Photo of a large contemporary drought-tolerant and full sun backyard concrete paver landscaping in Orange County.

Rustic Style Fire Feature - Techo-Bloc's Valencia Fire Pit with custom caps.
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard concrete patio remodel in Charlotte with a fire pit

Striking Texas native botanical design with local river rock top dressing. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Outdoor Elements maximized the available space in this beautiful yard with a contemporary, rectangular pool complete with a large tanning deck and swim jet system. Mosaic glass-tile accents the spa and a shell stone deck and coping add to the contemporary feel. Behind the tanning deck, a large, up-lit, sheer-descent waterfall adds variety and elegance to the design. A lighted gazebo makes a comfortable seating area protected from the sun while a functional outdoor kitchen is nestled near the backdoor of the residence. Raised planters and screening trees add the right amount of greenery to the space.

This property has a wonderful juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements, which are unified by a natural planting scheme. Although the house is traditional, the client desired some contemporary elements, enabling us to introduce rusted steel fences and arbors, black granite for the barbeque counter, and black African slate for the main terrace. An existing brick retaining wall was saved and forms the backdrop for a long fountain with two stone water sources. Almost an acre in size, the property has several destinations. A winding set of steps takes the visitor up the hill to a redwood hot tub, set in a deck amongst walls and stone pillars, overlooking the property. Another winding path takes the visitor to the arbor at the end of the property, furnished with Emu chaises, with relaxing views back to the house, and easy access to the adjacent vegetable garden. Photos: Simmonds & Associates, Inc.

Landscape Logic created a very colorful but drought-tolerant and low-water use garden in the front yard. It has accent landscape lighting to showcase the plants and trees at night.

Inspiration for a large contemporary deck remodel in Los Angeles with a pergola

Photo of a small contemporary partial sun backyard stone flower bed in Other.

Elegant water feature surrounded by ornamental trees and grasses welcome visitors to the Bellevue home. Designed by Environmental Construction, Kirkland, WA

Inspiration for a small contemporary full sun and desert courtyard gravel landscaping in Los Angeles for summer.

This shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy. The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves. These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree. At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike. The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover. Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight. The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover. Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway. The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it. A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed. To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.

Mid-sized trendy backyard stone and rectangular lap hot tub photo in Houston

Lindsey Denny
Example of a large trendy backyard deck design in Kansas City with a fire pit and no cover

Pathways paved with crushed stone meander through this incredible space. We planted drought tolerant perennials; nepeta, euphorbia, pittosporum tobira wheelers dwarf, dymondia and lavender. Olive trees and Oaks surround this lovely garden.

This family wanted a contemporary structure that blended natural elements with with grays and blues. This is a unique structure that turned out beautifully. We went with powder coated 6x6 steel posts hiding all of the base and top plates creating a seamless transition between the structure and travertine flooring. Due to limitations on spacing we added a built-in granite table with matching powder coated steel frame. This created a unique look and practical application for dining seating. By adding a knee wall with cedar slats it created an intimate nook while keeping everything open. The modern fireplace and split style kitchen created a great use of space without making if feel crowded. Appliances: Fire Magic Diamond Echelon series 660 Grill RCS icemaker, 2 wine fridges and RCS storage doors and drawers 42” Heat Glo Dakota fireplace insert Cedar T&G ceiling clear coated with rope lighting Powder coated posts and granite table frame: Slate Gray Tile Selections: Accent Wall: Glass tile (Carisma Oceano Stick Glass Mosaic) Dark Tile: Prisma Griss Light Tile: Tessuto Linen Beige White Flooring: Light Ivory Travertine 3cm granite: Light: Santa Cecilia Dark: Midnight Grey Kitchen Appliances: 30" Fire Magic Diamond Series Echelon 660 2 - RCS wine fridges RCS storage doors and drawers Fire Place: 36" Dakota heat glo insert TK Images

Marion Brenner Photography
Example of a large trendy front yard tile patio design in San Francisco with no cover

This inviting space features a decorative concrete patio with a custom concrete fire pit and Ipe floating bench. The lush landscaping and cedar privacy fence provides a tranquil setting for city living.

Copyright Protected by: Lori Brookes Photography
Patio kitchen - small contemporary backyard concrete paver patio kitchen idea in San Diego with no cover

Outdoor Elements maximized the available space in this beautiful yard with a contemporary, rectangular pool complete with a large tanning deck and swim jet system. Mosaic glass-tile accents the spa and a shell stone deck and coping add to the contemporary feel. Behind the tanning deck, a large, up-lit, sheer-descent waterfall adds variety and elegance to the design. A lighted gazebo makes a comfortable seating area protected from the sun while a functional outdoor kitchen is nestled near the backdoor of the residence. Raised planters and screening trees add the right amount of greenery to the space.