These Lake Forest homeowners came to the BDS team to transform an aging patio that had become both difficult to use and a source of water concerns. As previous customers, they were confident the BDS team could help with an existing patio that had not been installed on a proper base and was settling, heaving, and directing water toward the home. During heavy rains, water had even been observed in the crawl space, causing problems. In addition, the space lacked dedicated areas for grilling, smoking, cooking, and entertaining. The BDS team designed a complete outdoor living transformation centered around a covered outdoor kitchen with an expanded entertaining area. A large, roofed pergola was designed to direct rainwater away from the home while providing comfortable coverage for year-round use. The patio was enlarged to accommodate the outdoor kitchen, dining table, additional seating, and improved circulation, with drainage carefully considered throughout the design. The new outdoor living space was created with the durability to stand up to Midwest winters. It provides the perfect functional kitchen and entertaining space that solved drainage challenges while creating a comfortable destination for cooking and gathering throughout the year.