In the second of a series (part one is here), Genevieve Brennan takes a glimpse into the Lower Haight's hidden backyard oases. (Oasi? Oasises?)

The last thing you expect to see when you pass through John Mills's lovingly-renovated Victorian home and into the backyard is a sleek modern party space. But there you have it: one minute you're surrounded by dark wood and handcarved moldings, the next you're standing on slate tile, eyeing teak benches and spare, chic plantings. Steep steps down from the house lead to blue slate tiles that soak up the sun for a few hours each day. The fences were built without the use of nails, and were instead constructed with expert joinery. Built-in stone benches lines the sides and back of the space, providing multilevel seating. On top of the benches are plantings of horsetails, mambo grasses, and a tree fern; close to the house is a Japanese maple, the only original feature of the yard to make it through the revamp. An open redwood canopy spans the seating area, hung with an outdoor heater for chilly San Francisco nights. "Most people go for the English garden look," Mills says, "But we went for an Eames look, a 1950s style." Mills has been working on his Victorian on Broderick at Page for almost four years. "We do all our own stunts," Mills says, referring to the renovations that he and his longtime friend and housemate are undertaking (as well as his car, a reworked 1970s BMW). "Vision and muscle." But in the case of the backyard, they hired out. It took four workers a month to install two tons of concrete and stone, put in the plants, and hook the drip irrigation system up to the home's automation system. "It's a bachelor pad project," says Mills. For the rest of the house, they're sticking with period details. "I didn't want to gut it like something out of Dwell magazine - I have the house dictate the style." Aside from maintaining the original character of the home, Mills says, "It's fun to have different styles, to feel like you're somewhere else - a different time, a different place." It's easy to see guests settling in for an evening of leisure in the midcentury backyard. And since Mills' renovation strategy is to throw a party as each room is restored to its original glory, the backyard was properly feted when it finished a few months back. Guests perched on the benches and stood around a temporary firepit. Even in the low lighting, the high quality craftsmanship was clear, down to the little details. Along the fence on one side of the yard is a small planting of succulents. Mills says that's because the slope of the yard meant the patio tiles didn't line up perfectly, so the plants filled in the gap. Just further evidence that, in this one tranquil space, good design is literally cropping up everywhere.

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Thanks to John for letting us feature his outdoor oasis. Know of a profile-worthy backyard in the Lower Haight? Let us know. tips [at] haighteration {{dot}} com.