Dwell Design Awards View the Winners
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All Photos/outdoor/locations : garden

406 Outdoor Garden Design Photos And Ideas

A koi moat surround this thatched-roof home—a collaboration between AmDesign Studio and Creative Architects—near Ho Chi Minh City.
La Paloma Gaudi was selected for the exterior brickwork to foil the white-colored ones in the kitchen. Blackbutt wood was used for the decking.
"Having committed to the courtyard idea, we had to then refine it and study the many plan configurations possible around it," says Joe. "We looked to the traditional riad courtyard houses of Morocco—houses with lush, shady courtyards which have a strong sense of interiority, coupled with severe exteriors to street. We then layered other ideas such the notion of an ‘adaptable house’ and the somewhat contradictory idea of being able to open the entire living area direct to the sidewalk."
"There are so many things Michael considered that make the space quite incredible to be in," Clint says. Case in point: the bathrooms. "They’re small spaces, so if you want to do something wacky, that’s the place," adds Lumby. The downstairs bathroom features a sink with a Crestial faucet in the windowsill. Water runs down an angled pane and into the garden.
In a 4,000-person village known for epic windsurfing vacations, Atelier Branco builds a striking courtyard home.
Accompanied by their dog, Gibson, in the gravel courtyard, Kristin and Jim relax on a Driade MT1 armchair and MT3 rocking chair, both by Ron Arad. “We value that modern ideal—where you can easily go outside and where small rooms feel bigger,” says Alter.
The intimate back patio features an antique wicker chair from Maine along with a zinc table from Arteriors and outdoor dining chairs from David Sutherland.
After a years-long search for viable land, Eugene and his wife, Claire Ko, bought an old dairy farm with good soil that could be rehabbed into an organic fruit and vegetable operation.
A new set of concrete steps lead up to the main entrance. The steep site and power lines obstructed crane access, so the home’s enormous windows, trees, and even a one-ton marble dining table had to be carried in by hand.
Tiered plantings embellish a courtyard that encloses a sunken portion of the front facade.
The five-foot tall fire pit rock is buried three-feet into the ground for stability.
The smaller garden is adjacent to the Innkeeper's Suite, which is Zeidan's favorite room. "I like to stay there because it feels like I have this private terrace," he says.
In its previous life, the courtyard was "an afterthought," sparsely outfitted with plastic furniture. "For us, it was an opportunity to do something special," says Rami Zeidan, CEO and founder of Life House.
A yellow frangipani tree surrounded by KLS sandstone pavers is the focal point of the outdoor courtyard.
The home’s glass addition was conceived as a place to be both indoors and outdoors at the same time.
Central to the courtyard is a frangipani tree—"the house’s own axis mundi of sorts," says Joe. All the living areas, including an open galley kitchen, are on the ground floor and seamlessly open to one another. The garage—which is used as a multifunctional space rather than for parking—is also directly connected to the courtyard via a glazed opening, and the two areas can be configured as a large indoor/outdoor space for gatherings.
The home is designed around a central courtyard. During the demolition of a rear addition from the 1930s, the profile of the original rear of the 1885 house was discovered. "We articulated this in the facade as a black silhouette referencing the house’s original form," says architect Joe Agius. "In a sense, it's a public art historic interpretation piece, and is viewable from the courtyard and the side street."
With its driveway to the north, the home faces west toward the Pacific, with its courtyard breaking up the house's mass.
Thanks to the house’s concrete sheer wall, the roof cantilevers 12 feet to provide shading for the living room and extend the couple's outdoor space.
Creeping greenery will eventually overtake some sections of the exterior. The Danish sideboard in the living room inside is vintage from Space for Life.
A roof terrace with built-in seating and a large grill looks out to Table Mountain and the surrounding city. “I’m very much into braaiing,” says Clint, using the Afrikaans word for barbecue, “and wanted a place to grill. Michael took that to the next level and gave us a place where we could barbecue on the roof.”
The redesigned rear facade wraps around a central courtyard. “We had to keep the overall shape of the house,” says Fougeron, referring to the city’s stringent building codes, “so we started to weave the design into the existing conditions.” The chairs are from B&B Italia.
Oversize glass doors in the living room open to the expansive back terrace and frame views of the ocean. The sliders, windows, and table are all custom.
Native plantings line the front walkway.
Several doors provide an entrance through the private outdoors space.
Castaños House by Arch. Ekaterina Kunzel & Arch. María Belén García Bottazzini
Castaños House by Arch. Ekaterina Kunzel & Arch. María Belén García Bottazzini
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Rather than a lush garden, the architect opted for a singular green expression. This was done by planting a sole Caesalpinia ferra tree at the atrium - a natural sculptural at the heart of the home.
The home opens out to the private garden to the north and remains closed to the road and neighbours on the south side.
West plays on the steps that carry the family members from the bedroom to the rear garden.
Whitney Leigh Morris and her son West sit at a bistro table in the side garden of their tiny cottage in Venice, California.
A young couple, their son, and two rescue beagles model a grounded lifestyle from their Venice, California tiny home.
The seating on this terrace outside a second-story bedroom not only functions as a balustrade, but also provides privacy. It faces the raised planter wall in the courtyard.
A courtyard rises up through three stories of the house.
“[The clients] appreciate nature in a controlled aesthetic. This appreciation for the simplicity of nature translates into a disciplined and considered garden where a few trees make a huge impact,” says architect Alan Tay.
10 apertures of different sizes arranged above the pool illuminate the front yard with natural light.
Bloomberg windows and large sliders by LaCantina Doors bring ample light into the home.
The black front door opens to reveal a courtyard that leads to down to the backyard pool. With an eye to sustainability, the couple replaced the existing concrete with gravel.
Since spending time in the great outdoors may not be accessible, cultivate your own green spaces at home—whether that be a balcony or your backyard. Check out our guides for propagating houseplants, starting vegetable seeds indoors, or tackling your own victory garden.
Raised beds and containers are excellent choices for beginners, as you can avoid remedying your existing soil and ensure your new crops are receiving the appropriate nutrients via new potting soil.
The home wraps around an existing orchard, brought to life with the help of landscape designer Sol Correa, who used native plants and vegetables. It was important that "the house and the kitchen coexist with its own garden, and with species from the area," says Sánchez.
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Whether it's a backyard patio, an infinity pool, or a rooftop terrace, these modern outdoor spaces add to the richness of daily life. Escape into nature, or get lost in city views. Wherever you are, let these outdoor photos take you somewhere new with inspirational ideas for yards, gardens, outdoor tubs and showers, patios, porches, and decks.