Jeri Koegel
Design ideas for a large contemporary backyard patio in Orange County with a fire feature, concrete pavers and a roof extension.

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.

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

Naturalist, hot tub with flagstone, Stone Fire Pit, adirondack chairs make a great outdoor living space. Holly Lepere
Photo of a country backyard patio in Santa Barbara with a fire feature and natural stone pavers.

Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, no cover and tile.

Mark Compton
Photo of a large transitional backyard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, natural stone pavers and a pergola.

Marion Brenner Photography
This is an example of a large modern front yard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature and natural stone pavers.

The infinity-edge swimming pool, which measures 40 by 60 feet, was designed so that water flows toward a crackling fire pit in this complete backyard entetainment space.

Large raised firepit is made of Lannon stone with bluestone capping. Circular patio base is bluestone. Shade loving perennials include pachysandra ground cover, hostas, astilbe, and a specimen maple tree. Photo by Russell and Terra Jenkins

Jason Wells
Large contemporary side yard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, concrete pavers and no cover.

Expansive country backyard patio in Other with a fire feature, concrete slab and a roof extension.

Expansive traditional front yard patio in Phoenix with no cover and a fire feature.

The outdoor pavilion with a cantilevered roof provides protection and style for the alfresco entertainment lounge. A contemporary sectional, loveseat and coffee table from Patio Rennaisance create the perfect relaxation spot to take in the dramatic television wall. Cladded with Norstone stone veneer and glass tile insert, the television wall features four 50” televisions. The sights and sounds of this high tech lounge can also be enjoyed from the hearth area. Photography by Joe Traina

Giovanni Photography
Large mediterranean backyard patio in Miami with a fire feature, tile and a roof extension.

This project reimagines an under-used back yard in Portland, Oregon, creating an urban garden with an adjacent writer’s studio. Taking inspiration from Japanese precedents, we conceived of a paving scheme with planters, a cedar soaking tub, a fire pit, and a seven-foot-tall cedar fence. A maple tree forms the focal point and will grow to shade the yard. Photo: Anna M Campbell: annamcampbell.com

James Kruger, LandMark Photography Interior Design: Martha O'Hara Interiors Architect: Sharratt Design & Company
Inspiration for a large traditional backyard patio in Minneapolis with decking, a roof extension and a fire feature.

Inspiration for an expansive mediterranean backyard patio in San Francisco with a fire feature, tile and a pergola.

Pro-Land was hired to execute this contemporary landscape that was designed by Mark Pettes of MDP Landscape Consultants Limited. Pro-Land managed and constructed both the front and back landscapes. High end materials and clean lines integrated well with the design of the newly built home designed by Richard Wengle Architect. Awarded a 2014 Landscape Ontario award of excellence.