool, a play structure, an oversize chess set, a ball court and a trampoline, was created with the couple’s four young daughters in mind.

As the girls slowly outgrew some of these spaces, Pettigrew started redefining them to reflect the changing needs of her family — one outdoor room at a time.

Yard at a Glance

Who lives here: Michelle Pettigrew; Jerry Kaplan; their daughters, ages 21, 20, 19 and 15; dogs Cookie and Bailey; and 5 chickens

Location: Hillsborough, California

Size: 1 acre; guesthouse: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters), 2 bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms

Year built: 1904

The original yard had disparate pieces of furniture and lacked cohesiveness.

AFTER: The side terrace is accessible from the formal living room. Pettigrew added a pergola to provide shade and to better define the outdoor living room.

Pettigrew believed it was important to maintain as much of the original character of the home as possible. Here the original Connecticut bluestone was preserved.

Beyond the side terrace is a built-in oversize chess set made by Kettler. The game is a favorite with guests, especially during parties. The family has hosted as many as 300 people on their property.

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Chickens, Chess and Swimming Star in a Silicon Valley Yard