Patio of the Week: Stylish Outdoor Lounge and Exterior Refresh
An outdoor renovation at a San Diego midcentury home includes a new deck and shade structure plus dramatic colors
After living in their 1960s San Diego home for more than 10 years, this family was ready to make some changes. They enlisted designer Melissa Prevost to help them renovate their home inside and out. Prevost started with the underused outdoor areas, working with the family to transform them into stylish, functional and inviting spaces that better suit the family’s lifestyle.
The interior remodel is now underway, but the exterior renovation has already transformed how everyone enjoys their time there. “We love having friends and family over to hang out in our backyard and swim. The deck has become an extension of our home, and we are already making a lot of memories out there. We are very fortunate to be able to come home to a place that we love,” homeowner Debbie Terrell says.
The interior remodel is now underway, but the exterior renovation has already transformed how everyone enjoys their time there. “We love having friends and family over to hang out in our backyard and swim. The deck has become an extension of our home, and we are already making a lot of memories out there. We are very fortunate to be able to come home to a place that we love,” homeowner Debbie Terrell says.
After: That’s where designer Prevost stepped in. The renovation included a total refresh of the home’s exterior as well as a new pergola, windows and doors, decking, stucco, paint, railings, fencing, flatwork, a garage door and landscaping.
The hillside leading up to the house also got a makeover, but the homeowners tackled this mostly by themselves. “The hillside was covered in overgrown juniper. Over the past eight years, we worked hard to remove it and plant succulents, most of which were transplanted freebies from friends and neighbors,” Terrell says. The succulents thrive in San Diego’s dry, sunny climate and also do well on the property’s rocky terrain.
The homeowners also planted two drought-tolerant palo verde trees (Parkinsonia sp.) in the front yard; these will mature to provide more focal points for the front yard. A landscaper added some plantings as well.
Find a remodeling or design pro near you on Houzz
The hillside leading up to the house also got a makeover, but the homeowners tackled this mostly by themselves. “The hillside was covered in overgrown juniper. Over the past eight years, we worked hard to remove it and plant succulents, most of which were transplanted freebies from friends and neighbors,” Terrell says. The succulents thrive in San Diego’s dry, sunny climate and also do well on the property’s rocky terrain.
The homeowners also planted two drought-tolerant palo verde trees (Parkinsonia sp.) in the front yard; these will mature to provide more focal points for the front yard. A landscaper added some plantings as well.
Find a remodeling or design pro near you on Houzz
![Find Pro For More Ideas](https://st.hzcdn.com/static/adfiles/hire_pro_icon%402x.png)
Need a pro for your deck building project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Before: When the homeowners bought their home in 2008 from the original owners, it was painted a mauvy peach tone.
The exterior upgrade was a big part of the renovation, with the team balancing the home’s age with a modern feel. “The house is a midcentury-style home, so we wanted to be sure we incorporated design elements that complemented the architecture,” Prevost says. “I wanted to maintain the beautiful clean lines.”
The exterior upgrade was a big part of the renovation, with the team balancing the home’s age with a modern feel. “The house is a midcentury-style home, so we wanted to be sure we incorporated design elements that complemented the architecture,” Prevost says. “I wanted to maintain the beautiful clean lines.”
After: First, the team freshened up the exterior color. “We wanted a wow factor that was bold but not too out there or trendy,” Terrell says. The homeowners liked the idea of going dark, so Prevost had the exterior painted in Sherwin-Williams Thunder Gray, with the stucco siding matched to the shade.
To keep things from getting too moody, Prevost chose a lighter color for the home’s first story. “I was very excited the first time I saw the new color,” Terrell says. “Paint has a wonderful way to transform a space and instantly make it feel new again.” The team also added new black-framed windows. “The house has such a presence on the street,” Prevost says. “The house was just a pink blob up on the hill, and now when you turn a corner it’s stunning.”
A new garage door adds to the exterior transformation. Horizontal wood slatting below the deck warms up the house. It also screens off some of the unlandscaped areas under the house. This wood slatting matches the new fence in the front yard.
New metal railings were installed up to the front door and around the edge of the deck. New concrete stairs and poured-in-place planters better connect the driveway to the entry staircase.
Read more stories about choosing exterior paint colors
To keep things from getting too moody, Prevost chose a lighter color for the home’s first story. “I was very excited the first time I saw the new color,” Terrell says. “Paint has a wonderful way to transform a space and instantly make it feel new again.” The team also added new black-framed windows. “The house has such a presence on the street,” Prevost says. “The house was just a pink blob up on the hill, and now when you turn a corner it’s stunning.”
A new garage door adds to the exterior transformation. Horizontal wood slatting below the deck warms up the house. It also screens off some of the unlandscaped areas under the house. This wood slatting matches the new fence in the front yard.
New metal railings were installed up to the front door and around the edge of the deck. New concrete stairs and poured-in-place planters better connect the driveway to the entry staircase.
Read more stories about choosing exterior paint colors
Before: An existing deck off the house overlooking the driveway and front yard was old and didn’t suit the family’s outdoor living and entertaining needs.
First, Prevost wanted to understand how the homeowners envisioned using the space. “I always try to understand how the client functions in their home and what they need in their home,” she says.
“Ultimately, we came up with a lounge area and two dining areas,” she says. (One dining area isn’t shown in these photos.) Their budget didn’t allow for a grill area that was on their wish list.
First, Prevost wanted to understand how the homeowners envisioned using the space. “I always try to understand how the client functions in their home and what they need in their home,” she says.
“Ultimately, we came up with a lounge area and two dining areas,” she says. (One dining area isn’t shown in these photos.) Their budget didn’t allow for a grill area that was on their wish list.
After: A new deck anchors the outdoor dining and lounge areas. “We knew we wanted an additional covered [deck], but determining exactly where and how big was where we started,” Prevost says.
When zoning out the space, the team realized that a much larger deck would make the space more usable and create better flow between the house, outdoors and pool. “We incorporated dining space and a sitting area adjacent to the pool, and this furniture layout caused us to think about a large triangle-shaped [space],” the designer says.
The decking is made of TimberTech, a composite material. They chose it for its low maintenance and resilience, considering all the sun exposure and the location next to the pool. A new glass door connects to a long hallway that brings natural light to the kitchen.
Find a deck builder near you
When zoning out the space, the team realized that a much larger deck would make the space more usable and create better flow between the house, outdoors and pool. “We incorporated dining space and a sitting area adjacent to the pool, and this furniture layout caused us to think about a large triangle-shaped [space],” the designer says.
The decking is made of TimberTech, a composite material. They chose it for its low maintenance and resilience, considering all the sun exposure and the location next to the pool. A new glass door connects to a long hallway that brings natural light to the kitchen.
Find a deck builder near you
Before: The pool was existing and had been recently upgraded by the homeowners. “They used their pool a lot, and their outdoor space had a lot of potential, but it was outdated,” Prevost says.
The backyard is east-facing and gets a lot of sun. The homeowners wanted to be able to be outside and in some shade.
The backyard is east-facing and gets a lot of sun. The homeowners wanted to be able to be outside and in some shade.
After: The designer worked with Skyline Sunrooms and Patio Covers to create a custom aluminum pergola that completely covers the new deck.
What to Know About Adding a Pergola
What to Know About Adding a Pergola
After debating a few options, the team opted for fixed slats for the roof cover. “We spent a lot of time identifying the size of each beam and the width of the spacing between each beam,” Prevost says. The result is great shade but not a totally covered space, which is what the homeowners wanted. They had considered movable louvers, but that would have added substantially to the budget.
New outdoor furniture for the lounge and dining areas complements the home’s midcentury style but doesn’t create a retro vibe. The furniture can stay out year-round with covers for some of the pieces, including the couch.
Shop for patio furniture on Houzz
Shop for patio furniture on Houzz
Landscape at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two little boys
Location: San Diego
Designer: Melissa Prevost of M Prevost Design
Contractor: Green Room Design-Build
Before: The home, perched on a hill at the end of a cul-de-sac, stands out on the street. The homeowners and designer wanted to use the renovation as an opportunity to give the home better curb appeal as well as improve their outdoor living spaces.
“We wanted a home that was modernized and reflected our style, yet still fit in with the neighborhood and kept the original integrity of the 1967 house,” Terrell says. The homeowners hoped to address everything about the house that was about to break, wasn’t safe and didn’t suit the family’s needs and lifestyle. “Needless to say, my wish list was long,” Terrell says.