Matt's Mailbox Mission
Now Playing
Matt's Mailbox Mission 03:03
Now Playing
Tour Matt's Childhood Home 03:50
Now Playing
Flying High With Matt Blashaw 01:33
Now Playing
Matt Builds With His Dad 03:36
Now Playing
Just Surfin' Around With Matt 01:33
Now Playing
Blashaw Family Apple Pie 01:11
Now Playing
Skating with Matt Blashaw 01:02
Now Playing
Matt's on Top of the World 01:00
Now Playing
Learn to Surf with Matt 01:10
Blashaw's Best
Landscapes We <3
Matt Blashaw’s Best Backyard Transformations 38 Photos
Licensed contractor Matt Blashaw has elevated weekend DIY to an art form on Yard Crashers. Have a look at the blank (or, in some cases, cluttered and overgrown) canvases he’s encountered over the years—and the al fresco masterpieces they become.
3 Ways to Add Style to Your Yard
DIY Outdoor Furniture Projects
Concrete Stool
Now Playing
Concrete Stool 01:00
Now Playing
Combination Bench and Planter 01:00
Now Playing
Masonry Patio Couches 01:00
Now Playing
Wraparound Tree Bench 01:00
Now Playing
Copper-Topped Food Prep Table 01:00
Now Playing
Outdoor "Pottoman" Seating 01:00
Now Playing
Wire Mesh Gabion Furniture 01:00
Now Playing
Redwood Barbecue Grill Island 01:00
Now Playing
Make a Wire Gabion Prep Table 01:00
Now Playing
Deck Bench 01:00
MEET THE HOST
Matt Blashaw
This licensed contractor honed his handyman skills while working at his father's lumberyard through college.
About the show
Episodes
See Episode GuideKansas City Outdoor Room
Yard Crashers is in Kansas City, Missouri, where a rotten deck in a hot and very small backyard is transformed into a quaint outdoor living room. In two days, a brand new deck is installed along with a pergola with retractable awnings to provide much-needed shade over a custom outdoor sofa with a built-in ice chest. Privacy screens with vibrant plants, a modern fire pit and a granite patio space finish off this outdoor room and make it ready for entertaining.
Modern Zen Backyard
Emily and Bryan have a barren yard with an existing shed so, instead of fixing it, Matt and his crew make it a feature. They build floating decks around three reflecting pools and install a new pergola to create some much-needed shade, transforming the space into a modern oasis with a peaceful feel.
Contemporary Elegance
Juan and Katy's huge back yard is empty and boring and they long for more living space to eat, cook and hang out with friends. Matt steps in and adds a huge gravel patio so there's no need for a lawn, as well as a huge, modern pergola with room for a dining and lounging area. Finally, he gives the space a touch of fun with a bocce ball court and jazzes it up with plants and shrubs.
Brick Bar Backyard
A small backyard of dirt and an old tree is transformed into an entertainer's dream. The lone tree is removed to make way for a large deck with built-in seating and a fire pit. A brick bar takes center stage as it's treated with white mortar for an antiqued look and topped with a sleek Alder top. Plus, a pizza oven, turf and modern slatwall make this backyard the ultimate party space!
Tiki Bar Backyard
A messy and cluttered backyard is transformed into a backyard perfect for entertaining. Matt and the crew take what was once a sea of broken patio furniture and uneven pavers and turn it into a space with a custom outdoor kitchen, rolling tiki bar and high top table.
Bye Bye Above Ground Pool, Hello Raised Cabana-Style Deck
Tim and Robyn Arthur can't use their backyard. The deck is too small for a table and there are no railings separating the deck from the above-ground pool. Chris comes to their rescue by demoing the deck and pool, and building a new large cabana-style deck with dining space, grilling space and bar. He includes a metal and wood railing for safety and drapes for privacy. Stairs lead down to a new concrete-and-turf checked patio with a lounging area and unique water feature. Finally, grasses and birch trees are added for a beachy vibe.
Mid Century Modern Makeover
Pedro and Alicia purchased their Eichler home and have spent time redoing the inside but have neglected the outside. It's a messy space with no flow and no shade. The couple begged Chris to help them transform it into a midcentury modern entertaining space. Chris starts with demoing the existing cracked concrete pad and replacing it with concrete squares in a grid pattern. Pedro is a chef so Chris adds a large 'L' shape kitchen and bar island faced in metal mesh and an herb garden. For Alicia, he includes a large metal shade structure over a dining space. The rickety block wall is replaced with a cement and glass block water wall to become the yard's focal point.
Boring Yard Becomes Rustic Retreat in Reno
Robert and Dana love their backyard view but hate their backyard. It's boring, overgrown and nondescript and they beg Chris to give them an inviting space for dining, entertaining and playing guitar. He delivers by giving them a large paver patio with shade and a wood arbor that defines the patio and provides a backdrop for a conversation area. He adds artificial turf, a boulder water feature and stone fireplace. He builds a custom reclaimed wood dining table for Dana and a slatted wood and boulder backless bench so Robert can play his guitar. He adds a corrugated metal and wood privacy fence, upcycled wood crates as raised planters and low-growing native landscape so as not to impede on the view.
Beachy Outdoor Kitchen
Eric and Cristin Botsford have a large backyard but there's nothing in it. They dream of a beachy escape that reflects their love of the ocean and Chris delivers! He gives Cristin a big concrete patio for their outdoor kitchen, complete with new grill and prep space, that is wrapped in cedar planks and topped with concrete pavers. Nearby, he adds a custom wood plank table that is covered with a bright shade sail. Chris upcycles Eric's home-made bench into a bar and tops it with a cantilevered pergola. He also gives Eric an outdoor shower with privacy walls made from shutters. In the center of the space he includes a low bowl water feature surrounded by grass and lush landscaping.
Modern Rustica Outdoor Dining
Tammy and Brandi are newlyweds who are looking for an outdoor space where they can relax, dine and hangout with friends. Chris comes to their rescue with a plan to transform their dog-overrun yard into an inviting space complete with a dining area with pergola, as well as a lounge area with concrete patio and a fire pit with built in benches and metal wall. In addition, the space will get a unique wood water feature, new landscaping and a long wooden landing off the house.
Spanish Courtyard
With the help of Chris and his team, this blank slate of a backyard gets a colorful old world courtyard. The center point of this yard focuses on a pop of color with unique metal art accent panels, a large redwood pergola, a brand new concrete patio, custom pub bar table with wooden glass rack and a relaxing lounge couch. Two Spanish style masonry planters balance the yard with mature trees and plants around the yard.
Nautical Cape Cod
Chris crashes his neck of the woods when he ambushes a Cape Cod and finds Christine and her boyfriend Chris, whose large yard and upper deck are both completely plain. Chris adds a large built in deck planter box for the flowers that Christine loves and adds a built in barbecue, grill prep area and wood plank bar, along with a dining table. The ugly deck spindles are replaced with nautical rope, and down below Chris adds a large flagstone patio with stone fire pit and four Adirondack chairs. In addition, a white pergola is added, along with a raised stone cutting garden. Finally the empty space under the deck is turned into an outdoor work out area.
Pacific Coast Rustic Loggia
A desperate yard gets a complete transformation including a new paver patio, an oversized metal fire pit with seating, and a massive reclaimed covered, three-sided loggia loaded with a flat screen television, kegorator and custom storage cabinet. Brand new composite deck steps, colorful container plants, a recycling stone water feature, a modern style cable wire handrail system and colorful plants with lush sod top the yard off.
Vintage Chic
Wendy and Demond have a plain backyard. They'd like an outdoor space to cook and chill in so Chris comes to their aide. The existing sod and old brick pathway is removed and replaced with a new flagstone pathway. A new concrete patio is poured and a beautiful redwood pergola is built onto it with some reclaimed lumber and shutters as the backdrop. A custom outdoor kitchen is constructed with a special countertop and wood siding base. A beautiful water feature surrounded by herbs and veggies becomes a functional part of the yard. Masonry and wood benches provide an entertainment spot around the metal fire feature. A one-of-a-kind sports scoreboard is created for their energetic baseball-loving family along with new sod and surrounding plants!
Modern Bamboo Haven
Chris Lambton and crew turn this dilapidated backyard into a modern bamboo haven. This transformation includes a beautiful bamboo retaining wall that doubles as a seat wall, a large overhang structure custom-made with gigantic bamboo panels for shade and beneath it is a tranquil copper water feature. A composite bamboo countertop bar with kegerator, adjacent to a beefy stainless steel grill, and finally, colorful plants complete the yard.
Contemporary Shade Yard
Katie and Ian have a boring yard that is so uninviting they never even think to use it. But Chris promises that he can turn it into an entertaining mecca! He starts with demoing the existing patio and replacing it with sleek concrete slabs. He adds a custom concrete bench and fire feature conversation area and artificial turf, plus plenty of drought tolerant plants. A big new barbecue is dropped into a one-of-a-kind prep space with white metal countertops. DIY pendants hang over a metal floating bar and a metal and wood dining table is also included. All this entertaining space is topped off with shade sails and a cantilevered arbor with perforated metal to provide plenty of shade.
Spanish Courtyard
With the help of Chris and his team, this blank slate of a backyard gets a colorful old world courtyard. The center point of this yard focuses on a pop of color with unique metal art accent panels, a large redwood pergola, a brand new concrete patio, custom pub bar table with wooden glass rack and a relaxing lounge couch. Two Spanish style masonry planters balance the yard with mature trees and plants around the yard.
Contemporary Cedar Design
Chris and the crew crash John and Kyle's backyard, a dysfunctional space with a tiny pink patio and no entertaining area. Chris transforms the yard into a private party pad complete with a cedar slat pergola, custom dining table and a matching bar.
Tranquil Retreat
Chris crashes TJ and Julie's backyard, a sad space with a small patio and no landscaping. The crew brings life back to the yard by adding a huge paver patio with a dining table, a built-in barbecue island and a tranquil water feature.
Outdoor Living Room
Miguel and Stephanie's overgrown yard is a mess, with its dilapidated pergola and a cracking concrete patio. Chris comes to the rescue and transforms the space into an outdoor living room complete with overlapping pergolas, a custom fire pit and a new grill with bar storage.
Midcentury Modern Revival
Kelly and Nicki's original 1950s backyard desperately needs to be brought into the present! Chris and his team transform the outdated space into a private midcentury modern entertaining mecca with a monkey pod fire feature, barbecue area with prep space and a large dining area.
Mediterranean Oasis
Allen and Lily's uninviting yard is haggard and ignored, so Matt comes to their rescue with a Mediterranean oasis design. They want a place to hang out with friends and family, so Matt gives them a large deck complete with a barbecue island and a reclaimed dining table. He also adds an amazing stone water and fire feature as the center point, then builds a paver patio adjacent to it as well as a custom day bed with a pergola.
Hamptons Hangout
This dark and uninviting yard has these homeowners staying indoors. Luckily, Matt agrees to go home with them and delivers a design that will allow them to live outdoors. First he installs a huge multi-tiered deck with a large dining table and a concrete paver patio with a fire pit and comfy sofa. Then he adds a sheer descent water feature with integrated bench seating and a chunky pergola with a custom wood and steel bar.
Kansas City English Garden
Sophie's soggy, sloping yard needs help, so she pleads for Matt Blashaw to come home with her. He designs a usable space for grilling, dining and lounging, all with an English garden vibe. He also fixes a few problems he encounters along the way, like installing a few retaining walls to level the space, adding drainage to move the water away and raising and reinforcing the deck posts. Finally, Matt adds a staircase for access and a composting area to give Sophie the ultimate outdoor space.
Beer Garden Backyard
A small and cluttered backyard with dead plants and ugly concrete turns into a beer garden fit for a home brewer! Sophisticated steel planters and giant concrete pavers surrounded by turf clean up what was once a mess. Plus, a built-in barbecue and a custom bar bring an industrial tap system to center stage.
Modern Zen Backyard
Emily and Bryan have a barren yard with an existing shed so, instead of fixing it, Matt and his crew make it a feature. They build floating decks around three reflecting pools and install a new pergola to create some much-needed shade, transforming the space into a modern oasis with a peaceful feel.
You Might Also Like ...
See All Shows
Desperate Landscapes
Kitchen Crashers
