The Top 10 New Outdoor Living Spaces Right Now
Get ideas for outdoor dining areas, screened-in porches, fire pits and more in these most-saved new photos on Houzz
This Trending Now story features the most-saved outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz between March 15 and June 15, 2025.
On a warm summer evening, few things compare to unwinding outdoors — whether it’s sitting beneath the twinkle of cafe lights, gathering around the soft glow of a fire pit or sharing an alfresco meal with friends. If you’re looking to make your outdoor space more functional or inviting, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in the following countdown of the most-saved outdoor photos recently uploaded to Houzz.
On a warm summer evening, few things compare to unwinding outdoors — whether it’s sitting beneath the twinkle of cafe lights, gathering around the soft glow of a fire pit or sharing an alfresco meal with friends. If you’re looking to make your outdoor space more functional or inviting, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in the following countdown of the most-saved outdoor photos recently uploaded to Houzz.
9. Blurred Boundaries
ARK Architects designed this breezy indoor-outdoor living space for a home in Spain that benefits from far-reaching views. The repetition of tones and materials used for both the interior living room and outdoor dining room makes the two spaces feel cohesive. Large sliding glass doors, which can be fully opened to the patio, further blur the boundary between indoors and out. A pared-back dry garden with a topiary olive tree provides sculptural interest while keeping the focus on the view.
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ARK Architects designed this breezy indoor-outdoor living space for a home in Spain that benefits from far-reaching views. The repetition of tones and materials used for both the interior living room and outdoor dining room makes the two spaces feel cohesive. Large sliding glass doors, which can be fully opened to the patio, further blur the boundary between indoors and out. A pared-back dry garden with a topiary olive tree provides sculptural interest while keeping the focus on the view.
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8. Wine Country Living
Set on a lake in Sonoma Valley, California, this outdoor dining space designed by Roche + Roche Landscape Architecture is an invitation to enjoy the best of wine country living. Crisscrossed string lights overhead add an enticing glimmer and help define the outdoor dining area as a distinct destination within the larger backyard, while gravel provides a permeable patio surface. Soft mounded plantings surround the patio and lead down to the water’s edge.
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Set on a lake in Sonoma Valley, California, this outdoor dining space designed by Roche + Roche Landscape Architecture is an invitation to enjoy the best of wine country living. Crisscrossed string lights overhead add an enticing glimmer and help define the outdoor dining area as a distinct destination within the larger backyard, while gravel provides a permeable patio surface. Soft mounded plantings surround the patio and lead down to the water’s edge.
15 Outdoor Spaces That Rock Permeable Paving
7. Southern Romance
This Charleston, South Carolina, backyard highlights the benefit of dividing an outdoor space into different outdoor rooms. With a generous screened-in porch as well as clustered seating areas designated for lounging and dining, there are plenty of inviting places for entertaining guests or simply kicking back, relaxing and enjoying the sound of the water feature and views of the lush low-country setting.
This Charleston, South Carolina, backyard highlights the benefit of dividing an outdoor space into different outdoor rooms. With a generous screened-in porch as well as clustered seating areas designated for lounging and dining, there are plenty of inviting places for entertaining guests or simply kicking back, relaxing and enjoying the sound of the water feature and views of the lush low-country setting.
6. Treehouse Vibes
Leafy views take center stage on this screened-in porch in Raleigh, North Carolina, which faces a sloped, wooded backyard leading down to a fire pit seating area. The porch, designed by Studio Evloh Interior Architecture & Design, has thoughtful touches for year-round comfort, including a ceiling fan for a cooling breeze, recessed lighting and two skylights to keep the wood-clad space feeling bright, a deep sectional sofa for lounging, a circular dining table (to the left outside this photo’s frame) and screens to keep bugs at bay.
Leafy views take center stage on this screened-in porch in Raleigh, North Carolina, which faces a sloped, wooded backyard leading down to a fire pit seating area. The porch, designed by Studio Evloh Interior Architecture & Design, has thoughtful touches for year-round comfort, including a ceiling fan for a cooling breeze, recessed lighting and two skylights to keep the wood-clad space feeling bright, a deep sectional sofa for lounging, a circular dining table (to the left outside this photo’s frame) and screens to keep bugs at bay.
5. Rustic Retreat
If cozying up next to an outdoor fire pit is on your wish list, this design by Alderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction in King County, Washington, may spark your imagination. The fire pit seating area was created to have a naturalistic look, with the flat-topped boulders used to retain the slope doubling as side tables for hors d’oeuvres. The flickering flames and warm landscape lighting bring the backyard to life in the evening.
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If cozying up next to an outdoor fire pit is on your wish list, this design by Alderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction in King County, Washington, may spark your imagination. The fire pit seating area was created to have a naturalistic look, with the flat-topped boulders used to retain the slope doubling as side tables for hors d’oeuvres. The flickering flames and warm landscape lighting bring the backyard to life in the evening.
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4. Multizone Outdoor Living
This Loma Linda, California, backyard styled by Meridith Baer Home serves as another example of the advantage of dividing a large backyard into multiple outdoor rooms. Here, a plush outdoor seating area offers a place for lounging and admiring the view. Across the patio, an outdoor dining table beacons beneath the glow of string lights. Clusters of chairs and loungers around the pool provide additional places for hanging out. Both the lighting and furnishing choices, such as an outdoor rug under the seating area, help make each area feel distinct in the larger backyard.
8 Ideas From Pros to Elevate Your Outdoor Entertaining Spaces
This Loma Linda, California, backyard styled by Meridith Baer Home serves as another example of the advantage of dividing a large backyard into multiple outdoor rooms. Here, a plush outdoor seating area offers a place for lounging and admiring the view. Across the patio, an outdoor dining table beacons beneath the glow of string lights. Clusters of chairs and loungers around the pool provide additional places for hanging out. Both the lighting and furnishing choices, such as an outdoor rug under the seating area, help make each area feel distinct in the larger backyard.
8 Ideas From Pros to Elevate Your Outdoor Entertaining Spaces
3. Earthy Neutrals
Tucked under a shaded veranda overlooking a pool, this outdoor dining table in Los Angeles is the perfect spot for sitting in the shade and enjoying a leisurely meal with friends. The design, by Jubilee Interiors, features a muted, texture-rich palette, seen in the eight-seat wood table, rope-backed chairs and cluster of overhead rattan light fixtures. The designer used similar colors throughout the home for a sense of cohesion between indoors and out.
Tucked under a shaded veranda overlooking a pool, this outdoor dining table in Los Angeles is the perfect spot for sitting in the shade and enjoying a leisurely meal with friends. The design, by Jubilee Interiors, features a muted, texture-rich palette, seen in the eight-seat wood table, rope-backed chairs and cluster of overhead rattan light fixtures. The designer used similar colors throughout the home for a sense of cohesion between indoors and out.
2. Porch Perfection
With coastal-inspired furnishings and a cooling color palette of crisp blue, white and gray, this screened-in porch in Nashville, Tennessee, designed by LAH Interiors, feels like the ideal place for a relaxing staycation. Cushy sofas and armchairs sit atop a pale outdoor rug, a scattering of potted plants adds greenery, and lights can be flicked on in the evening for instant ambiance. Screens keep unwanted insects out and let in breezes, aided by a ceiling fan mounted over the dining table.
10 Ideas for Decorating Your Summer Porch
With coastal-inspired furnishings and a cooling color palette of crisp blue, white and gray, this screened-in porch in Nashville, Tennessee, designed by LAH Interiors, feels like the ideal place for a relaxing staycation. Cushy sofas and armchairs sit atop a pale outdoor rug, a scattering of potted plants adds greenery, and lights can be flicked on in the evening for instant ambiance. Screens keep unwanted insects out and let in breezes, aided by a ceiling fan mounted over the dining table.
10 Ideas for Decorating Your Summer Porch
1. Alfresco Dining
This inviting outdoor space in Kansas City, Missouri, has earned the top spot in our countdown of the most-saved new outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz. The design, by Homoly Design + Build, features wide steps leading down from the home to a patio with a dining table and a stone-clad hearth. String lights overhead lend a soft glow to the patio, and colorful potted plants add lushness.
Tell us: How are you planning to enjoy your outdoor living space this summer? Share with us in the Comments.
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This inviting outdoor space in Kansas City, Missouri, has earned the top spot in our countdown of the most-saved new outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz. The design, by Homoly Design + Build, features wide steps leading down from the home to a patio with a dining table and a stone-clad hearth. String lights overhead lend a soft glow to the patio, and colorful potted plants add lushness.
Tell us: How are you planning to enjoy your outdoor living space this summer? Share with us in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Find a local deck-and-patio specialist
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This stone-clad outdoor hearth and seating area built by New Leaf Custom Homes sits in a surprising location outside a Dallas home: right next to the front door. A low stone wall and a line of trees provide some privacy and a sense of intimacy to the courtyard, but overall the design is open and welcoming. The patio placement and cushy armchairs feel like an invitation to strike up a conversation with neighbors.
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