A Palm Springs inspired, arid garden provides a beautiful backdrop to this stunning modern home by Latitude 37 Homes. The courtyard swimming pool is wrapped on all sides by the home with large window walls providing views at every angle. Succulents provide accent against the pavement and boundary walls.

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular pool in Geelong with natural stone pavers.

Rear External Elevation with Outdoor Living and Tiled Swimming Pool.
Photo of a large contemporary pool in Brisbane.

Landscape design & construction by Bayon Gardens // Photography by Tim Turner
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard rectangular infinity pool in Melbourne with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Our clients approached us to transform their urban backyard into an outdoor living space that would provide them with plenty of options for outdoor dining, entertaining, and soaking up the sun while complementing the modern architectural style of their Virginia Highlands home. Challenged with a small “in-town” lot and strict city zoning requirements, we maximized the space by creating a custom, sleek, geometric swimming pool and flush spa with decorative concrete coping, a large tanning ledge with loungers and a seating bench that runs the entire width of the pool. The raised beam features a dramatic wall of sheer descent waterfalls and adds a spectacular design element to this contemporary pool and backyard retreat. An outdoor kitchen, complete with streamlined aluminum outdoor cabinets, gray concrete countertops, custom vent hood, built in grill, sink, storage and Big Green Egg sits at one end of the covered patio and a lounge area with an outdoor fireplace, TV, and casual seating sits at the other end. A custom built in bar and beverage station with matching raw concrete countertops provides additional entertainment space and storage when hosting larger parties and get togethers. The bluestone patio and cedar tongue and groove ceiling add a luxurious feel to the space. Overlooking the pool is a stylish and comfortable outdoor dining area that is the perfect gathering spot for al fresco dining and a welcome respite from city living. The minimalist landscape design and natural looking artificial grass is modern and low maintenance and blends in beautifully with this artfully designed outdoor sanctuary.

Photo of a large traditional indoor custom-shaped pool in Nashville with a hot tub and concrete pavers.

The client's came to us wanting a design that was going to open up their small backyard and give them somewhere for their family to enjoy and entertain for many years to come. This project presented many technical challenges due to the levels required to comply with various building regulations. Clever adaptations such privacy screens, floating deck entry and hidden pool gate behind the raised feature wall were all design elements that make this project more suitable to the smaller area. The main design feature that was a key to the functionality of this pool was the raised infinity edge, with the pool wall designed to comply with current pool barrier standards. With no pool fence between the pool and house the space appears more open with the noise of the water falling over the edge into a carefully concealed balance tank adding a very tranquil ambience to the outdoor area. With the accompanying fire pit and sitting area, this space not only looks amazing but is functional all year round and the low maintenance fully automated pool cleaning system provides easy operation and maintenance.

The homeowner of this traditional home requested a traditional pool and spa with a resort-like style and finishes. AquaTerra was able to create this wonderful outdoor environment with all they could have asked for. While the pool and spa may be simple on the surface, extensive planning went into this environment to incorporate the intricate deck pattern. During site layout and during construction, extreme attention to detail was required to make sure nothing compromised the precise deck layout. The pool is 42'x19' and includes a custom water feature wall, glass waterline tile and a fully tiled lounge with bubblers. The separate spa is fully glass tiled and is designed to be a water feature with custom spillways when not in use. LED lighting is used in both the pool and spa to create dramatic lighting that can be enjoyed at night. The pool/spa deck is made of 2'x2' travertine stones, four to a square, creating a 4'x4' grid that is rotated 45 degrees in relation to the pool. In between all of the stones is synthetic turf that ties into the synthetic turf putting green that is adjacent to the deck. Underneath all of this decking and turf is a concrete sub-deck to support and drain the entire system. Finishes and details that increase the aesthetic appeal for project include: -All glass tile spa and spa basin -Travertine deck -Tiled sun lounge with bubblers -Custom water feature wall -LED lighting -Synthetic turf This traditional pool and all the intricate details make it a perfect environment for the homeowners to live, relax and play! Photography: Daniel Driensky

Pool oasis in Atlanta with large deck. The pool finish is Pebble Sheen by Pebble Tec, the dimensions are 8' wide x 50' long. The deck is Dasso XTR bamboo decking.

This tranquil and relaxing pool and spa in Fort Lauderdale is the perfect backyard retreat! With deck jets, wood deck area and pergola area for lounging, it's the luxurious elegance you have been waiting for!

Photo of a mid-sized modern backyard rectangular pool in Dallas with a water feature and decking.

A couple by the name of Claire and Dan Boyles commissioned Exterior Worlds to develop their back yard along the lines of a French Country garden design. They had recently designed and built a French Colonial style house. Claire had been very involved in the architectural design, and she communicated extensively her expectations for the landscape. The aesthetic we ultimately created for them was not a traditional French country garden per se, but instead was a variation on the symmetry, color, and sense of formality associated with this design. The most notable feature that we added to the estate was a custom swimming pool installed just to the rear of the home. It emphasized linearity, complimentary right angles, and it featured a luxury spa and pool fountain. We built the coping around the pool out of limestone, and we used concrete pavers to build the custom pool patio. We then added French pottery in various locations around the patio to balance the stonework against the look and structure of the home. We added a formal garden parallel to the pool to reflect its linear movement. Like most French country gardens, this design is bordered by sheered bushes and emphasizes straight lines, angles, and symmetry. One very interesting thing about this garden is that it is consist entirely of various shades of green, which lends itself well to the sense of a French estate. The garden is bordered by a taupe colored cedar fence that compliments the color of the stonework. Just around the corner from the back entrance to the house, there lies a double-door entrance to the master bedroom. This was an ideal place to build a small patio for the Boyles to use as a private seating area in the early mornings and evenings. We deviated slightly from strict linearity and symmetry by adding pavers that ran out like steps from the patio into the grass. We then planted boxwood hedges around the patio, which are common in French country garden design and combine an Old World sensibility with a morning garden setting. We then completed this portion of the project by adding rosemary and mondo grass as ground cover to the space between the patio, the corner of the house, and the back wall that frames the yard. This design is derivative of those found in morning gardens, and it provides the Boyles with a place where they can step directly from their bedroom into a private outdoor space and enjoy the early mornings and evenings. We further develop the sense of a morning garden seating area; we deviated slightly from the strict linear forms of the rest of the landscape by adding pavers that ran like steps from the patio and out into the grass. We also planted rosemary and mondo grass as ground cover to the space between the patio, the corner of the house, and the back wall that borders this portion of the yard. We then landscaped the front of the home with a continuing symmetry reminiscent of French country garden design. We wanted to establish a sense of grand entrance to the home, so we built a stone walkway that ran all the way from the sidewalk and then fanned out parallel to the covered porch that centers on the front door and large front windows of the house. To further develop the sense of a French country estate, we planted a small parterre garden that can be seen and enjoyed from the left side of the porch. On the other side of house, we built the Boyles a circular motorcourt around a large oak tree surrounded by lush San Augustine grass. We had to employ special tree preservation techniques to build above the root zone of the tree. The motorcourt was then treated with a concrete-acid finish that compliments the brick in the home. For the parking area, we used limestone gravel chips. French country garden design is traditionally viewed as a very formal style intended to fill a significant portion of a yard or landscape. The genius of the Boyles project lay not in strict adherence to tradition, but rather in adapting its basic principles to the architecture of the home and the geometry of the surrounding landscape. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

Minimalist contemporary detailing within this spa room in Cornwall, with a below ground hot-tub clad in slate, with white horizontal wall panelling and a vintage bench.

Poolside at backyard Landscape design by Meg Rushing Coffee Photo by Dan Arnold
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular lap pool in Los Angeles with concrete slab.

Gieves Anderson Photography
Photo of a large beach style backyard pool in Nashville with a pool house.

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern rectangular aboveground pool in Salt Lake City with a pool house.

Stephen Dunn
Photo of a small tropical backyard custom-shaped lap pool in Miami with a water feature and tile.

The owners of this pool house wanted a bright, airy and modern structure. It features a bathroom and a large space for entertaining and relaxing. A vaulted ceiling and oversized sliding glass doors bring the outdoors inside. Ceramic tile flooring is durable and enhances the contemporary, minimalistic vibe of the space.

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern backyard l-shaped lap pool in New York with a hot tub and concrete pavers.