Landscape St. Louis, Inc.
This is an example of a large traditional backyard patio in St Louis with a fire feature, brick pavers and no cover.

This project combines high end earthy elements with elegant, modern furnishings. We wanted to re invent the beach house concept and create an home which is not your typical coastal retreat. By combining stronger colors and textures, we gave the spaces a bolder and more permanent feel. Yet, as you travel through each room, you can't help but feel invited and at home.

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.

Authentic wood fired pizza ovens that are preassembled and portable with a metal stand and optional wheels. Superior quality refractory ovens for the ultimate heating and cooking results. Delivered anywhere in Australia.

These homeowners wanted to maintain their home's existing tropical mediterranean vibes, so we enhanced their space with accenting multi-tone pavers. These paving stones are rich in color and texture, adding to the existing beauty of their home. Artificial turf was added in for drought tolerance and low maintenance. Landscape lighting flows throughout the front and the backyard. Lastly, they requested a water feature to be included on their private backyard patio for added relaxation and ambiance.

Backyard patio with sliding pocket doors and porcelain tile #buildboswell
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary side yard patio in Los Angeles with no cover and tile.

A formal patio mixes square cut bluestone with accents of brick in a diamond layout. Lisa Mierop
Photo of an expansive traditional backyard patio in New York with no cover and tile.

Entrance to a Mediterranean style courtyard with Moorish influence. Rustic wood antique gates open into a lush, brick-paved courtyard with plush outdoor furnishing and a carved fountain with hand-painted tiles. Photo Credit: Kirk Gittings

Photo taken by, Bernard Andre
Inspiration for a large backyard patio in San Francisco with a water feature, a pergola and tile.

The outdoor bar and living room is a statement with tongue and groove ceiling detail and stone columns, arches, and a stone bar. Photo by Spacecrafting

Builder: Denali Custom Homes - Architectural Designer: Alexander Design Group - Interior Designer: Studio M Interiors - Photo: Spacecrafting Photography

California Homes
Expansive mediterranean backyard patio in Los Angeles with tile and a roof extension.

Courtyard with blue and white pillows in Naples Florida home. This mediterranean style home has curved arches and exposed wood beams that create a cozy atmosphere for outdoor lounging to escape the sun while listening to the courtyard fountain. Project featured in House Beautiful & Florida Design. Interiors & Styling by Summer Thornton. Imagery by Brantley Photography.

French Villa features an outdoor patio space that consists of comfy patio seating for seven in black iron sofas and chairs with cream cushions. Decorated with black and white throw pillows and two coffee tables centers the space. A built-in fireplace acts as the focal point of the space. A freestanding console table sits behind the seating area for added decor & storage. Space overlooks the pool and staircase leading to rooftop.

Pasadena Transitional Style Italian Revival Loggia designed by On Madison. Photography by Grey Crawford.
This is an example of a mediterranean backyard patio in Los Angeles with no cover.

The seating area in front of the fireplace features an intricate handcrafted pebble mosaic carpet. Photo by Todor Spasov.
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean courtyard patio in Phoenix with a fire feature, tile and no cover.

Custom Luxury Courtyards for your Inspiration by Fratantoni Interior Designers. Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more inspiring photos!

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard patio in Houston with natural stone pavers and no cover.

Photo of an expansive country side yard patio in San Francisco with natural stone pavers and a pergola.