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.

Photo: Hoi Ning Wong © 2014 Houzz
Design ideas for a mid-century modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Emma Almendarez
This is an example of a small mediterranean drought-tolerant and partial sun front yard mulch landscaping in San Diego for summer.

A custom cedar 6' privacy fence w/ welded steel mesh surrounds this small urban backyard while Clematis Armandii (Armand's Evergreen Clematis) helps screen views from the street.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard brick landscaping in Minneapolis.

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Inspiration for a large farmhouse full sun backyard river rock and wood fence landscaping in Nashville with a fire pit for spring.

Modern Courtyard integrated with home style, view corridors and flow patterns. Concrete has sand finish, artificial turf is installed between the pavers, IPE deck tiles used for dining area and restoration hardware fire pit was used.

Inspiration for a large industrial full sun front yard brick landscaping in Miami for summer.

Inspiration for a large mediterranean full sun courtyard stone landscaping in San Francisco.

Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in San Francisco.

This is an example of a modern full sun front yard concrete paver garden path in Seattle for fall.

Estate landscaping with long driveway, and new Pool with new bluestone paving all designed and installed by Rob Hill, landscape architect-contractor . The outdoor pool pavilion designed by Friehauf architects. This is a 7 acre estate with equestrian area, stone walls terracing and cottage garden traditional landscaping

Design ideas for a large transitional full sun backyard gravel outdoor sport court in Austin.

The 1,750-square foot Manhattan Beach bungalow is home to two humans and three dogs. Originally built in 1929, the bungalow had undergone various renovations that convoluted its original Moorish style. We gutted the home and completely updated both the interior and exterior. We opened the floor plan, rebuilt the ceiling with reclaimed hand-hewn oak beams and created hand-troweled plaster walls that mimicked the construction and look of the original walls. We also rebuilt the living room fireplace by hand, brick-by-brick, and replaced the generic roof tiles with antique handmade clay tiles. We returned much of this 3-bed, 2-bath home to a more authentic aesthetic, while adding modern touches of luxury, like radiant-heated floors, bi-fold doors that open from the kitchen/dining area to a large deck, and a custom steam shower, with Moroccan-inspired tile and an antique mirror. The end result is evocative luxury in a compact space.

This is an example of a large transitional drought-tolerant and full sun front yard gravel garden path in San Diego.

Sean Papich
Design ideas for a farmhouse landscaping in Boston.

Close up of concrete slabs surrounded with Mexican Beach Pebble
This is an example of a mid-sized modern full sun front yard concrete paver driveway in San Francisco.

The perfect drive gate idea by Illusions Vinyl Fence. Show here are custom drive gates with arched Classic Victorian Pickets on top. Also shown are 8" x 8" Majestic PVC vinyl posts and custom New England Post caps with Coachman Caps glued on to the top of them. Perfect for any backyard setting where you need to access the back yard through the fence. Also available in 35 colors and 6 woodgrains.