Outdoor Living · Rockwall County & Dallas–Fort Worth
Outdoor Living Spaces, Designed and Built as One Backyard
Outdoor kitchens, paver and Cool Deck decking, retaining walls and stonework, turf, grading and drainage — planned together and built by one outdoor living contractor, with or without a pool.
One team for the whole backyard
Most backyards get built in pieces: a pool one year, a patio the next, a kitchen when the budget allows — each by a different crew, none of it quite lining up. We do it the other way round.
Blue Wave designs the whole outdoor space first, then builds it in the right order: grading and drainage, walls and structure, utilities, decking, kitchen, turf and finishing. The result looks planned because it was.
The walk-through here is one of the biggest projects we were part of this year — a sunken fire pit lounge, clean decking and turf, built around the pool. It was filmed before our name changed, so you will spot the old Famous TX Pools logo.
What we build outside the pool
Four kinds of work, one plan. Choose one or combine all of them into a full backyard transformation.
Cook
Outdoor kitchens and grills
Built-in grills, countertops, sinks and storage, with gas, water and power planned from the start.
Deck
Pavers, Cool Deck and stone decking
Pool decks, patios and walkways in pavers, Cool Deck, travertine or porcelain.
Build
Retaining walls and stonework
Walls that turn a slope into usable space, stone masonry and fire features.
Finish
Turf, grading and landscape
Artificial turf, grading and drainage correction, and landscape construction that ties the whole yard together.
Everything that can go into your outdoor living space
The specifics behind each kind of work. Every project starts with a walk around your yard, so the plan fits the lot you actually have.
Outdoor kitchens
Designed around how you cook and host.
- Built-in grill stations and side burners
- Countertops cut to your layout
- Sinks, refrigerators and storage
- Gas, water and electrical coordinated
- Cover and shade planned into the design
Decking
The surface that ties every zone together.
- Paver pool decks and patios
- Cool Deck systems
- Travertine and porcelain stone
- Walkways and steps
- Graded to drain away from the house
Walls and stonework
Structure that holds the yard in place.
- Retaining walls on sloped lots
- Stone masonry and veneer
- Fire features and seat walls
- Drainage built behind every wall
- Terracing for lake and hillside lots
Turf and grading
The groundwork most yards skip.
- Artificial turf installation
- Grading and drainage correction
- Site preparation and clearing
- Landscape construction
- Planting beds and borders
Plan the yard as zones, not add-ons
Great backyards are laid out like a good floor plan. Before we price anything, we map where each activity belongs — so traffic flows, utilities run once, and nothing has to be torn out later to make room.
Zone 01
Swim
The pool and spa, placed for sun, views and privacy.
Zone 02
Cook
A kitchen close enough to the house, far enough from wet feet.
Zone 03
Gather
Dining and seating where the evening shade falls.
Zone 04
Warm up
A fire feature for the months the pool is closed.
Zone 05
Play
Turf and open space for kids, dogs and a putting green.
Built for the clay under North Texas yards
Blackland Prairie clay shrinks when it dries and swells when it rains. It is the reason so many patios crack, walls lean and yards hold water. Everything we build outside starts with the ground.
Base first
Excavated and compacted to a stable base before any decking, slab or wall goes down.
Water planned
Every surface is graded to move water away from the house, the pool and the structures.
Materials that flex
Pavers can move with the ground and be lifted and reset, instead of cracking like a single slab.
Outdoor living questions, answered
What homeowners ask us before they plan a backyard. Adding a pool too? See Custom Pools.
What is an outdoor living space?
An outdoor living space is a backyard designed to be used like another room of the house: a place to cook, eat, relax and entertain. It usually combines decking or a patio with features such as an outdoor kitchen, a fire feature, shade, turf and, often, a pool.
Do you build outdoor kitchens?
Yes. We design and build outdoor kitchens with built-in grills, side burners, countertops, sinks, refrigerators and storage, and we plan the gas, water and electrical connections and any cover or shade as part of the design.
Can you build an outdoor kitchen on my existing patio?
Often, yes. We assess the existing slab first to confirm it can carry the added weight and that it is stable on your soil. If it cannot, we recommend the right base before building on it.
Pavers, Cool Deck or travertine — which is best for a pool deck?
It depends on the look you want and your yard. Pavers can flex with clay soil and be lifted and reset if the ground moves. Cool Deck is a coating that keeps concrete more comfortable underfoot. Travertine and porcelain stone give a clean, high-end finish. We walk you through the trade-offs for your lot.
What is Cool Deck?
Cool Deck is a textured coating applied over a concrete pool deck. It is designed to stay more comfortable underfoot in the sun than bare concrete and to add slip resistance around the pool.
Do you build retaining walls?
Yes. We build retaining walls that turn sloped or uneven yards into usable space, with drainage designed behind the wall so water does not build up and push it out of place.
Can you fix drainage problems in my yard?
Yes. We regrade yards so water moves away from the house, the pool and any structures, and we correct drainage as part of every decking, wall and landscape project.
Do you install artificial turf?
Yes. We install artificial turf as part of backyard projects, including around pools and as putting greens, over a properly prepared and graded base.
Do I need a permit for an outdoor kitchen or fire pit?
It depends on your city. Some cities require separate permits for outdoor kitchens, fire pits, cabanas and fences — Heath, for example, lists each one separately. We check your city’s requirements and handle the permits as part of the project.
Can you design the whole backyard, including a pool?
Yes. We design the pool and the outdoor living space together, so the layout, utilities and construction order are planned once and the whole yard is built as one project.
What does a backyard transformation cost?
It depends on the size of the space and what goes into it — kitchen, decking material, walls, turf and grading all price differently, and your lot’s access, slope and soil matter too. We walk the yard and put a written price on paper. Financing is available through Lyon Financial, which acts as a facilitator and is not a lender or a broker.
Verified Reviews From Real Customers
Owner-run, and it shows
“One of the best experiences I had was able to deal directly with the owner Gio to address any concerns and final design. He really takes pride in his work.”
Cesar Beza · Google review, September 2025 · reviewing us under our former name, Famous TX Pools
Let’s plan the whole backyard
Tell us how you want to use your outdoor space. We will walk the yard with you, map the zones, and put a clear plan and price in writing.