Outdoors

In fall, the color of this backyard in Charlottesville, Virginia, changes daily with the foliage. Elizabeth Birdsall marvels how new outdoor spaces on her property, like a patio furnished with upholstered seating from Gloster, make enjoying the woods an easy experience: “It’s like comfortable camping, all the time.”

A landscape of native grasses designed by GSLA Studio complements the raw textures of the concrete-and-ipe front facade.

The front, middle, and rear yards are conceived as outdoor rooms. Pierre Kozely relaxes in the middle yard in a prototype of an outdoor furniture line by Pietrarte. A bronze Ganesh is on a raised pedestal in the middle of a small water feature.

Outer Space Landscape Architects refreshed the courtyard with new hardscaping.

Because they also dampen the sounds of the city, the garden is a peaceful retreat, even though it’s located next to the road.

Behind the resin screen is the property’s centerpiece: an entry garden that Trainor recast as an outdoor living room. Sparta stacking chairs, a deep-wicker Baia sofa, and matching Baia armchairs, all by Mamagreen, are arranged around a custom concrete fire pit. Orange kangaroo paws lean in from the sides, creating a sense of privacy without sacrificing views. It’s a welcoming space that serves as a casual gathering spot when the weather cooperates.

Yumi (left) and Maya (right) cheese around on the steps leading into the front door. Inside, there is ample space for removing and leaving one's shoes, another Japanese element.

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

Stepstone's narrow concrete pavers add a graphic touch to the garden in the Mill Valley home of Dwell founder Lara Hedberg Deam and architect Chris Deam. Photo by Dustin Aksland.

Stepstone's narrow concrete pavers add a graphic touch to the garden.

Artist Cori Creed sits at the center of the vacation home in rural British Columbia that she and her husband, Craig Cameron, built with their friend and architect, Kevin Vallely. Dubbed WingSpan House, the split structure opens up to a large courtyard and stunning views of Skaha Lake. “It’s almost like an embrace,” says Vallely. “It’s like the two wings are capturing the heart of the home.”

The public spaces are all located on the ground level. The home fully opens up to the private garden.

Rear Courtyard

For the time being, Cori does her painting in the dining room. “Eventually we’ll build a studio here,” she says. “But for now, because we eat outside most of the time, the dining room it is.”