The Pavilion is a contemporary outdoor living addition to a Federation house in Roseville, NSW. The existing house sits on a 1550sqm block of land and is a substantial renovated two storey family home. The 900sqm north facing rear yard slopes gently down from the back of the house and is framed by mature deciduous trees. The client wanted to create something special “out the back”, to replace an old timber pergola and update the pebblecrete pool, surrounded by uneven brick paving and tubular pool fencing. After years living in Asia, the client’s vision was for a year round, comfortable outdoor living space; shaded from the hot Australian sun, protected from the rain, and warmed by an outdoor fireplace and heaters during the cooler Sydney months. The result is large outdoor living room, which provides generous space for year round outdoor living and entertaining and connects the house to both the pool and the deep back yard. The Pavilion at Roseville is a new in-between space, blurring the distinction between inside and out. It celebrates the contemporary culture of outdoor living, gathering friends & family outside, around the bbq, pool and hearth.

AquaTerra Outdoors was hired to bring life to the outdoors of the new home. When it came time to design the space we were challenged with the tight space of the backyard. We worked through the concepts and we were able to incorporate a new pool with spa, custom water feature wall, Ipe wood deck, outdoor kitchen, custom steel and Ipe wood shade arbor and fire pit. We also designed and installed all the landscaping including the custom steel planter. Photography: Wade Griffith

Design ideas for a large contemporary backyard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, concrete slab and no cover.

Unlimited Style Photography
Photo of a small contemporary backyard patio in Los Angeles with a fire feature and a pergola.

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.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard patio in Dallas with a fire feature and a roof extension.

Inspiration for a contemporary patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, concrete slab and a roof extension.

Trent Teigen
This is an example of an expansive contemporary backyard patio in Los Angeles with a fire feature, tile and a roof extension.

Michele Lee Willson Photography
Design ideas for a contemporary backyard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature.

Photo of a small contemporary patio in London with a fire feature, tile and no cover.

Using walls and steps, we transformed this steep backyard hill into multi-level patio spaces perfect for entertaining
Expansive contemporary backyard patio in Boston with a fire feature and concrete pavers.

Backyard Deck Design
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard patio in Los Angeles with a fire feature and a pergola.

Bluestone Pavers, custom Teak Wood banquette with cement tile inlay, Bluestone firepit, custom outdoor kitchen with Teak Wood, concrete waterfall countertop with Teak surround.

This is an example of a contemporary backyard patio in San Diego with a fire feature and concrete slab.

Inspiration for a contemporary backyard patio in San Diego with a fire feature, concrete slab and no cover.

Simon Orchard Garden Design
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard patio in Surrey with a fire feature, decking and no cover.

This beautiful home and landscape design are centered around family gatherings and luxury entertainment. The design is full of exquisite amenities such as: a large pool and spa veneered with custom tile throughout, an elaborate outdoor kitchen with swim up bar, a luxury outdoor shower, fire water features, gorgeous sunken fire pit, travertine decks, beautiful landscaping, while highlighted by amazing LED lighting throughout. Bill at White Strobe Photography

Cool & Contemporary is the vibe our clients were seeking out. Phase 1 complete for this El Paso Westside project. Consistent with the homes architecture and lifestyle creates a space to handle all occasions. Early morning coffee on the patio or around the firepit, smores, drinks, relaxing, reading & maybe a little dancing. Cedar planks set on raw steel post create a cozy atmosphere. Sitting or laying down on cushions and pillows atop the smooth buff leuders limestone bench with your feet popped up on the custom gas firepit. Raw steel veneer, limestone cap and stainless steel fire fixtures complete the sleek contemporary feels. Concrete steps & path lights beam up and accentuates the focal setting. To prep for phase 2, ground cover pathways and areas are ready for the new outdoor movie projector, more privacy, picnic area, permanent seating, landscape and lighting to come.

Large contemporary backyard patio in Dallas with a fire feature, decking and an awning.