A newly engaged couple with a boring, uninviting backyard sees their space transformed into a party place for friends and family. In one corner, dead lawn bordered by a dilapidated retaining wall becomes an entertainment zone, and a PVC deck ringed by new retaining-wall benches overlooks a natural-looking dry creek bed. The opposite corner, with a too-small patio pad and crumbling fence, gets a stamped concrete pad that features a large BBQ grill island and travertine-style counters. The final touch? A remote-control awning.