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The no-expense-spared proposal package is worth Dhs1,000,000…
We all no Dubai is no secret to some pretty lavish Valentine’s Day packages, however we think we’ve just found the one that tops them all. Worth a cool Dhs1,000,000, Argentina Grill’s proposal package is designed to create an experience you’ll never forget.
The super-luxurious package kicks off at 12pm on Valentine’s Day with a ride in a swish Rolls Royce. You and your loved one will be chauffeured to a VIP helipad where you’ll enjoy a 45-minute private tour of Dubai from the sky. The experience even comes with gold-coated chocolates and a bottle of the finest fizz.
Next up you’ll head to The Pointe where, against a backdrop of Atlantis The Palm, you’ll enjoy a specially curated menu. The ‘light lunch’ includes octopus carpaccio, josper-baked scallops with black caviar and black cod with fresh white truffle alongside vintage bubbles.
Following lunch, it’s time to head to Dubai Marina where a private yacht will be waiting. Armed with yet more bubbles and a private butler, you’ll begin a three-hour tour soaking up the sights of the city.
As the sun goes down, the heat cranks up as you’ll arrive to Argentina Grill’s La Mer branch, where the top floor will be decked out with no less than 5,000 roses.
Get ready for a four-coursemeal with a platinumAsado steak,foie gras and parrilla grilled lobster with white truffle sauce. Before finally, it’s time for the grand proposal with an Aquae Jewels 5 carat diamond ring.
If you’re not able to fork out a cool million for this mind-blowing package, Argentina Grill will also be hosting more paired down packaged on February 14.
Enjoy a tapas tasting menuserved alongside three hours of unlimited bubbles, for Dhs350 per person.
Argentina Grill, The Pointe or La Mer, February 14, Dhs350 or Dhs1,000,000. argentinagrill.rest
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Dubai is no stranger to some mind-boggling and stunning architectural projects and there are plenty to look forward to opening in 2021.
Here are 12 upcoming Dubai mega-projects we can’t wait for…
Ain Dubai
Dubai’s huge observation wheel Ain Dubai has been a long time coming and now it looks to be edging ever closer to completion with the recent addition of all of its 47 pods and then its lights in January. When it opens, the 210-metre structure will be the world’s tallest observation wheel.
Atlantis, The Royal
The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences is on track to open at some point in 2021. The Dhs5.15 billion property will be made up of 231 luxury apartments, 693 hotel rooms and 102 suites. The 43-storey hotel will also feature 90 swimming pools, including a stunning rooftop infinity pool suspended 96 meters above The Palm on level 22. The hotel will exclusively host restaurants helmed by international celebrity chefs, including Gastón Acurio, Costas Spiliadis, Ariana Bundy, Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres.
Aquaventure
You may already know Atlantis, The Palm’s Aquaventure waterpark is one of the coolest waterparks in Dubai and it’s about to get a lot bigger. Post-upgrade, it’s set to be one of the world’s biggest when it opens in 2021 with the addition of a huge 34-metre tall new tower. Trident Tower will introduce an impressive 12 new slides to the waterpark on Palm Jumeirah. The new tower will feature rides for thrill seekers of all ages, including the world’s longest ProSlide MammothBLAST, a 449-metre, family-friendly water coaster and raft rockets that will propel riders through wind channels, drops and uphill climbs for an exhilarating ride. Guests of Atlantis, The Palm and yet-to-open Atlantis, The Royal, as well as members of the public will be able to use the park.
Dubai Creek Tower
This mammoth construction (rumoured to stand at more than 1,300 metres high) is set to tower over the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa when it is finally completed. According to Reuters, ‘Dubai largest listed developer Emaar Properties has halted new building work after a construction boom in recent years led to oversupply in the Gulf city’ so it remains to be seen when it will actually be finished.
Dubai Harbour
Spanning 20 million square feet, the mammoth Dubai Harbour development is set to be a luxury maritime hub when it opens in front of The Westin Mina Seyahi, in the stretch of ocean between Skydive Dubai and Palm Jumeirah.. It will be the biggest marina in the region, able to berth up to 1,100 luxury yachts and boats, with hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, retail and even residences onsite.
Dubai Hills Mall
Shopping enthusiasts, there will soon be a brand new mall opening in Dubai Hills. This massive 11 million square metre development will have over 650 shops and restaurants, plus an 18-screen rooftop cinema.
Expo 2020 Dubai is now only a few months away, kicking off on the postponed date of October 1, 2021, and running until March 31, 2022. The huge event will see countries from all over the world exhibit their vision and plans for the future, through a uniquely designed, architecturally extravagant pavilion.
The Hubb Tennis Club
Calling Dubai’s tennis fans, The Hubb Tennis Club is a massive Dhs100million tennis complex that is set to open at Dubai’s Silicon Oasis sometime in 2021. Not only will the site have 100,000 square metres of tennis playing space, there will also be a 385m by 1.5m running track to help you torch those calories even further.
Meydan One
When it opens, the Meydan One Mall in Mohammed Bin Rashid City will be home to the world’s longest indoor ski slope, a one-kilometre slope in Meydan One Mall’s 12,000-square-metre Winter Village. The mall is also looking to snatch the title for world’s largest dancing fountain, with its record-breaking water feature measuring 25,800 square metres.
Museum of the Future
The Museum of the Future – one of Dubai’s most ambitious and exciting upcoming projects just reached a milestone and is one step closer to opening. The outside facade of the building has been completed but we’re still waiting on the inside. In a Tweet HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai stated that the Museum of the Future is ‘the most innovative building in the world’ and ‘a global engineering icon.’
The Palm Tower
If you’ve travelled onto The Palm Jumeirah recently, you may have noticed that the huge The Palm Tower looks like it’s nearing completion. When the 52-storey tower opens, it will have 289 guest rooms and suites (as part of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm which will occupy the firs 18 floors of the tower), plus 432 luxury residences, a 50th floor infinity pool Aura, a new restaurant Sushisamba and The View, a public observatory, opening in March 2021.
Sky Walk
At a lofty 200-metres above street level, the Sky Walk at the Address Sky View Hotel will invite guests to walk out onto a 30-metre cantilever, jutting out from the 200-metre high observation deck. While details are still thin on the ground for this open-air experience, we can assure you it won’t be for the faint-hearted.
Images: Various
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Calling all of Dubai’s keen tennis players, get the dates of March 7 to 20, 2021 in your diary as a massive two-week tennis extravaganza is taking place in Dubai. Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is back.
The dates for the annual tournament have just been announced and it will see 56 of the world’s best players competing against each other in the WTA 1000 competition taking place from March 7 to 13.
Following that, the ATP 500 tournament will take place from March 14 to 20. The ATP draw has been increased this year to 48 players. A whole host of well-known tennis players will be taking part, so look out for your favourites.
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Fans will be able to watch the games play out, however, of course there will be strict social distancing measures in order to comply with Covid-19 restrictions. Tickets are yet to be on sale so watch this space.
Commenting on the staging of the 2021 tournament, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said: “We are delighted to once again stage one of the key sporting events on the Dubai calendar, particularly as we mark the 21st running of the WTA week and the 29th year of the ATP tournament, both of which have garnered numerous awards over the years.”
In 2020’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, players such as Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas took part as well as Simona Halep and Elena Rybakina. The championships will take place at Dubai Duty Free Stadium.
These are perfect if you want something more than a romantic dinner…
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s time to start planning.
But if you’re looking for something a little different to the typical dinner (we’ve list 50 here for you) , we’ve rounded up some unique spots and activities you’re bound to want to book.
Here are 7 alternative Valentine’s Day ideas.
Watch a movie at Snow Cinema
Perfect if you both love: watching movies.
Couples who love spending their time at the cinemas should check out Snow Cinema at the cool indoor ski resort – Ski Dubai on Valentine’s Day. Couples will be able to enjoy a unique big-screen experience in the desert surrounded by real snow.Expect gourmet popcorn and signature hot chocolate but also a list of dishes from North 28’s mouth-watering menu, which features savoury options, including raclette, hotdogs and burgers, as well as decadent desserts such as festive mince pies and hot beverages including a bespoke peppermint hot chocolate from Mirzam Chocolate Makers. All guests at Snow Cinema will receive rental clothing, fleece gloves, socks, boots, a blanket, wireless headphones and a dedicated locker.
Snow Cinema, Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, prices start at Dhs100 per person, Tel: (600) 599 905. skidxb.com
Kayak at Dubai Fountain
Perfect if you both love: adventurous activities.
Scoping out the Dubai Fountain never gets old but the cool attraction has recently added in some cool activities including kayaking in a see-through boat – a perfect activity to enjoy your loved one on Valentine’s Day. Additionally, there are water bikes, swan boats and flamingo boats. Prices vary and start from Dhs45. The Dubai Fountain Experiences attractions are open daily from 12pm to 8pm with the last entry to the attraction accepted at 7.30pm. Bookings are a must and can be done here.
Dubai Fountain Water Experience, outside Dubai Mall Dubai, prices start from Dhs45 per person, atthetop.ae
Catch the local talent at Shakespeare week at The Junction
Perfect if you both love: theatre.
Love Shakespeare? Catch these short and sweet plays by the local talent in the city at the Junction. The plays at the Short + Sweet festival are only 10 minutes long (and not a second more) and you will even get to vote for the ones you want to see go through to the next round. The shows take place one day before Valentine’s Day on February 13, leaving Valentine’s Day free to enjoy dinner with your loved one. Tickets cost just Dhs100 per person. Read more about the Short + Sweet festival here.
Short+Sweet Dubai, The Junction, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, until March 20 (weekends), ticket prices start from Dhs100. Tel: (0)4 3388 525. @shortnsweetdxb@junctiondubai
Immerse yourself in art at TODA
Perfect if you both love: art.
If you and your partner love art, spend the evening immersed in it at Theatre of Digital Art. You will be able to see the magnificent works of art by Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch and many more come to life before your very eyes. Paired with classical music, the whole experience is sure to leave a lasting memory.
Theatre of Digital Art (ToDA), Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, ticket prices start from Dhs75 for adults and Dhs45 for children. Tel:(0)4 277 4044. toda.ae
Battle zombies with your partner at The Arena Games
Perfect if you both love: gaming.
Step away from reality with your loved one and try out Arena Games – the new virtual reality gaming spot in Dubai International Financial Centre that will take players on an adrenaline-filled journey through infinite worlds. Both of youwill be armed with a virtual reality headset, headphones, military-style backpacks and of course, a gun to help protect yourself. Pick from a variety of games such as Zombie Survival, Singularity, Engineerium or go at it head to head in Sol Raiders.
Arena Games, Gate Avenue, Zone D, Ground Level, DIFC, Dubai, Sun to Thur, 9am to 10pm. Tel: (0)4 546 7748 thearenagames.com
Dine in the desert and stargaze
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Perfect if you both love: the great outdoors.
Take a break from staring at each other’s eyes and head to the desert to Sonara Camp for a unique Dubai desert experience. Apart from spotting wild oryx and gazelles as you cruise over the sand dunes, there are activities like volleyball, archery and even a falcon show. You’ll get a five-star dinner which will be served under fairy lights, followed by a stargazing session with an astronomer.
Sonara Camp, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Dinner and Sunset experience from Dhs860 adults. nara.ae/sonara
Pamper your partner
Perfect if you both love: pampering.
Treat your partner to a salon-style pampering session at home with Pastels’ range of beauty and hair products delivered straight to your door. Alternatively, book an in-salon session for them to redeem at a future date in the Jumeirah salon, including a full makeover, detox and destress package, or beach beauty vouchers available to book online.
It’s easy to get caught up in Valentine’s Day anxiety. How do you find the perfect way to say ‘I love you’, or even just ‘I’m fairly keen on you’? And not get either of those messages mixed up. What do you do if your partner said they don’t care about Valentine’s but there was a lingering look on their face that suggests doing nothing will have serious repercussions?
And what about the cynics? What do you do if the very idea of being surrounded by emoji-heart-eyed couples is enough to make you gag?
Fortunately, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has the solutions to these and more V-Day dilemmas.
For the lovers
Nothing says ‘I ‘ppreciate you’ in quite the same way as an invite on a romantic getaway. Holidays are a strong love language. Dusit’s proposal here is a Deluxe Room (package price Dhs599) or Junior Suite (Dhs699) given the full rose petal glow-up, a luxurious five-course meal at either Benjarong or Namak to spice things up, and a buffet breakfast in the morning. They even have upgrade options including in-room bubbles and bouquets.
Book for stays between February 11 and 14. Tel: (02) 698 8888, reservations.abudhabi@dusit.com
For the V-Date nighters
The Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has got form when it comes to providing a home for romantic dining experiences. And two of its international line-up of restaurants, Benjarong and Namak are putting nightly sessions of a special love-day feast between February 12 and 14. Benjarong brings five set courses of aromatic adventure for the amorous, directly from Thailand, AKA the land of smiles. Namak is offering five enchanting courses of its own, a vibrant palette of exceptional Indian cuisine.
Both meals come with a welcome drink and are priced at just Dhs345 per couple. Tel: (02) 698 8137, reservation.table@dusit.com
For the V-Day dodgers
If the only couple you’re interested in, is a couple of bevvies — McGettigan’s has got you. Enjoy their Saturday Anti-Valentine brunch which dishes out five select drinks for just Dhs100. There’s a DJ of course with a set-list of ‘no ballads, only bangers’, and a raffle-draw at the end of the night with some pretty tasty prizes.
6pm to 10pm, Saturday February 13.
For those looking for gift in-spa-ration
Sure a message in a bottle is a cute way to demonstrate your love, but you know what’s better? A massage and a bottle of warm oil. Namm Spa at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is offering special pamper packages all throughout the month of February, with discounts on 60-minute sessions of massages such as Thai Massage, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage and Foot Reflexology. They can even be booked as couple treatments.
Dhs299, February 1 to 28. Tel: (02) 698 8300, dtadspa@dusit.com
Images: Provided
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This week we say goodbye to January and hello to an abundance of fun things to do in Dubai. From an adrenaline-pumping attraction to a calming luxury spa treatment, here are our top picks to keep you busy in Dubai this week.
Here are six things to do in Dubai.
1. Battle it out at a new attraction
Channel your inner squaddie at Town Square’s brilliant new attraction, Battle Park. Following the success of its Al Khawaneej branch, the paintball and adventure park has just opened at Nshama Town Square with even more exciting obstacles. Grab a group of mates and see if you can take on the combat gaming challenges. Prices start from Dhs65 for residents and Dhs75 for non-residents.
Battle Park, Nshama Town Square, Dubai, daily, 2pm to midnight, from Dhs65. Tel:800 2288 53. battlepark.ae/nshama
2. Recover with a new spa treatment
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental has teamed up with London-based innovative skincare brand 111SKIN to offer new face and body treatments. Choose from luxurious treatments such as Celestial Black Diamond Sculpting, Meso Infusion Hydration Therapy, or the Celestial Black Diamond Non-Surgical Face Lift. These premium treatments start from Dhs850 for 90 minutes.
The Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Jumeira 1, daily 8am to 9.30pm. Tel: (0)4 777 2243. mandarinoriental.com
3. Revisit a popular ladies’ night
If you find yourself saying ‘what a week’ by 6pm on Monday, then get yourself down to Miss Lily’s for their Pum Pum Party ladies’ night. The girls can enjoy three drinks and five specially curated dishes for Dhs120. If you’ve been to Miss Lily’s you know you can rely on the tunes to set the vibe, as DJ Crown Prince will be spinning a soundtrack of old skool soul, reggae and soca.
Miss Lily’s, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Mondays, 7pm to 11pm, Dhs120. Tel: (0)4 356 2900. misslilysdxb.com
4. Show off your best swing
It might seem like everyone and their Nan has been to Topgolf already, but if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? The sporty attraction brings together groups to give it their best swing, alongside food, drinks and non-stop fun. You’ll need to select the amount of time you/your group want to rent the bay (one-hour minimum) and get ready to play. You can always add more time at your bay.
Topgolf Dubai, Emirates Golf Club, Sun to Wed 11am to midnight, Thur 11am to 2am, Fri 9am to 2am, Sat 9am to midnight. Dhs130 to Dhs180 per hour from Sun to Wed, Dhs180 to Dhs220 per hour from Thur to Sat. topgolfdubai.ae
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5. Treat yourself with a new happy hour
Señor Pico on West Beach has introduced a new happy hour runs four days per week, offering 50 per cent off selected food and cocktails. You can avail the excellent deal from 5pm to 7pm, Sunday to Wednesday. Half price cocktails include the Margarita Classica, a tropical mai tai with tequila, Pinky Gonzalez, a snowy concoction of light rum with coconut and pineapple and plenty more. Dishes include Pico chicken, cheesy quesadillas and tortilla chips and dips.
Señor Pico, Palm West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, open 12pm to 12am daily, happy hour runs 5pm to 7pm Sunday to Wednesday. @senorpico.thepalmdxb
6. Indulge in a five-hour brunch
What’s On Dubai’s Club of the Year, White Dubai, recently relaunched it popular Wednesday night brunch, Undrground. The weekly five-hour event, known for its R&B and hip-hop tunes, runs from 8pm to 1am. The sit-down affair offers guests a prime spot in the middle of the action, with plenty of live entertainment to enjoy. Undrground has a London theme, which is conveyed in the decoration, music, dancers and acts each week.
White Dubai, Meydan Racecourse Grandstand, Nad Al Sheba, Wednesdays 8pm to 1am, Girls: Dhs180 house and Dhs320 premium, Guys: Dhs220 house and Dhs350 premium. Tel: (0)50 443 0933. @whitedubai
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The first mega sale being held in Sharjah this year is offering visitors some of the biggest discount deals on a wide range of lifestyle products.
The Consumer Electronics Fashion – Big Shopper Sale 2020 (CEF 2021) is under way at Expo Centre Sharjah since January 26, till it concludes on Saturday, January 30.
In the first two days, exhibitors have seen electronic and fashion products fly off the shelves as thousands of visitors thronged the event to get their hands on their favourite brands like Skechers, Fila, Lacoste, Wrangler, Gant, Lasenza & others at heavily discounted prices. Exhibitors are now gearing up to meet the weekend rush.
“This is the first mega shopping sale of this year in Sharjah and Northern Emirates and a great opportunity for residents to take home the best of the brands at a fraction of the actual cost. Besides, with discounts as high as 80% from leading retailers in the country, there is no better time than now to indulge in some much-needed retail therapy for residents,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.
Expo Centre Sharjah has lined up leading names in the retail sector to present the largest showcase of exciting products for the winter season and the ensuing summer. The fair not only offers an opportunity to take advantage of the finest deals on fashion, accessories, home appliances, smartphones and electronics, but visitors can also check out the latest trends and new launches.
“The CEF has established itself as one of the most sought-after mega sale events for consumer electronics and fashion products in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates within a short span of time. And, most of the major retail players in the region make it a point to take part in the event, thus send the popularity of the event soaring among residents and visitors,” said Jacob Varghese, General manager of Liz Exhibition, event partner at Big Sale, exhibition.
This time, the event has brought together retailers like Home style, Clarks, Al Mandoos, and Top Fashion, to name just a few, and brands like Fila, Lacoste, Skechers, Gant, Lasenza etc The Consumer Electronics Fashion – The Big Sale 2021 is open from 11 am to 11 pm for trade and general visitors.
Remote working becomes distributed working– For the past year, most of us have been working, which is working outside of the offices. But as more offices reopen, it’s unlikely that everyone will simply head back to the office each day. What’s most likely is distributed working, which refers to how individuals and teams work across many locations (including the office) becomes the norm. Since many organizations have learned that their workers can, in fact, be trusted to be productive in almost any location, expect that workers will have the freedom to when and where they’d like for the forseeable future.
Offices reopen, but with more breathing room (phew!)– You know what’s not very popular during a pandemic? Sitting three feet from someone else trying to do their work. And guess what? It wasn’t very popular before the pandemic either. As distributed working becomes more normalized, expect the pressure to “densify” office floors with lots of small desks to be reduced – and for offices to gain some metaphorical and literal breathing room in the future.
Workplace wellness takes on a new meaning– Whereas physical ergonomics has always mattered to those with bad backs, eye strain, or carpel tunnel, the world is beginning to realize just how critical our places of work are to our cognitive and social health as well. Look for organizations to place a renewed emphasis on the workplace as a destination for socialization and culture building, along with quiet areas to focus and escape stress.
Facilities meets marketing– As employers offer people more autonomy to choose when and where they’d like to work, the office will increasingly be viewed as an “on-demand” resource. To better support positive employee experiences and ensure a good return on real estate investments, facilities teams will dial up the desirability of their spaces, focusing on understanding employee needs and offering positive experiences to keep employees happy and healthy.
Power to the people! End-user control becomes a priority– Since peoples’ work patterns have so drastically shifted in 2020, the tasks of designing future spaces can no longer easily be based upon past behaviors. As a means of embracing this uncertainty, and ensuring future flexibility, spaces will be designed to maximize end-user control, putting the power to adapt it in the hands of the employees with furniture, technology and even architecture that can be easily changed.
Fewer meetings; more chatting– collaboration technologies offer teams several ways to interact – posting in Teams or Slack channels, chatting via instant messaging, or in video meetings – and most of us have had enough video meetings to last us a long while. As teams become more comfortable with asynchronous collaboration (connecting at different times throughout the day rather than having everyone meeting simultaneously) and as reopened offices allow for more informal dialogue, our video fatigue will finally be remedied.
“Tier 2” cities start to pop– Big cities are awesome, but they’re also expensive and difficult to navigate for those commuting in from more affordable suburbs. As distributed working becomes more common, expect people to migrate towards more affordable locations that offer big-city amenities, which will provide new economic growth opportunities for these “tier 2” cities.
Work from home experiences get better– While most people enjoy the chance to work from home a few days a week, most of us didn’t enjoy being forced into exclusively working from home with little preparation. Look for those WFH experiences to improve as employers provide high-quality ergonomic seating, sit-to-stand desks, and critical technologies to employees for their homes. Reopened offices and coworking spaces will provide additional options for workers, and the reopening of schools will lessen the need for employees to simultaneously juggle working and parenting.
Outdoor work (and bringing the outdoors in) accelerate– One of the silver linings of working through a global pandemic is that many people rediscovered the physical, mental and emotional benefits of being outside. Look for both individuals and organizations to embrace outdoor working as a regular work experience and for the interior design of spaces to be inspired or mimic the great outdoors (what’s known as “biophilic” design).
Coworking comes to your block – The first wave of coworking may have had a few things wrong. Most spaces were located in the central business district of big cities and assumed that people would come in each day to work in an open environment with people from many companies. Instead, look for future coworking spaces to be located in residential centers, providing people the opportunity to escape down the road for an hour or a day when they need a time of focus or team interactions with nearby colleagues.
*By Ryan Anderson – Vice President – Global Insights and Research
Come see how to build a retaining wall. Our beautifully curved retaining wall features a top cap to make it more comfortable for sitting, steps for access to the garden, and a buried drain pipe for water runoff, plus a tip on how to keep spiders from moving in.
Finish the space with a DIY fire pit, a DIY patio table with built-in drink coolers, and some outdoor patio lights.
How to Build a Retaining Wall
using RumbleStone Rustic Building Blocks by Pavestone
We worked in partnership with Pavestone on this project. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy here.
Designing our small backyard for certain purposes made the yard feel bigger and made it much more usable! We strongly suggest you draw out a final plan for your yard so that you will love it as much as we love ours!
Here’s our sketch of the entire back yard plan:
In the design, the retaining wall is right in the middle, wrapping around an existing pear tree with a fire pit nearby. These are two of the main architectural elements that we will see out our kitchen window. The fire pit is laid out to be centered to the existing pear tree and the window of the house.
As we worked on the patio project, I started to do some research on how to build a retaining wall we would love.
A major selling point was that I would be able to build the raised garden bed to the shape of my design and have a matching fire pit to go with it. Perfect!
How to Build a Retaining Wall: Materials
The dimensions of our retaining wall are
48 square face feet (meaning the front of the wall that is exposed)
32 feet long
19 inches high (including the cap)
14″ wide
The wall has three curves and has a small set of three steps that take you up to the bigger garden area. This required:
(5) Pallets of RumbleStone Block – Sierra Blend Color – I used a total of five different block sizes and types: three different rectangle sizes, squares, and trapezoids.
(15) Construction Adhesive (30 oz. bottles) – For bonding the blocks together to prevent movement.
Because I was building a 19″ high wall that will double as a bench for seating and because it will hold some soil pressure on the back side, I needed to keep the water from flowing through the wall. I installed a drain pipe as well, which required:
(30′) of 3″ Drain Pipe – Drains water away from the wall at the base.
(1) cubic yard of Gravel – For back filling over the top of the drain pipe.
Metal Straight Edge – marking lines for cutting blocks
Wax Pencil – marking lines for cutting blocks
Tape Measure – measuring the cuts
How to Build a Retaining Wall: Step by Step Process
1. Prep the base
When I poured the patio, I made sure that I added rebar to the concrete on the edges, to give it extra strength to hold the additional weight of the wall. This gave me the perfect flat surface to glue the block wall to.
If you are installing the wall on a different surface, follow the installation instructions from Pavestone to prep the base.
2. Drain pipe and base layer of blocks
Before I started laying the block in place I connected the drain pipe and laid it next to the concrete patio where I had cut out the soil to fit the pipe.
This is where the drain pipe starts at the house and works its way to the lawn. (Picture taken after a few layers of the wall were down, sorry!)
Then I started off with the base layer of trapezoids, squares and large rectangles.
Once I laid out the first layer, I checked that the wall shape looked good and I made sure that the radius of the curves were as true as I could (using a central point and a string to curve it out perfectly).
I chose to use all larger blocks to give the retaining wall a very solid base. I then applied a good amount of construction adhesive to each block and flipped it over in place.
(Smiley faces are not required, but were appreciated by my little girls. Also, this picture was taken a few rows into the project!)
3. Let the base cure, then get to work!
After the base was glued down and cured for a couple of days. I worked on the next layer. The entire wall took me about three weeks to do by myself.
I worked on it when I could, about 2-4 hours at a time for the most part. I was okay with that. It gave me time to get it done just the way I wanted it.
With a few layers down, you can see how I used alternating block shapes to keep the joints from lining up between each layer of block. This makes it stronger and it looks a lot better.
I also tried not to create a repeated pattern, but randomly alternated how the little blocks were placed in each layer.
4. Back-fill with gravel
When the retaining wall gets tall enough, back-fill the gravel over the drain pipe.
5. Stairs
The stairs were a little tricky. I decided to keep the drain pipe going under the first step. I had to make sure that the slope of the pipe would remain so it would still drain water. Luckily it did and I was able to hide the pipe under the second stair with no problem.
I cut back the soil where the stairs would go up, taking out a little extra for room to work. After that I poured in a 2″ layer of gravel for the base of the block to sit on. This way I was able to level it perfectly.
I decided to try and use our trusty little tile saw to cut the top of the stairs to the right shape.
They are 1 1/2″ thick, twice as thick as my little saw could handle. In order to cut it all the way through, I had to cut one side then flip it over and cut the other side.
I had to cut the block without the guard and this is what happened. It sprayed all over me. Cassity thought that it looked SO funny and had to take a picture of it.
It took me 4 hours to get the first step blocks cut to shape. That was way too long. I went out and rented a bigger saw!
Here are some progress shots of the steps going in.
Here they are all cut and in place.
6. Continue with the layers
Using the same process as before, build on layers. Stop when you’ve reached your desired height.
Near the end of the wall, I had to make sure the front AND back of the wall looked good. Due to the slope of the flower garden area, both sides of the wall will be seen here. I like how it turned out!
7. Keep out the spiders!
Because of the curved design, there were gaps left between the trapezoid pieces. Cassity had a great idea to fill the holes with the gravel to help prevent spiders from moving in. The last thing she wanted was to sit on the nice new wall and have a spider crawl out! I actually found three black widow spiders that had moved in just after a few days of building the wall. Thanks, honey, for the great idea to keep them out!
We used a cup to transport a bit of gravel and pour it into the spaces and a hand broom to sweep the gravel into all the spaces.
At this point with five layers, I was ready for the cap pieces.
8. The top cap
A cap will cover up all the gravel holes and make a nice finished place for sitting. We decided to add a small 1″ lip to the cap for dimension. It worked out perfectly to cut a long rectangle in half for the pattern to work. This saved us from having to buy more blocks. Awesome!
Because of the curved design, I had to cut each side of the block to make it a trapezoid. This took a lot of time, but it was well worth the final look. I also hammered the cut edge to make it rough so it matched the “rustic” tumbled edges of the Pavestone blocks.
I rented a paver saw for a day and it took me the WHOLE day to cut all the cap pieces: 8 am to 9 pm! I think I got my money’s worth.
9. Corner Platforms
We added two raised corner platforms on either side of the stairs.
They make the perfect place for a potted plant!
We are in LOVE with this space after all we have done, including the fire pit we built with matching blocks.
Our backyard was pretty basic but now it’s beautiful and we spend as much time there as we can!
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First published 19 Sept 2013 // Last updated 29 Jan 2021
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Filed Under: *Our Projects, Build, Canyon House, DIY, How To, Informative, Landscape, TutorialsTagged: backyard, Canyon House Yard, landscape, stone, wall, yard
