Backyard

A mix of vintage finds and pieces designed by Mathesius, including a Cor-Ten steel fire pit on the second-floor deck, furnish a majority of the home.

The backyard fire pit is handmade by Fire Pits of Atlanta with chairs by Room & Board.

The wood cladding extends outside and wraps around a corner of the facade. Alemán Design Build oversaw the landscaping.

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

Top 9 Dwellings of 2020: The homes nominated for this year’s Dwell Design Awards represent the best in creative, context-driven design.

Native Sonoran flora—such as salvaged soap tree yuccas, ocotillos, and saguaros—are planted at strategic locations. Low-water hybrid grasses and shrubs complement the larger plants, creating a very serene experience while keeping maintenance to a minimum.

Garden Materials, Concrete Bench / Gravel Ground / Timber Patio

The family enjoys the outdoor lounge.

An exterior shot of the hillside residence offers a glimpse of the property's spectacular vistas.

The hardscaping helps keep water use to a minimum. The Lais used gravel—accented by drought-tolerant bamboo—to create their side yard.

Just north of San Francisco, the Mill Valley home of former Phish manager and current restaurant owner John Paluska takes its place within its eclectic neighborhood and natural surroundings. A guest cottage flanks the family's garden. The "casita" has hosted friends, family, and even wildfire evacuees; Rachel Paluska refers to it as a "revolving door, in a fun way."

“I really wanted to explore the potential of the property, because the original house was probably using one-tenth of its capacity,” says Masi, who also conceived the landscape and lighting design. He selected native grasses and other plantings for their ability to move with the wind.

A 2,500-square-foot backyard off a Portland home was completely overhauled by architect Michael Howells. Its new design uses pavers to divide the yard into sections that include planters, a cedar soaking tub, and a fire pit.

New prospect to the outdoors is provided by a screened courtyard.

A 100-year-old oak shades the front of the house, which is clad in weathering yellow cedar.

California pepper trees, grasses, and sage are low-maintenance, low-water plants that also are low-allergen.