Mid-sized minimalist backyard deck photo in Orange County with a fire pit and no cover

Joe Runde
Design ideas for a transitional gravel formal garden in Chicago.

The outdoor living room was designed to provide lots of seating. The insect screens retract, opening the space to the sun deck in the center of the outdoor area. Beautiful outdoor furniture adds style and comfort to the space for year round enjoyment. The shutters add privacy and a sculptural element to the space.

Outdoor dining and living rooms are accessed from the central sundeck. Retractable screens on the living room walls were installed on both of the openings so the space can be fully connected to the sundeck when they are opened.

Example of a large minimalist backyard deck design in New York

Klopf Architecture, Arterra Landscape Architects and Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Designed and built a new warm, modern, Eichler-inspired, open, indoor-outdoor home on a deeper-than-usual San Mateo Highlands property where an original Eichler house had burned to the ground. The owners wanted multi-generational living and larger spaces than the original home offered, but all parties agreed that the house should respect the neighborhood and blend in stylistically with the other Eichlers. At first the Klopf team considered re-using what little was left of the original home and expanding on it. But after discussions with the owner and builder, all parties agreed that the last few remaining elements of the house were not practical to re-use, so Klopf Architecture designed a new home that pushes the Eichler approach in new directions. One disadvantage of Eichler production homes is that the house designs were not optimized for each specific lot. A new custom home offered the team a chance to start over. In this case, a longer house that opens up sideways to the south fit the lot better than the original square-ish house that used to open to the rear (west). Accordingly, the Klopf team designed an L-shaped “bar” house with a large glass wall with large sliding glass doors that faces sideways instead of to the rear like a typical Eichler. This glass wall opens to a pool and landscaped yard designed by Arterra Landscape Architects. Driving by the house, one might assume at first glance it is an Eichler because of the horizontality, the overhanging flat roof eaves, the dark gray vertical siding, and orange solid panel front door, but the house is designed for the 21st Century and is not meant to be a “Likeler.” You won't see any posts and beams in this home. Instead, the ceiling decking is a western red cedar that covers over all the beams. Like Eichlers, this cedar runs continuously from inside to out, enhancing the indoor / outdoor feeling of the house, but unlike Eichlers it conceals a cavity for lighting, wiring, and insulation. Ceilings are higher, rooms are larger and more open, the master bathroom is light-filled and more generous, with a separate tub and shower and a separate toilet compartment, and there is plenty of storage. The garage even easily fits two of today's vehicles with room to spare. A massive 49-foot by 12-foot wall of glass and the continuity of materials from inside to outside enhance the inside-outside living concept, so the owners and their guests can flow freely from house to pool deck to BBQ to pool and back. During construction in the rough framing stage, Klopf thought the front of the house appeared too tall even though the house had looked right in the design renderings (probably because the house is uphill from the street). So Klopf Architecture paid the framer to change the roofline from how we had designed it to be lower along the front, allowing the home to blend in better with the neighborhood. One project goal was for people driving up the street to pass the home without immediately noticing there is an "imposter" on this lot, and making that change was essential to achieve that goal. This 2,606 square foot, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom Eichler-inspired new house is located in San Mateo in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Klara Kevane Landscape Architect: Arterra Landscape Architects Contractor: Henry Calvert of Calvert Ventures Photography ©2016 Mariko Reed Location: San Mateo, CA Year completed: 2016

Inspiration for a mid-sized rustic backyard concrete patio remodel in Dallas with a gazebo

Photography: Travis Rhoads Photography
Example of a small trendy backyard wood fence partial sun deck design in San Francisco with a fire pit and decking

This beautiful English-inspired garden features Mexican bush sage, gulf muhly grass, blackfoot daisy, moonbeam coreopsis, coneflower, and rosemary.
Inspiration for a rustic backyard gravel landscaping in Dallas.

We refer to this style of garden as "basic," but it has all the features of a great growing space. You'll find raised beds filled with quality organic soil, rugged construction using natural (untreated) lumber, animal resistant fencing w/ground barrier, simple good looks, hinged gate with latch for easy access, and isles lined with weed block/crushed stone. At the same time, because we forgo some of the premium features of our "classic" gardens, our "basic" gardens and available at excellent prices.

Product: Authentic Limestone for Exterior Living Spaces. Ancient Surfaces Contacts: (212) 461-0245 Email: Sales@ancientsurfaces.com Website: www.AncientSurfaces.com The design of external living spaces is known as the 'Al Fresco' design style as it is called in Italian. 'Al Fresco' translates into 'the open' or 'the cool/fresh exterior'. Customizing a fully functional outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, BBQ, fireplace or Jacuzzi pool spa all out of old reclaimed Mediterranean stone pieces is no easy task and shouldn’t be created out of the lowest common denominator of building materials such as concrete, Indian slates or Turkish travertine. The one thing you can bet the farmhouse on is that when the entire process unravels and when your outdoor living space materializes from the architects rendering to real life, you will be guaranteed a true Mediterranean living experience if your choice of construction material was as authentic and possible to the Southern Mediterranean regions. We believe that the coziness of your surroundings brought about by the creative usage of our antique stone elements will only amplify that authenticity. whether you are enjoying a relaxing time soaking the sun inside one of our Jacuzzi spa stone fountains or sharing unforgettable memories with family and friends while baking your own pizzas in one of our outdoor BBQ pizza ovens, our stone designs will always evoke in most a feeling of euphoria and exultation that one only gets while being on vacation is some exotic European island surrounded with the pristine beauty of indigenous nature and ancient architecture...

Inspiration for a mid-sized country front porch remodel in Richmond with a dark wood front door, decking and a roof extension

Contrasts of color and texture bring this side yard to life, as a stepping-stone path immersed in silver Dymondia winds through selections of Berberis 'Orange Rocket', Anemone 'September Charm', Miscanthus 'Morning Light', dark purple Heuchera 'Amethyst Mist', and yellow-variegated 'Butterfly' Japanese Maple. A weeping purple 'Garnet' specimen maple may be seen in the foreground. Photo © Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Seattle.

Paul Kiefer / Specialty Gardens LLC
This is an example of a small traditional full sun courtyard garden path in Grand Rapids for summer.

NR Photography
Design ideas for a farmhouse landscaping in Portland.

Photo of a traditional courtyard formal garden in New Orleans.

The view of the front façade of the guest cottage.
This is an example of a farmhouse landscaping in Philadelphia for summer.