Outdoor Courtyard Design Ideas

Photo of a tropical courtyard rectangular lap pool in Sydney.

Pilcher Residential
Photo of a contemporary courtyard patio in Sydney with no cover.

Design ideas for a contemporary courtyard partial sun garden in Sunshine Coast.

Diesel's House started with a very simple brief for a "U-shaped" house to provide privacy from neighbouring houses, bring the outdoors in, and have the informality, quirkiness and fun of a 1960's beach house. By wrapping the house around a courtyard on three sides and having a covered deck to the north, all rooms open onto a private outdoor green space. Views expand across the courtyard to the back yard and sky making spaces feel very generous. The house captures sea breezes in Summer and the sun in Winter; the occupants are comfortably connected to the time of day, the seasons and their environment. Passive solar design, natural ventilation supplemented by ceiling fans, solar energy and rainwater capture, and reuse of building materials all act to reduce environmental footprint. Diesel's house demonstrates that a suburban house in a subtropical climate does not have to be "heavy" on the environment.

Sunken courtyard
This is an example of a small contemporary courtyard partial sun garden for summer in Brisbane with natural stone pavers.

Design ideas for a large contemporary courtyard patio in Sydney with a vertical garden, concrete pavers and no cover.

Chris Snook
This is an example of an industrial courtyard partial sun garden in London with a garden path.

Inspiration for a traditional courtyard patio in Other with a fire feature.

tuscany architecture by Friehauf associates, with all exterior landscape planning and installation by Rob Hill, Hill's landscapes - Cameron Flagstone, italian cypress, pizza oven, vanishing edge pool, olive trees

Historic Boston rises above a contemporary private courtyard in the city’s South End. Steel-framed, whitewashed fir walls enclose a vibrant, durable garden. Innovative storage solutions make efficient use of limited space. Soothing geometric patterns visually extend the volume of the courtyard, and bright plantings punctuate the landscape. Native moss joints create a soft, porous carpet between antique cobblestones. A salvaged Maine granite pier rises from the earth to form the pedestal of a table—the centerpiece of the garden. Interior and exterior spaces blend to expand urban living.

A dark backyard was given a new life with dramatic additions of built in planting beds, custom cut salvaged pavers, green screen trellis and a ton of charm. The reclaimed barn doors add a focal point to the east wall while the custom built two-tier planting system allows vines to fill this garden which spans two floors of the client's home.

Photo of a large contemporary courtyard patio in Phoenix with tile, no cover and with fireplace.

This is an example of a contemporary courtyard patio in London with a vertical garden and concrete slab.

Photo of an asian courtyard garden in Kyoto.

Bridge floating over a 48 linear feet long pond connecting main entrance to driveway
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary courtyard patio in Toronto with a water feature, gravel and a pergola.

Large mediterranean courtyard full sun formal garden in San Francisco with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Photos by Katrine Mardini
Photo of a contemporary courtyard patio in Sydney.

Lola Interiors, Interior Design | East Coast Virtual Tours, Photography
Design ideas for a small transitional courtyard rectangular pool in Jacksonville with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Inspiration for a contemporary courtyard formal garden in Melbourne with a garden path and gravel.

Traditional courtyard patio in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.