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Landscape designer Lillian Montalvo swapped disparate plantings for a cohesive plan centered on a pergola. The elevated, covered deck acts like a less constricted gazebo with more air flow.

Design, Bitches turns a typical Atwater Village home into a lush hideaway with a new, cedar-clad guesthouse.

“We knew we had to connect the exterior to the interior,” says Juilland, who added the large window to the living room and French doors to make it easy to get in and out from the kitchen. The custom picnic table is custom-made from Ben Dagitz.

In the back, ivy climbs across the garage’s raw cedar cladding next to a gate that allows access to the laneway—but the boys prefer to climb the fence.

There is even a private meditation garden off the master with a zen pond, waterfall feature, and a hot tub.

Multiple seating areas extend the livable area of the home outside, providing space for dining, socializing, and play.

Architect: YAMAMAR Design, Location: San Francisco, California

The side yard features a Zen garden with local plantings, and an area that is partially covered by a cantilevering roof.

Outdoor living area in covered porch.

Adrian Bueno and Yvette Leeper-Bueno sit on the simple platform porch that extends from the living room of their weekend retreat in Saugerties, New York.

A courtyard creates visual separation between the main house and the addition.

Pool deck and sitting area

A covered patio just off the living room is accessible via custom doors. "The use of the large steel sliding and stacking doors allowed the volume to open up and make the home feel much more expansive that it really is," says Knight.

The homeowners are constantly entertaining, and the expansive patio is a prime gathering spot.

Wood adirondack chairs surrounding a stone firepit.

It was Elsie, the goldendoodle, who started it. “We were living in a tiny house in the center of Byron Bay with two little children and Elsie in the middle of the wet season,” says homeowner Cheryl Kitchener.

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck. For a young married couple, it came in the form of this rare find: a 19th-century, three-story, single-family home in the heart of Paris. The building was a charmer with good bones, but was in need of some serious care. In a vibrant retrofit by architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier that includes structural reinforcements, the reimagined design is set off with a new floor plan. The lower level now serves as a space for the couple’s children, with the public areas—including an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen—on the floor above. Upstairs, the attic has been transformed into a very large primary bedroom with a green-and-white bathroom suite. The living room (pictured) showcases the firm’s bespoke carpentry work with a beautiful, mossy-green built-in bookcase that frames a new fireplace, and a staircase surrounded by arched doorways that hold hidden storage. “We created visual breakthroughs in order to connect the different spaces,” says Gerlier. “The rounded arches are there to help magnify these moments.”

Beach days, park picnics, and backyard barbecues—wherever your Fourth of July weekend takes you, these products will elevate your event with ease.

Additional outdoor dining and leisure spaces make Scott's home perfect for hosting gatherings year round.

A pebble mosaic and artificial turf divide the yard into zones that never need to be mowed.

Back patio

After raising the rear patio to the level of the kitchen, the team reused the original redwood decking and supplemented it with recycled pieces from other projects. Recessed planters punctuate a garden wall. Scott and Regina warm themselves by a Solus fire pit on chilly evenings.

The original front porch swing inspired the couple to add one at the back. “We wanted to figure out how to recreate that hangout space in the back, where the kitchen and dining room were,” says Dean.

The House features a seating area and fire pit by the main entrance. "It’s a great way to experience the peace and serenity of the outdoors," says Tarah.

The family enjoys the outdoor lounge.

A well-organized entryway leads to a living room that opens to gardens on two sides.

The stainless-steel elements, including the counter and cabinets, were also kept in place for their industrial character. The island was reworked and topped with marble.

Open wooden shelving serve as an idyllic spot to display special kitchen gadgets and trinkets.

The updated chef's kitchen is bright and designed with lots of storage space to help maintain its streamlined modern look.