Patio of the Week: Porch, Pool and Pavilion for Backyard Play
An architect turns a basic Louisiana yard into a contemporary retreat for cooling off, lounging and playing games
A family of four in Metairie, Louisiana, had lived in their home for a while before they decided it was finally time to overhaul their backyard. The grassy plot, separated from the house by a small back porch, provided the homeowners with open outdoor space but offered few amenities and design features that encouraged them to get outside — and stay outside.
Working with architect Nathan Fell, the homeowners transformed their backyard to include an enlarged back porch, a new pool and an open-air pavilion — and lots of room where they could be active with their kids and gather with other families. The design team balanced creating a beautiful space that would enhance their suburban home and support the family’s functional needs — but wouldn’t require too much maintenance.
Working with architect Nathan Fell, the homeowners transformed their backyard to include an enlarged back porch, a new pool and an open-air pavilion — and lots of room where they could be active with their kids and gather with other families. The design team balanced creating a beautiful space that would enhance their suburban home and support the family’s functional needs — but wouldn’t require too much maintenance.
Before: The 1990s suburban home featured a small back porch and an expansive lawn. The yard offered little that encouraged the family to linger and therefore was very underutilized.
After: The remodeled and expanded back porch plays an important role in drawing the homeowners into the backyard. Through existing French doors, the home opens up onto the 375-square-foot porch, which overlooks the new pool and yard. “[The homeowners wanted it] to feel spacious and ample enough to inspire them to go outside,” Fell says.
In designing the porch, Fell aimed to create distinct architecture that stood out from the home but wouldn’t feel out of place. He used a simple gable roof design with a symmetrical form to relate to the house, but the dramatic material contrasts and thoughtful details help make the structure stand out. “The hope is that it’s contextual enough. It’s not just a spaceship that landed and attached itself to the back of the house,” Fell says. “It’s a balance between what’s expected, what’s conventional and what it can be.”
In designing the porch, Fell aimed to create distinct architecture that stood out from the home but wouldn’t feel out of place. He used a simple gable roof design with a symmetrical form to relate to the house, but the dramatic material contrasts and thoughtful details help make the structure stand out. “The hope is that it’s contextual enough. It’s not just a spaceship that landed and attached itself to the back of the house,” Fell says. “It’s a balance between what’s expected, what’s conventional and what it can be.”
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The porch’s soaring roofline opens up views to the backyard, allowing for more air circulation and elevating the space. “It makes a big impression on you as soon as you step outside,” Fell says about the cedar-clad vaulted ceiling. It’s not just the fact that you’re outside. It enhances the sensory perception of being outside.”
The porch features sheltered outdoor living and dining areas, complete with an outdoor TV and tiled accent wall. (There is storage behind the TV wall.) Exposed beams overhead are needed for wind load, and the architect used the opportunity to turn them into a design feature. “Rather than hide them and make them go away, we really tried to embrace them and show them off.”
The decking is ipe, a tropical hardwood Fell likes to use in outdoor projects due to its resistance to termites, rot and mold — all essential in Louisiana. “Anything exposed to the sun is ipe,” Fell says. Built-in ipe planters give the porch a softness and a sense of enclosure. “It feels outside but almost roomlike,” Fell says.
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The decking is ipe, a tropical hardwood Fell likes to use in outdoor projects due to its resistance to termites, rot and mold — all essential in Louisiana. “Anything exposed to the sun is ipe,” Fell says. Built-in ipe planters give the porch a softness and a sense of enclosure. “It feels outside but almost roomlike,” Fell says.
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Wide steps create a smooth transition from the porch down to the main yard, where a rectangular pool (15 feet by 25 feet) welcomes visitors. The pool itself is 8 feet deep, and the dark plaster finish creates a cooling vibe that makes it appear much deeper.
The homeowners knew they wanted the pool to be a place where people could hang out and cool off. “It wasn’t going to be for laps,” Fell says. “It’s more for play.” He included an integrated hot tub, bench seating and generous steps to accommodate plenty of pool lounging. “It’s set up so that people can relax in the hot tub and someone can do cannonballs,” the architect says.
Precast concrete pavers surround the pool, and concrete slab covers much of the yard. The homeowners wanted low-maintenance paving that would allow them to play yard games like foosball, table tennis and basketball. (An initial plan even included a basketball court, but space proved to be too tight.)
Porous gravel surrounds the perimeter and handles most of the yard’s drainage.
The homeowners knew they wanted the pool to be a place where people could hang out and cool off. “It wasn’t going to be for laps,” Fell says. “It’s more for play.” He included an integrated hot tub, bench seating and generous steps to accommodate plenty of pool lounging. “It’s set up so that people can relax in the hot tub and someone can do cannonballs,” the architect says.
Precast concrete pavers surround the pool, and concrete slab covers much of the yard. The homeowners wanted low-maintenance paving that would allow them to play yard games like foosball, table tennis and basketball. (An initial plan even included a basketball court, but space proved to be too tight.)
Porous gravel surrounds the perimeter and handles most of the yard’s drainage.
An outdoor pavilion allows everyone to linger and relax outside and features an outdoor kitchen and bar, lounge area, bathroom and storage spot for pool equipment. “It was about more than just having a pool and the cabana,” Fell says. “The cabana was key to keeping them outside.”
Ipe clads the structure’s exterior, and the roof is standing-seam metal. Fell says he likes to use a metal roof whenever he has the chance, as the durability perfectly suits the region and the aesthetics pair nicely with wood siding. “A lot of times the grays will draw out and amplify the natural colors of the wood,” he says.
Ipe clads the structure’s exterior, and the roof is standing-seam metal. Fell says he likes to use a metal roof whenever he has the chance, as the durability perfectly suits the region and the aesthetics pair nicely with wood siding. “A lot of times the grays will draw out and amplify the natural colors of the wood,” he says.
The outdoor kitchen features an eat-in bar topped with Caesarstone counters. The outdoor cooking amenities abound. “It’s loaded with everything from a pizza oven to a burner, egg grill, sink and multiple burners,” Fell says. Concrete accents the wall behind. The vaulted ceiling is ipe wood.
The pavilion, which also doubles as a lounge and covered game spot, enjoys a cooling breeze from the overhead ceiling fans. “We intentionally placed fans throughout both outdoor areas so that there would be ventilation created everywhere,” Fell says. Overhead lighting allows the family to enjoy the space into the night.
What to Know About Adding an Outdoor Kitchen
The pavilion, which also doubles as a lounge and covered game spot, enjoys a cooling breeze from the overhead ceiling fans. “We intentionally placed fans throughout both outdoor areas so that there would be ventilation created everywhere,” Fell says. Overhead lighting allows the family to enjoy the space into the night.
What to Know About Adding an Outdoor Kitchen
Who lives here: A couple and their two school-age sons
Location: Metairie, Louisiana
Size: 375-square-foot (34.8-square-meter) porch; 1,935-square-foot (179.8-square-meter) backyard
Architect: Nathan Fell Architecture
Builder: Chatagnier Construction
The homeowners are very active, and they wanted a low-maintenance outdoor space that would draw them outside and keep them entertained. “They wanted it to be a mingling space,” Fell says, complete with a pool, expanded porch and lots of open space to play and host other families.
When working with clients, Fell likes to address their practical needs by considering their requests in a larger context. “I’ll always show them an option that goes above and beyond meeting the functional requirements,” he says. In this case, that’s what the clients went with.
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