A 15-Foot Resort for Two

1 of 10: My husband and I, both senior citizens, did all of the design work and the labor. Please note the pueblo-style tile design on the back of the house. The small wall at the back hides the AC unit.

2 of 10: The view from the West end of the yard, over our spa, toward the trellis covering a seating area around a fire pit table.

3 of 10: The tiled counter is one of our most recent additions. The umbrella is anchored through the countertop and into the base to keep the wind from blowing it away.

4 of 10: The patio cover supports an outdoor fan.

5 of 10: The triangle sail is perfect when we want a bit of shade over the spa ... and easy to take down when we want full sun.

6 of 10: In the summer we keep the water cool in the spa ... great for those 115 degree days here in the desert. The can be pretty brutal even when you're sitting in water.

7 of 10: We decked-out this little corner with tiled platforms of varying heights and topped them with pots containing palms and cacti. Check out the view!

8 of 10: At night our yard shines with all manner of lighting.

9 of 10: As the sun sets, our lights come on ... including the mini-light wrapped supports of the patio cover, which give the whole area a magical glow.

10 of 10: We have a spectacular view of the desert and the Little San Bernardino mountains across our entire backyard. This area is a protected lizard preserve and will never be developed ... lucky us!