For 10 years, Hearth & Home has devoted our August issue to the Outdoor Room. Six years ago, we launched our annual special section on Outdoor Room Design. Our goal then, as it is now, is to inspire ideas and spark creativity by showcasing the work of our talented readers, including specialty retailers, manufacturers, architects, landscape architects, designers, and builders. We aim to create a resource gallery that professionals involved in the creation of Outdoor Rooms can clip and save to help educate homeowners about the vast array of products and design possibilities for living and cooking outdoors, in style.

Over the years, we have showcased outdoor living spaces in sprawling backyards, on postage-stamp-sized patios, and on ultra-chic city rooftops. Project submissions – mostly from Sunbelt states in the early years – now come in from all geographic regions of the U.S. and Canada. While the lavish projects pictured here represent the crème-de-la-crème, they can be reinterpreted and adapted with elements that make this aspirational concept attainable to almost anyone. Because, as our Outdoor Room Trends story points out (see page 14), people everywhere and with every-sized budget want to live the outdoor lifestyle.

This year, we added a twist to our coverage, announcing the Excellence in Outdoor Room Design competition. The seasoned design team at Belknap Landscape company in Gilford, New Hampshire, had the difficult task of reviewing the many outstanding projects submitted. The judges selected eight finalists and one winner in each of three categories – under 1,000 sq. ft., 1,001 to 3,000 sq. ft, and over 3,000 sq. ft. – based on the criteria of beauty, creativity, and design solutions to landscape challenges as reported in the entrants’ submission forms.

You’ll find these 27 projects featured on the following pages. We think you’ll be very impressed. If you are like us, you may also end up with a serious case of backyard envy.

We invite you to submit photos and descriptions of Outdoor Room projects for possible publication in future issues of Hearth & Home.
Please visit www.theoutdoorroom.com/form/ to access the Outdoor Room Design Entry Form.

Our sincere thanks to everyone involved in submitting 138 project entries for the Excellence in Outdoor Room Design competition.

We asked, and you responded, with work that is beautiful, creative, practical, and fun.

Entries came from 28 states and 3 Canadian provinces (Alberta, Ottawa, and Ontario). The top 5 states were Florida (24), California (16), Texas (16), New Jersey (12), and Massachusetts (9).

Cost of projects ranged from a low of $5,730 to a high of $1,500,000, with an average of $238,908.

To ensure competitive fairness, we divided entries into 3 categories based upon project square footage.

Category 1
Designs under 1,000 Sq. Ft.

Category 2
Designs from 1,001 – 3,000 Sq. Ft.

Category 3
Designs from 3,001 Sq. Ft.

Quick Links

9th Avenue Designs	AMS Landscape Design Studios	AquaTerra Outdoors P.1
AquaTerra Outdoors P.2	Bay Area Design & Landscape P.1	Bay Area Design & Landscape P.2
Beechwood Landscape Architecture and Construction	Concept Builders	Copper Leaf Interior Design
Deck Remodelers	Fyffe Landscape Architecture	Hoffman Landscapes
J. Montgomery Designs	K&D Landscape Management P.1	K&D Landscape Management P.2
Katherine Field & Associates P.1	Katherine Field & Associates P.2	Katherine Field & Associates P.3
Landscape Design Workshop	Mom’s Design Build	New Energy Works
Nick Williams Designs	Orren Pickell Building Group	Outdoor Kitchen Design Store by Preferred Properties
S&W Kitchens	Texas Custom Patios	Urban Design Associates

A rained-out party for 80 guests was the impetus behind a request for sheltered outdoor-living space at this home on Lake Minnetonka. Designer Karie Zemlicka of Mom’s Design Build in Shakopee, MN, transformed an existing, uncovered, elevated deck into a versatile, high-tech environment that adapts to the weather.

A smartphone-controlled pergola, custom-made for the trapezoidal deck, covers the entire space. Its metal louvers can be adjusted remotely for varying degrees of shade, or closed entirely for rain protection. Heavy-duty, structural-steel supports reinforce the pergola against strong shore winds.

The supports are disguised inside custom architectural columns and beams that mimic those on the house, while also concealing drains, pergola motors, and retractable screen walls. The motorized screen panels can be drawn, as desired, with the touch of a button to filter the sun, mitigate the wind, and keep insects out of the dining area without impeding the spectacular lake views.

A new outdoor kitchen features a stainless-steel pellet grill, flat-top griddle, power burner, two-drawer refrigerator, and warming drawer, all built into weather tight, modular outdoor cabinetry. The automated pergola overhead ensures outdoor cooking rain or shine.

According to the homeowner, “This area is every bit as outdoors as it ever was, but it is so much more comfortable – we live out there.”

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The homeowners’ hometown of New Orleans inspired the lovely courtyard at this Houston residence. The transformation begins at the back door, where a patio of stained concrete and artificial grass is arranged in a diamond grid. At one end of this patio area, a fountain adorned with a Fleur de Lis, the signature crest of the Big Easy, is flanked by two planter urns. At the opposite end, a wrought-iron fence with an intricate ornamental gate screens the driveway and provides privacy.

A brick walkway, set in a herringbone pattern and softened with in-ground beds of low hedges, leads from the patio to two outdoor living areas, one for seating, the other for dining. Outfitted with furniture that echoes the ornate design of the gate, the spaces feel straight from the French Quarter.

These seating and dining areas are defined by separate cedar pergolas linked together by an arched, wrought-iron trellis. “Peggy Martin” roses – classic Southern climbing roses, also known as Hurricane Katrina roses after the variety survived salt-water-flooding during the New Orleans storm – trail up the posts and along the arches, adding color and charm.

The walkway continues to a luxury pool and spa area that was part of the initial design, but completed by the homeowners in phase two of the project.

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A new pool installation presented the perfect opportunity for a Texas-sized upgrade to the original, small, covered patio on this stately Houston home. Care was taken to merge old and new seamlessly by matching materials throughout the space and adding a breezeway to connect the new and existing structures.

The renovation includes 900 sq. ft. of travertine patio, most of it sheltered under a new brick portico that ties into the existing patio roof. Through double sets of French doors off the interior living area, a 12-ft. outdoor kitchen island is finished in brick to match the house, and topped with a granite counter and backsplash. It is outfitted with a built-in gas grill, refrigerator, icemaker, storage, and trash drawer, and is vented with a custom, cast-stone-finished hood.

Cast stone is repeated on the mantel, surround, and raised hearth of the custom, wood-burning fireplace at the far end of the space. It also tops the knee walls that extend from either side of the fireplace to provide additional bench seating in the outdoor living room. A vaulted, painted, tongue-and-groove ceiling with contrasting reclaimed beams, adds drama to this seating area, while the Versailles-patterned travertine floor, and arched openings on the perimeter of the room add even more visual interest. A pair of ceiling fans and televisions provides indoor-style perks.

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Photos courtesy: ©2019 John Martinelli. www.johnmartinelliphotography.com.

The backyard of this new-construction home was a blank canvas on which landscape architect Steve Chepurny created an outdoor-living masterpiece. The design features a sleek pool and spa that borders a sizeable patio with multiple areas for seating and dining.

A 16-ft. wood-burning fireplace is the main attraction in the entertainment space. It is finished in warm, rustic ledgestone veneer with a tile inlay, and is topped with a distinctive, custom, copper chimney cap. Matching stone is used on the outdoor kitchen with built-in grill, sideburner, and refrigerator, positioned next to the house for easy access to the interior kitchen.

The stone is repeated again on a 5.5-ft. wall that defines the Outdoor Room and provides privacy on the corner lot. Plantings throughout the space were chosen to add visual interest in spring, summer, and fall, while LED lighting and natural-gas tiki torches provide drama in the evenings.

Because the design plan exceeded impervious-coverage limitations on the lot, the project required input from a civil engineer and the installation of an underground infiltration storm-water system to capture runoff from the roof and patio. The challenge, and extra permitting requirements, added four months to the construction, but was well worth it. “The client is thrilled with the final design and uses the space in all seasons,” says Chepurny.

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Built into the Pacific Northwest hillside, and surrounded by rockeries, stone steps, tall Douglas Fir trees, and landscape plantings, this pavilion is the perfect spot for a large family – in this case, one with five daughters – to enjoy the outdoors. At the family’s request, the pavilion was positioned near the sports court, but still close enough to the house to be convenient.

The structure’s architectural details, including tapered, stone, pillar bases, cedar trims, and massive, custom, arched beams, complement the newly constructed home on the property. The focal point of the sheltered outdoor entertaining center is an imposing wood-burning stone fireplace with copper chimney cap to match the fireplace in the main house. The fireplace, finished in stone veneer, also incorporates a built-in, wood-fired pizza oven, wood-storage nooks, and a flat-screen television.

Behind the fireplace seating area, a large dining table is within reach of the outdoor kitchen. The stone island includes a built-in gas grill, charcoal kamado, and outdoor refrigerator, with plenty of granite counter for prep and serving. A high-tech audio system and beam-mounted lights and heaters throughout the pavilion, ensure comfort day or night, and extend the outdoor entertaining season.

Design/Builder: Dan Schaafsma

Company: Concept Builders, Enumclaw, WA

Website: www.conceptbuildersonline.com

Other Contributors: Landscape Architect – Lauchlin Bethune, Lauchlin R. Bethune Associates, www.bethuneassociates.com

Project Size: 480 sq. ft.

Materials: Floor – Scored concrete; Ceiling – Cedar; Fireplace – Stone veneer; Island Base – Stone veneer; Island Counter – Granite; Column Bases – Stone veneer; Chimney Cap – Copper

Brands: Gas Grill – DCS by Fisher & Paykel; Kamado – Big Green Egg; Heaters – Infratech; Stone Veneer – Cultured Stone by Boral; Roofing – CertainTeed Presidential Series

Budget: $135,000

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This multi-level, elevated, outdoor entertaining deck makes the most of a hilly backyard. Throughout the outdoor space, contrasting dark-colored decking boards are used to delineate specific rooms and highlight transitions between deck levels for easy flow.

Off the house on the uppermost deck, an outdoor living room is anchored by an attention-grabbing, see-through, linear gas fireplace, finished in natural stone veneer. Overhead, a motorized louvered pergola can be opened or closed as needed to shade and shelter the seating and dining areas.

From this zone, guests step down to a circular deck with a built-in octagonal hot tub. Recessing this area not only smoothly accommodates the change in grade, it also creates a sense of place for the hot tub entertaining area.

A custom bar, finished in porcelain tiles, has built-in refrigeration, and trash and storage drawers. The bar follows the curve of this portion of the deck, cleverly offering counter-height seating on the side fronting the upper deck, while functioning at bar height from the lower, hot-tub deck. Curved steps with pathway lighting transition to a ground-level stone patio, outfitted with lounge chairs and gas-powered torch lights.

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A black-stained pergola with a unique, plaid-patterned privacy screen is the focal point of this petite outdoor oasis behind a home in the Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago. The structure helps conceal the neighbor’s garage and shades a bluestone dining patio outfitted in indoor fashion with a large rectangular table, French bistro-style chairs, and chandelier lighting. A stainless-steel pizza oven stands at the ready in a nook beside the pergola.

Bluestone steppers lead to a sunny second patio that is home to a cozy fire-pit relaxation area with deep-seating chairs. With its cover in place, the fire bowl doubles as a coffee table when not in use. The space is lush with plant materials, including Japanese white pine, rare peonies, weeping conifers, and hosta, as well as rotating summer and fall annuals in oversized planters that have been incorporated into the landscape.

According to designer John Algozzini, working in this urban setting required careful planning – not just to maximize the most efficient use of the compact space, but also regarding practical issues such as using smaller vehicles on the job, timing deliveries to avoid traffic congestion, and, the biggest challenge, parking!

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This beautiful lakefront home already had a covered patio with a full outdoor kitchen when landscape designer Amanda Martin was tasked with creating additional areas for alfresco seating and dining. The focal point of the expanded space is an outdoor living room under a solid-roofed pavilion that offers cozy fire pit seating and coastal views. A wall of hurricane-rated aluminum shutters at the rear of the pavilion slides open to take advantage of the breezes, or can be closed, along with the custom curtain panels on the pavilion’s three other sides, for privacy. The structure’s stucco columns and clay tile roof maintain design continuity with the home’s exterior.

From the front of the pavilion, the slate patio flooring extends to a spacious, open-air, dining and entertaining terrace that sits adjacent to the existing outdoor kitchen and raised bar. A tranquil garden courtyard connects the patio kitchen and side of the house with the pavilion seating area. A fountain sits at the center of the garden, while a flagstone footpath, lined with herbs and flowers, winds through.

Martin says 3-D renderings helped her clients envision the renovation plan, and now that it’s completed, are amazed at how closely the 3-D designs match the finished results. “They are beyond thrilled,” she says.

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Ross Burke of AquaTerra Outdoors in Carrollton, TX, creatively and strategically maximized every inch of this compact backyard to achieve his clients’ vision of a modern-industrial outdoor living space with a pool, outdoor kitchen, fire feature, and seating areas.

Emerging from the interior kitchen, the outdoor cooking and dining room sits on a covered patio. A charcoal kamado grill is built into a custom, L-shaped, concrete island that’s positioned in front of a decorative, ipe wood and steel backdrop. The island’s “floating” design lends airiness to the small outdoor-kitchen space, while the three concrete dining tables encourage intimate conversation.

A Corten steel planter doubles as a partition, creating a transition into the outdoor living room, the architectural focal point of the backyard. A distinctive custom pergola matches the backdrop in the outdoor kitchen and distinguishes the seating area. The space is warmed by a custom, linear, concrete fire feature. On the opposite side of the pool, a pair of chaises await sunbathers on a wood deck. Two additional lounges sit partially submerged in the pool on a recessed pad.

A corrugated, galvanized-metal fence outlines the perimeter of the pool area and adds to the industrial vibe. Grass borders between the patio slabs, and plantings of horsetail reed and bamboo soften the modern angles and materials throughout the outdoor space.

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This long, narrow backyard was uninviting, underutilized, and when viewed from inside the home, entirely unappealing. Designer Randy Angell and builder Tal Thevenot reimagined it with sophisticated elements that add beauty and enjoyment to the property.

Guests are drawn visually and physically into the space via a sweeping, curved pathway of stepper pads outlined with turf. The path leads to a custom, raised, fire-water feature that continues the lines of the curve while spilling into the new pool. Behind it, a decorative wall of horizontal ipe wood with a stucco niche adds visual interest and blurs the neighboring home.

Past two poolside planters, a water-feature wall extends to a pergola-covered deck that is home to the outdoor kitchen. Both a gas grill and charcoal kamado are built into the island base, along with a sink, storage cabinet, and trash receptacle. While keeping an eye on the steaks, the grillmaster can get in some short-game practice on the adjacent putting green, or watch the pros on TV from the vantage point of the ipe bar counter.

A second television is mounted above a contemporary linear fireplace in the main seating area between the pool and the house. A roof overhang outfitted with recessed lights and a ceiling fan shelters this outdoor living room. Additional seating nooks are situated throughout the outdoor space.

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The original basic builder’s patio and a pancake-flat backyard were unbefitting this grand, new-construction home. Landscape architect Brian Cossari of Hoffman Landscapes in Wilton, CT, created a stunning outdoor setting that better complements the colossal scale of the house.

To elongate the sightline from the interior, the pool was placed toward the rear-yard setback. Utilizing bi-axial symmetry in the pool layout, the center line of one axis originates at the back door and spears through a pergola-covered outdoor kitchen and dining area, a lounging patio, pool, and spa, before landing at a raised landscape berm created with material from the pool excavation.

On the other axis, multiple architectural structures, including a fence and arbor, a row of hedges, a pergola-topped living room, and a Rumford fireplace built into a stone wall, align perfectly to create a striking visual. At first glance, the fireplace edifice appears to be the side of a building, but is actually a façade that screens the neighboring property. The structure is designed to become part of an eventual pool house during a future project.

Nighttime views from the residence are stunning, thanks to strategically placed landscape lights that can be operated by the pool’s touch-pad controls. The children love playing in the freeform sandbox; the boulders that surround it provide seating for the parents.

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Nestled at the foot of Mount Diablo in the California Bay Area hills, this picturesque outdoor-living environment was created during a remodel of the property’s transitional-farmhouse-style home. The landscape designers at J. Montgomery Designs studied historical farmhouse architecture to conceive a space that complements the existing structure and landscape, but is as much modern as it is classic.

The highlight of the new outdoor-living area is a spacious pavilion extension that matches the rooflines of the house. Details such as the stonework on the pillar bases and surrounding knee wall, a weathervane, and a transom-like border of wood shutters, lend farmhouse charm; the latter also serves as a practical sun screen to cool the space in the heat.

The pavilion houses a U-shaped outdoor kitchen and bar with raised-ledge seating on two sides, as well as a dining area offering views of the property. Modern comforts include a television, and wall-mounted heaters and speakers.

A freestanding pergola defines a cozy fire-pit seating area overlooking the rectangular pool and spa. The stone in the pavilion is repeated on the gas fire pit surround and at the base of the pergola. Two additional natural-stone patios, stone pathways, and retaining walls, as well as abundant landscape plantings further enhance the all-season, outdoor-living space.

Landscape Architect: John Montgomery

Company: J. Montgomery Designs, Alamo, CA

Website: www.jmontgomerydesigns.com

Project Size: 3,000 sq. ft.

Materials: Ceiling – Wood beams and slats, exterior shingle; Walls – Wood shingles and shutter screen; Floor – Bluestone pavers, concrete, slate; Fire Pit – Block, rock wall, bluestone cap; Island Base – Porcelain tile on concrete base; Island Counter – Marbled granite; Pergola – Custom woodwork

Budget: $450,000

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The original backyard at this Tampa Bay home was split into three hard-to-navigate levels with only 100 sq. ft. of entertaining space. Designer Larissa Hicks reconfigured the property for better natural flow and created a 1,500 sq. ft. veranda for fun and relaxation.

She raised the old, ground-level pool to meet the patio off the back of the house. At one end of the pool, a curtain of water falls from a pergola in a showy display. Beneath the pergola is a fire pit, positioned on the travertine patio so it can be seen from the pool, spa, and outdoor kitchen. On the opposite end of the pool, a waterfall wall with two fire bowls, mirrors the fire and water elements. Mosaic tiles on the fire pit’s exterior are repeated in decorative bands on the waterfall wall and spa, unifying the space with iridescent color.

Decking in the outdoor kitchen matches the home’s interior wood flooring to create a seamless transition, while dark-stained cypress on the ceiling adds to the indoor feel. A gas grill, refrigerator, and sink are built into an L-shaped bank of modular cabinetry topped with a granite counter and backsplash. A separate dining island with counter seating offers views of the wall-mounted television. The expansive project also includes a putting green, lighting, misting fans, a roof-sheltered boat dock, and more.

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Perched amid the treetops on an expansive hilltop in Vermont, this handsome timber-frame screened porch rises from the bedrock. Transparent on all sides, the porch offers panoramic views of the Green Mountains, spectacular at any time of year, but particularly when the colors come alive in autumn.

A screened bridge links the main house to the porch. Its exposed Douglas Fir timber-frame structure conveys a sense of strength and solidity while maintaining the airiness of a tree house. The 720-sq. ft. enclosure has plenty of room for a deep-seating sectional and chairs, as well as a large outdoor dining table. A gas stove with clean lines and a large opening to showcase the dancing flames, warms the space, and dormer windows add to the abundant natural light.

Given the odd angles at which the porch meets the existing timber-frame house, merging the rooflines required challenging geometry for the architect, timber-frame designers, and joinery team. Planning for harsh New England weather, including heavy snow loads and high mountain winds, added another layer of complexity to the design. Custom-fabricated screens made from heavy-duty fiberglass mesh are installed throughout, and the lower panels are reinforced with copper mesh for extra durability. Ipe wood, both attractive and weather resistant, is used for the floor decking.

Timber Frame General Manager: Eric Fraser

Company: New Energy Works, Farmington, NY

Website: www.newenergyworks.com

Other Contributors: Architect – Milford Cushman (founder/president) and Michael Perpall, Cushman Design Group, Stowe, VT, www.cushmandesign.com; Builder – Steel Construction, Stowe, VT, www.steelconstructionvt.com

Project Size: 1,432 sq. ft. (720 sq. ft. enclosed)

Materials: Ceiling – Douglas Fir; Walls – Screen; Floor – Ipe; Other – Douglas Fir timber frame

Brands: Stove – Lopi Cypress Gas Stove

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The outdoors is the largest room you have,” says Nick Williams, a landscape designer known for nature-inspired projects that are rich in organic elements. He certainly maximizes the Outdoor Room on this property, turning it into a lush and lovely oasis for alfresco living and entertaining.

Williams softened the straight lines of the existing rectangular pool, adding boulders at the corners and edges to introduce more natural shapes and curves. A unique, gas-powered, fire-water feature casts a shimmering light show on the pool and spa, while water splashes over free-form boulders into the pool. A second waterfall, courtesy of a rock ledge that extends from the spa, adds to the natural background music.

An open-beamed pavilion links the pool area to the back patio of the house. It is shaded and sheltered by a solid roof, and warmed by a stone-fronted gas fireplace adorned with a mirror and pair of sconces seemingly fashioned from twigs. Deep-seating fireside furnishings provide a comfortable spot for viewing the adjacent television that is hidden by a painting when not in use. The pavilion’s outdoor kitchen island, with tile counter and backsplash, features ample prep and serving space. A pergola extension defines another outdoor seating area near the poolside fire pit.

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Functionality is as important as form in this superb outdoor-living space. The weight of the enormous patio necessitated a major excavation and installation of concrete footers to support the block walls, concrete pad, and stone flooring. Since the entire backyard slopes toward the house, significant engineering was required to ensure proper drainage.

The drainage system is disguised with custom drain covers fabricated from blue-marble pavers that blend seamlessly with the rest of the floor. Two quick-connect propane ports are pragmatically placed in the knee walls for convenient patio heater hook-ups. All appliances, lighting, and electrical wiring are integrated into a home-automation system controlled by smartphone or voice-controlled Alexa device.

Paying equal attention to aesthetics, fine materials, including hand-chiseled thin stone, and Spanish granite are used on the fire pit, wall columns, and islands. A sandblasted finish is used on the Turkish blue marble pavers in the main flooring field, while a darker antique finish creates contrast in the band that outlines the patio and in the outdoor kitchen area.

The U-shaped kitchen with built-in gas grill and power burner, is one of three islands in this entertainer’s paradise. A prep and clean-up island with sink is positioned against the house, and a dining island with under-counter refrigerator sits opposite the cooking island. After dinner, it’s a short stroll to the fire-pit seating area.

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This home on the Florida Intracoastal Waterway is the epitome of indoor-outdoor living. To achieve this seamless flow, the designer, architect, builder, and pool contractor collaborated extensively on the project’s greatest challenge: unifying the different floor elevations within the house, as well as on the exterior property.

The new, level, open floorplan features a series of sheltered Outdoor Rooms linked to interior living spaces by stacking glass walls. An outdoor kitchen extends from its indoor counterpart. The composite-cabinetry island includes a built-in power burner, refrigerator, sink, and gas grill vented by a range hood. A second cabinetry unit in the outdoor dining room is used for bar and buffet surface, and provides storage for the family’s pet gear. Multiple seating areas for TV viewing, relaxing, and game playing are incorporated throughout the covered lanai space.

Beyond it is a large pool with a spa and a “princess ledge” for in-water lounging. To maximize natural light and not impede water views, the pool is housed in an airy enclosure designed with minimal structural bars. Integration of color and texture through natural tiles, decorative wall hangings, and artistic lighting, adds to the beauty of the indoor-outdoor living environment.

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Nestled among large hickories, maples, and oaks, this outdoor living environment is designed with areas for solitary enjoyment, everyday family use, and large-scale entertaining. The separate rooms are situated at a distance from each other, an intentional workaround to preserve the mature trees.

In the outdoor kitchen area, an L-shaped island finished with Wisconsin limestone has counter seating, as well as a built-in gas grill, refrigerator, and trash compactor. The adjacent dining area is set against a pergola-topped trellis wall on limestone columns that screens the neighboring property.

From there, a bluestone pathway meanders through naturalized shade-tolerant plantings to a two-level pergola that spans side-by-side living rooms. The spaces can be used individually for intimate gatherings, but together they provide ample room for a party. Tucked into the woodland, accessible by a flagstone path, is a custom bluestone bench that offers a serene respite for private meditation, quiet reading, or simply enjoying the beauty of the setting.

“A great-looking landscape has limited value if it’s not utilized,” says project designer John Algozzini. “The real, measured success of design is whether it is used by the client. In this case, the owners cook out twice weekly, host over a dozen social events during the course of the season, and report they love to just hang out and enjoy themselves.”

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Residents of this 29-story beachfront condominium building found the existing amenity areas to be lackluster and “monotone.” Landscape architect Erez Bar-Nur rejuvenated it with a series of stunning, interconnected activity spaces, and incorporated a variety of water features and horizontal and vertical hardscape elements to artfully transition visitors throughout the environment and draw eyes to the ocean.

The new Outdoor Rooms span two levels. The main, sixth-floor pool deck is built atop a parking garage, and a connected, lower-level deck sits on the roof of an adjacent historic building. Next to the pool on the upper deck, shady cabana courts are identified by a change in paving with artificial grass joints, and bordered by a planter wall veneered with hardwood slats. A wood pergola with stone columns, and a series of unique trellises, lead from the cabana courts to a fire-table terrace with outdoor living-room furniture, the warm fire contrasting with the cool ocean breezes.

Designing the lower amenity deck was more challenging in light of restrictions at the historic building preventing any modification or abutment to its exterior walls. Here, a freestanding outdoor fireplace is situated on a covered terrace. The rich, dark wood used on the floor is also used on the ceiling. Beside this cozy living room is an expansive outdoor kitchen available to residents for grilling and dining.

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Two adjoining properties – one previously used as a school – are combined in this lavish outdoor living space. The project was completed in stages, the latest of which is a pool and patio with all the amenities of a private club.

Reclining on a dais surrounded by fire and water features, a zaftig sunbather made of bronze presides over the pool area. Opposing the sculpture at the far end of the pool is a circular, freestanding spa, also made of bronze, with waterfall edges. Radiant heat in the limestone flooring keeps the spa area accessible throughout the winter months, while the nearby fireplace – finished in brick and limestone to match the historic home – provides warmth on chilly evenings.

Pergola extensions on either side of the fireplace, and a pair of oversized, cantilevered umbrellas shade multiple poolside seating areas. More shady seating is available under a pavilion shelter that anchors the spa and outdoor kitchen. Dancing water further cools the space and also masks street noise; it springs in arched jets from the pool coping and spills from large granite slabs by the fireplace.

Linked by a gently stepped pathway, the adjacent former schoolyard is now the stuff of recess fantasies. The new “playground” includes a baseball field, batting-practice cage, tennis court, and fire pit seating terrace. The old schoolhouse building is repurposed as an indoor basketball court.

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Walls of glass connect this stunning timber frame home to two levels of outdoor living space and the surrounding wilderness of the Cuyahoga River Valley beyond. The upper-level cabana deck features a covered outdoor kitchen and dining area that extends to an open-air lounge with deep-seating furnishings. Conveniently located off the interior kitchen, the outdoor kitchen is outfitted with a multi-fuel grill, pizza oven, and refrigerator built into weather-tight modular cabinetry.

This upper deck shelters the poolside party area directly below. Designed for entertaining a crowd, the space is home to a second grilling island; beverage stations with built-in refrigerator, keg-tapper, icemaker, and storage, plus an L-shaped bar with seating. Here, the ipe wood decking that is used throughout the outdoor space is laid in a parquet pattern. Set into the ipe deck beside the large lap pool and spa is a 60-ft. bocce court made from oyster shells.

Creating the outdoor environment at this secluded property proved challenging. Accessing the home’s ridgeline location is only via a long, narrow drive that drops steeply to ravines on either side. Some project elements, such as the spa and a 30-ft. cypress tree, needed to be craned over the house and set into place. But according to landscape architect Patrick Beam, “The allure of the deep woods, beautiful views, and local wildlife made it worth it.”

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Landscape designer Drew Sivgals’ clients requested a sophisticated outdoor living space for entertaining their well-heeled friends and clients.

The centerpiece of this luxurious new environment is a modern pavilion supported by ipe wood columns rising from stucco bases. Its flat roof, an intentional design detail to contrast with the traditional home’s steeply pitched roof, shelters a full outdoor kitchen, bar, fireplace, and living room.

The 60-inch television in the space is a conversation-starter; it lifts automatically from its stowed position within a cabinet base for movie nights or weekend game-watching. Overhead, lighting, fans, and heaters are recessed into a tray ceiling finished with ipe.

Additional seating and dining areas dot the poolside patio, including an intimate deep-seating lounge surrounding a linear gas fire pit. Sapphire-colored dimensional glass tiles are used to finish the exterior of the spa, and are repeated on a striking water-wall feature that stands directly behind it. The wall is flanked on either side by unique mirrored sculptures with ipe wood trim. They reflect the flames from the fireplace and fire pit, adding drama and light to the space at night. The flat planes and straight lines found in all these elements, as well as in the pool, spa, and turf borders that section the limestone patio, unify the entire space.

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Sharp changes in elevation inspired the three-level design of this outdoor living space behind a brick, Georgian-style home in suburban Boston. The upper terrace, directly off the house, is fashioned into three distinct Outdoor Rooms – formal and casual seating areas and a large family dining space – each furnished to reflect the elegance of the interior décor.

Down a set of steps, the pool terrace is sited at the level of an existing carriage house on the property. Here, the vertical lines of a waterfall, set against a block of granite and sunk into a stone wall that spans the length of the pool area, draw the eye to the upper terrace, linking the two levels visually.

A cast-concrete fireplace, flanked by two wood-storage benches, is positioned so the flames glimmer in the water of the large rectangular pool. Light from the carriage house on the opposite end echoes the reflection in the spa. The pool terrace serves as a mezzanine for viewing activities on the lawn level, 30 inches below.

“By creating a procession of experiences, the design connects the interior with the exterior and creates flow between the outdoor spaces at different levels,” says landscape architect Katherine Field. “With multiple Outdoor Rooms, the new design allows the client to have large gatherings, as well as small, intimate dinner parties.”

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According to landscape architect Susanne Fyffe, this original 1919 property in Alexandria, VA, was “topographically challenged” when she was tasked with reinventing it as an indoor-outdoor living, entertaining, and recreation space for her client’s active family. To remedy the steeply-sloped backyard, she regraded it into three level terraces, and incorporated a new drainage system with a dry stream swale to catch runoff and solve erosion issues.

On the uppermost terrace, a wood-burning fireplace is built into a stone retaining wall with limestone caps for surplus seating. Down a handful of steps is the main entertaining terrace, situated between the house and the existing pool. Here, a raised pond, dotted with aquatic plants, is home to the children’s pet koi fish.

It is surrounded by an outdoor kitchen and bar, a living room seating area, and a dining room shaded by an arched, wrought-iron pergola with antique beams. Subtle changes in flooring help to define individual rooms within the outdoor space. The stone patio is laid in a diamond pattern in the outdoor dining and living rooms, while grass-lined pavers distinguish the poolside lounge area.

Grass steps with cobble risers descend to a vast field for playing bocce, badminton, soccer, and lacrosse, or tenting for an outdoor party. A hidden pathway in the woodland along the property line makes a great bike trail for the kids.

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The homeowners’ travels to far-off locales inspired the design of this Mediterranean-style home, and their career in the hotel industry informed its resort-like outdoor amenities. Architect Jessica Hutchison-Rough uses natural, rustic materials throughout, starting in the front of the house with an open courtyard built around a native ironwood tree. Here, a raised, limestone koi pond is centered under an arched steel trellis that frames the steps down to a sitting area beside a rubble-rock fireplace, and an outdoor dining space that connects to the interior kitchen. Underfoot, limestone pavers are spaced for grass to grow between.

Behind the home is a second outdoor living area on a travertine patio. This curved, covered space with beamed ceiling links to the indoor family room via a folding glass wall. The space features an outdoor kitchen with a built-in gas grill, warming drawers, sink, and refrigerator, as well as luxury furnishings for relaxing around another stone fireplace. Finishing details include indoor-style light fixtures, decorative accessories, and a television housed in cabinetry.

Beyond this covered terrace is the pool and sundeck. Walking through the front door of the house, the sightline extends to the pool and continues to the stunning mountain views beyond its negative edge. Off the master bedroom, a spa is connected to a private secluded patio with a water fountain and lush landscaping.

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Orren Pickell Building Group developed individual outdoor-living environments for two neighbors who share roof rights at this Chicago residential building, a former theater. A wall made of composite decking divides the roof and ensures privacy for each.

At the swanky rooftop space created for one of the residents, a pergola defines the outdoor kitchen area. It shades a sleek modular-cabinetry system with built-in grill, sink, and storage, and a high-top table with stools. A second table and chairs are available in the dining area, which leads to a chic living-room lounge centered around a linear fire pit. Transparent glass-railing panels in this area provide stellar views of the city. Powder-coated aluminum decking is used underfoot for durability and resiliency in temperature extremes and high winds.

Creating this urban oasis presented unique challenges. In addition to the need for structural engineering to support the new load across the entire roof span, craning 5,000-lb. steel beams and decking materials to the rooftop required extensive permitting, meticulous planning, and shutting down traffic on a busy side street. The building team had one shot to get it right, or they would have had to eat the $20,000 cost of a second crane, according to project manager Rob Oldenburg. “We didn’t make any friends in the traffic that day,” he jokes, “but our clients could not be happier.”

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With magnificent views of a bridge traversing the adjacent saltwater bay, this waterfront home is a stunning coastal resort. Landscape architect Katherine Field paid equal attention to the project’s fine details as she did to its grand elements.

At the bottom of the large rectangular pool, Italian glass tiles are arranged in a radial design to mimic the bridge arches, and imbedded fiber-optic lights recreate the sky’s constellation pattern on the clients’ wedding day. Glass and metal artisans created the carved-glass panels used as the backdrop for three large waterfalls around the pool and spa area; their soothing sounds mask bridge noises.

A pavilion on the pool deck shelters the outdoor living and dining room. It is anchored by a stone fireplace that rises through the roof; a television is mounted above the mantel. A full outdoor kitchen with built-in grill, warming drawers, refrigerator, and storage, sits just outside this covered space. In the sports area, a large pergola separates the bocce lawn from the tennis court. It is a shady spot to relax after a match, but given the luxury seating, dining table, fire pit and refrigerator, the space becomes another room for entertaining.

The outdoor living environment includes sculpture from the art-loving homeowners’ personal collection, as well as custom-fabricated torches, handrails, gates, latches, and speaker covers. Bronze clamshell sculptures disguise lighting controls and pool equipment.

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