SubscribeSign In
All Photos/outdoor/landscapes : hardscapes/fences, walls : retaining

Outdoor Hardscapes Retaining Fences, Walls Design Photos and Ideas

The secluded location of the house at the edge of a retired shale bank allows the luxury of an open outdoor shower. Corrugated steel siding provides a durable, zero-maintenance exterior finish and captures the changing sun and woodland shadows.
A concrete bench is an exterior extension of the barbecue area. Tables can be placed in front of this additional seating to help accommodate more people during a meal.
Another lush patio area just off the kitchen offers a pergola-topped outdoor kitchen and bar. Other features of the backyard include a fire pit, raised-bed gardens, and matured fruit trees.
Minarc’s Plus Hus is a tiny energy-efficient prefab marketed towards homeowners seeking to add an accessory dwelling unit to their property. The 320-square-foot structure is prefabricated in downtown Los Angeles, and it can be shipped flatpack to anywhere in the U.S. with prices starting at $37,000.
The lounge deck at the rear yard of Sunset Hills Residence features a swimming pool surrounded by lush gardens. Architect Hsu McCullough's design beautifully merges minimalism with an abundance of nature.
Mass Studio completed the renovation of a 1960s house in Brentwood, California, that came complete with a classic midcentury kidney pool. During the renovation, the patio and area around the pool was refreshed with a lounge area, fire pit, and plants.
The home's lush surroundings.
At the terrace, the team replaced or rebuilt brick and concrete as needed. They also stripped and resealed exterior wood elements and incorporated new native landscaping throughout.
Although the renovated house seems significantly taller than it used to, the new roof caps out only six feet higher. The residents were more interested in stretching the design horizontally and extending the eaves as far as they could go. “Let’s get lines, forms, and materials from the inside to the outside of the house,” Greg remembers saying. A side patio with a basalt fireplace enables the residents to enjoy the outdoors even when the weather is cool.
A close-up of the fire pit lounge area with the water feature outfitted in cement tile, making a lovely backdrop that ties together with the interior finishes.
The zen garden, while small, provides a peaceful visual and physical respite from the rest of the home.
"This home is intended as both a place of refuge and of play," says Emily Summers Design Associates.
Glass walls surround a courtyard, sunken so as to provide respite from the wind. Landscape elements encourage interplay with the outdoors.
The landscaped backyard comes with programmable irrigation and plenty of room for entertaining.
According to the architects, the house's "thinner dimensions not only display refinement of technique, but also remove visual weight from materials—the position being that lightness is good for the human spirit and visual heaviness is not."
In addition to spacious flagstone patios, the landscaping includes a running creek, rear pond, as well as a rocky wet and dry creek on site.
“We wanted to ‘cap’ the dwelling with a generous, almost sweeping canopy that would keep the majority of the high sun exposure areas in shade,” says Pande. “We also played with the roof volume to break free from the constraints of a typical ‘box modern’ home.”
view to new addition from rear lawn
West Elevation @ Dusk
East Elevation Entry Detail
Outdoor Living
Private courtyard between house and studio
The backyard is a structured and geometric landscape. The fire pit doubles as a drainage pond for rainwater. Eventually, the ivy will completely hide the black stucco so one is surrounded by vegetation.
The light well that allows for sunlight AND an addition above
Outdoor shower
Low irrigation plants and minimalistic hardscapes form the serene outdoor space.