Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury backyard rectangular lap pool in Brisbane with with privacy feature and tile.

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular pool in Geelong with natural stone pavers.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard patio in Dallas with an outdoor kitchen, stamped concrete and no cover.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional backyard patio in Tampa with an outdoor kitchen, stamped concrete and a gazebo/cabana.

We were contacted by a family named Pesek who lived near Memorial Drive on the West side of Houston. They lived in a stately home built in the late 1950’s. Many years back, they had contracted a local pool company to install an old lagoon-style pool, which they had since grown tired of. When they initially called us, they wanted to know if we could build them an outdoor room at the far end of the swimming pool. We scheduled a free consultation at a time convenient to them, and we drove out to their residence to take a look at the property. After a quick survey of the back yard, rear of the home, and the swimming pool, we determined that building an outdoor room as an addition to their existing landscaping design would not bring them the results they expected. The pool was visibly dated with an early “70’s” look, which not only clashed with the late 50’s style of home architecture, but guaranteed an even greater clash with any modern-style outdoor room we constructed. Luckily for the Peseks, we offered an even better landscaping plan than the one they had hoped for. We proposed the construction of a new outdoor room and an entirely new swimming pool. Both of these new structures would be built around the classical geometry of proportional right angles. This would allow a very modern design to compliment an older home, because basic geometric patterns are universal in many architectural designs used throughout history. In this case, both the swimming pool and the outdoor rooms were designed as interrelated quadrilateral forms with proportional right angles that created the illusion of lengthened distance and a sense of Classical elegance. This proved a perfect complement to a house that had originally been built as a symbolic emblem of a simpler, more rugged and absolute era. Though reminiscent of classical design and complimentary to the conservative design of the home, the interior of the outdoor room was ultra-modern in its array of comfort and convenience. The Peseks felt this would be a great place to hold birthday parties for their child. With this new outdoor room, the Peseks could take the party outside at any time of day or night, and at any time of year. We also built the structure to be fully functional as an outdoor kitchen as well as an outdoor entertainment area. There was a smoker, a refrigerator, an ice maker, and a water heater—all intended to eliminate any need to return to the house once the party began. Seating and entertainment systems were also added to provide state of the art fun for adults and children alike. We installed a flat-screen plasma TV, and we wired it for cable. The swimming pool was built between the outdoor room and the rear entrance to the house. We got rid of the old lagoon-pool design which geometrically clashed with the right angles of the house and outdoor room. We then had a completely new pool built, in the shape of a rectangle, with a rather innovative coping design. We showcased the pool with a coping that rose perpendicular to the ground out of the stone patio surface. This reinforced our blend of contemporary look with classical right angles. We saved the client an enormous amount of money on travertine by setting the coping so that it does not overhang with the tile. Because the ground between the house and the outdoor room gradually dropped in grade, we used the natural slope of the ground to create another perpendicular right angle at the end of the pool. Here, we installed a waterfall which spilled over into a heated spa. Although the spa was fed from within itself, it was built to look as though water was coming from within the pool. The ultimate result of all of this is a new sense of visual “ebb and flow,” so to speak. When Mr. Pesek sits in his couch facing his house, the earth appears to rise up first into an illuminated pool which leads the way up the steps to his home. When he sits in his spa facing the other direction, the earth rises up like a doorway to his outdoor room, where he can comfortably relax in the water while he watches TV. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

At the center of this oasis is a 1,000 square foot pool with multiple levels including walk-in steps and a cooling sun shelf. Totally encased in glistening glass tiles, the pool is highlighted with fire pots illuminating the area by Grand Effects. Photo by Jimi Smith Photography.

The homeowner wanted to create an enclosure around their built-in hot tub to add some privacy. The contractor, Husker Decks, designed a privacy wall with alternating materials. The aluminum privacy screen in 'River Rock' mixed with a horizontal wood wall in a rich stain blend to create a privacy wall that blends perfectly into the homeowner's backyard space and style.

Modern walkway design with concrete pavers and La Paz pebbles
Photo of a small modern backyard partial sun xeriscape in San Francisco.

Build out of the Meditation Hut next to the spa deck and gravel filled steps that lead into a recessed fire pit area. Photo by Ketti Kupper.
Design ideas for a small asian backyard partial sun xeriscape in Los Angeles with decking.

Design ideas for a large beach style backyard patio in Vancouver with decking and no cover.

Turning into the backyard, a two-tiered pergola and social space make for a grand arrival. Scroll down to the first "before" photo for a peek at what it looked like when we first did our site inventory in the snow. Design by John Algozzini and Kevin Manning.

Mid-sized traditional backyard patio in Chicago with a fire feature, natural stone pavers and no cover.

Large midcentury backyard rectangular aboveground pool in Toronto with a hot tub and decking.

Trex Deck By California Deck Builders
Photo of a large modern backyard deck in Los Angeles with a water feature and a roof extension.

California native slope saving plants and retaining wall create space for a colorful and comfortable outdoor living space. Photo: Orly Olivier
Inspiration for a modern backyard garden in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and gravel.

Frameless Pool fence and glass doors designed and installed by Frameless Impressions
Photo of a small modern backyard rectangular lap pool in Melbourne with decking.

This pergola draped in Wisteria over a Blue Stone patio is located at the home of Interior Designer Kim Hunkeler, located in central Massachusetts.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun garden for spring in Boston with natural stone pavers.

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Mid-sized traditional backyard patio in New York with an outdoor kitchen, concrete pavers and no cover.