Lanai and outdoor kitchen with blue and white tile backsplash and wicker furniture for outdoor dining and lounge space overlooking the pool. Project featured in House Beautiful & Florida Design. Interiors & Styling by Summer Thornton. Photos by Brantley Photography

Heather Knapp
Minimalist pool photo in New York

The ultimate view while sitting in your sun shelf.
Mid-sized beach style backyard stone and rectangular pool photo in Miami

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary concrete paver landscaping in Orange County with a fireplace.

Island style backyard custom-shaped lap pool photo in Miami

The pool has a unique configuration with walk-in access at both ends and the deep section located in the middle. One end features full-width steps while the other has a tanning shelf, both providing safe access to the adjoining shallow sections. The twin LED pool lights ensure even lighting after dark.

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

Patio fountain - mid-sized traditional patio fountain idea in DC Metro with no cover

Photography by Ken Vaughan
Large elegant backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Dallas with a roof extension

The owners were so pleased with the acid washed concrete and artificial turf they invited Betz to create walkways along each side and extend the design to the front of the home. A small artificial turf lawn was installed along with a new modern look entrance porch.

Inspiration for a contemporary single-wall medium tone wood floor home bar remodel in Salt Lake City with no sink, flat-panel cabinets and medium tone wood cabinets

View of the house from the backyard pool area. integrates steps on the right connect the lower level lawn with the pool and patio. Full floor to ceiling windows allow for stunning views of the farm fields on the backside and ocean on the front.

Architect: Blaine Bonadies, Bonadies Architect Photography By: Jean Allsopp Photography “Just as described, there is an edgy, irreverent vibe here, but the result has an appropriate stature and seriousness. Love the overscale windows. And the outdoor spaces are so great.” Situated atop an old Civil War battle site, this new residence was conceived for a couple with southern values and a rock-and-roll attitude. The project consists of a house, a pool with a pool house and a renovated music studio. A marriage of modern and traditional design, this project used a combination of California redwood siding, stone and a slate roof with flat-seam lead overhangs. Intimate and well planned, there is no space wasted in this home. The execution of the detail work, such as handmade railings, metal awnings and custom windows jambs, made this project mesmerizing. Cues from the client and how they use their space helped inspire and develop the initial floor plan, making it live at a human scale but with dramatic elements. Their varying taste then inspired the theme of traditional with an edge. The lines and rhythm of the house were simplified, and then complemented with some key details that made the house a juxtaposition of styles. The wood Ultimate Casement windows were all standard sizes. However, there was a desire to make the windows have a “deep pocket” look to create a break in the facade and add a dramatic shadow line. Marvin was able to customize the jambs by extruding them to the exterior. They added a very thin exterior profile, which negated the need for exterior casing. The same detail was in the stone veneers and walls, as well as the horizontal siding walls, with no need for any modification. This resulted in a very sleek look. MARVIN PRODUCTS USED: Marvin Ultimate Casement Window

A complete backyard transformation. Completed in 2013, this Dallas residence started with an empty backyard and was transformed into an inviting and relaxing escape featuring a new, luxury swimming pool with arched opening and rain curtain waterfalls. The project also features a private putting green, fire pit seating area, new travertine steps and terraces along with lush landscaping and trees.

Example of a minimalist backyard rectangular and concrete paver pool design in Los Angeles

This couple, who bought a home in a new subdivision with small lots, asked Betz to design a low maintenance backyard with a pool. The tight access, change in elevation and restrictive property line setbacks limited the size of the custom vinyl pool to 11’ x 17’.

Removed existing pool to make way for new pool and outdoor living area. Worked in conjunction with Kathy Mouallem, Artful Design. Client wanted areas for relaxation and to give it a resort feel for their friends/families and many visitors.

Exterior
Inspiration for a huge farmhouse white two-story wood house exterior remodel in Grand Rapids with a metal roof

AquaTerra Outdoors transformed the entire environment at this country side estate from a blank slate to a luxurious destination for outdoor living, playing and relaxing. Features of this project include all new pool, spa, fire feature, outdoor kitchen, travertine paver decks and patios, and landscaping. Photo Credit: Daniel Driensky