Inspiration for a beach style deck in Seattle with a pergola.

The minimalistic design of the pool compliments the basic shape of the house. Close attention was paid to the details of the pool and surrounding deck. Photography Credit: Wade Griffith

We designed a semi covered seating area at the bottom of the garden - great for relaxing in the summer sunshine with friends and family.
Design ideas for a transitional backyard partial sun garden in London.

This is an example of a country two-storey black exterior in Other with wood siding and a gable roof.

A simplified farmhouse aesthetic was the direction chosen for the exterior. The front elevation is anchored by a heavy timber sitting porch which has views overlooking the paddock area. The gabled roof forms anchor the building to the field, offering dimension to the landscape on an otherwise flat site. .

Landscape Design: COS Design. Landscape Construction: ESJay Landscapes. Photos: Tim Turner Photography. Copyright COS Design. www.cosdesign.com.au
Large contemporary backyard patio in Melbourne.

The entry way of this home is grand yet simple and modern. The rich mahogany wood door and trellis pop against the elegant limestone and simple white concrete walkway. Planters full of drought tolerant native plants bring color and vibrancy adding a sense of drama as you ascend to the front door.

Country backyard deck in Boston with an awning.

Dennis Mayer Photography
Inspiration for a large traditional backyard deck in San Francisco with a pergola.

Design ideas for a mediterranean backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Orange County with a water feature.

Jerry Hayes
Traditional patio in Austin with concrete slab and a pergola.

Conceived as an empty-nesters paradise this house was designed as a series of pods to maximize the efficiency of the footprint and to celebrate the interrelationship of the interior and exterior spaces. Both indoor and outdoor living areas are promoted by the building’s harmonious relationship with the natural environment. The undulating form steps down the hillside to frame incredible views of the landscape and surrounding golf course from every point in the house and a combination of decks, bridges and patios encourage the residents to be outside. This line between in and out is further diffused by both the structure and the material palette’s movement across the exterior threshold, while the shading devices, trellises and large eves provide protection and privacy for year round use and enjoyment of the entire site. This residence is truly a deliberate response to both the owner’s lifestyle and their love of nature.

VERMONT CABIN Location: Jamaica, VT Completion Date: 2009 Size: 1,646 sf Typology: T Series Modules: 5 Boxes Program: o Bedrooms: 3 o Baths: 2 o Features: Media Room, Outdoor Fireplace, Outdoor Stone Terrace o Environmentally Friendly Features: Off Grid Home, 3kW Solar Photovoltaic System, Radiant Floor Heat Materials: o Exterior: Corrugated Metal Siding, Cedar Siding, Ipe Wood Decking, Cement Board Panels o Interior: Bamboo Flooring, Ceasarstone Countertops, Slate Bathroom Floors, Maple Cabinets, Aluminum Clad Wood Windows with Low E, Insulated Glass, Black Steel, Custom Baltic Birch Bench Project Description: Isolated in the Green Mountain National Forest of Vermont, this 1,650 sf prefab home is an escape for a retired Brooklyn couple. With no electric or cell phone service, this ‘Off-the-Grid’ home functions as the common gathering space for the couple, their three grown children and grandchildren to get away and spend quality time together. The client, an avid mushroom hunter and connoisseur, often transverses the 200 acre property for the delicacy, then returns to her home which rests on the top of the mini-mountain. With stunning views of nearby Stratton Mountain, the home is a ‘Head & Tail’ design, where the communal space is the ‘head’, and the private bar of bedrooms and baths forms the longer ‘tail’. Together they form an ‘L’, creating an outdoor terrace to capture the western sun and to enjoy the exterior fireplace which is clad in cement board panels, and radiates heat during the cool summer evenings. Just inside, is the expansive kitchen, living, and dining areas, perfect for preparing meals for their guests. This communal space is wrapped with a custom Baltic Birch bookshelf and window bench so one can soak up the south sun and view of the fern meadow and surrounding wilderness. With dark bamboo floors over radiant heating, and a wood-burning fireplace, the living area is as cozy as can be. The exterior is clad in a maintenance-free corrugated Corten Kynar painted metal panel system to withstand the harsh Vermont winters. Accents of cedar siding add texture and tie the strategically placed windows together. The home is powered by a 3,000 KwH solar array with a back-up generator in case the sun is hidden for an extended period of time. A hybrid insulation system, combining both a closed cell spray foam insulation and batt insulation, along with radiant floor heat ensures the home stays airtight and warm in the winter. Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz Project Architect: Justin Barnes Manufacturer: Simplex Industries Project Coordinator: Jason Drouse Engineer: Lynne Walshaw, P.E., Greg Sloditskie Contractor: Big Pine Builders, INC. Photographer: © RES4

Gridley + Graves Photographers BeDe Design
Inspiration for a mid-sized country verandah in Philadelphia with decking and a roof extension.

Robert Brantley
Photo of a mid-sized beach style backyard patio in Miami with a roof extension and concrete pavers.

photography by Nic Granleese
This is an example of a contemporary two-storey exterior in Melbourne with wood siding and a shed roof.

Photo of a contemporary backyard deck in San Francisco with a fire feature and an awning.

The bottom steel frame of the pergola removes the need for a center post - taking away any visual obstruction and maximizing the patio space. Photographer: Tyler Chartier

Nestled into sloping topography, the design of this home allows privacy from the street while providing unique vistas throughout the house and to the surrounding hill country and downtown skyline. Layering rooms with each other as well as circulation galleries, insures seclusion while allowing stunning downtown views. The owners' goals of creating a home with a contemporary flow and finish while providing a warm setting for daily life was accomplished through mixing warm natural finishes such as stained wood with gray tones in concrete and local limestone. The home's program also hinged around using both passive and active green features. Sustainable elements include geothermal heating/cooling, rainwater harvesting, spray foam insulation, high efficiency glazing, recessing lower spaces into the hillside on the west side, and roof/overhang design to provide passive solar coverage of walls and windows. The resulting design is a sustainably balanced, visually pleasing home which reflects the lifestyle and needs of the clients. Photography by Andrew Pogue