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20 Outdoor Slope Back Yard Design Photos And Ideas

Entry to private spaces at rear of pool house.
A small Arabian stud and a champion English Pointer live on the site, where mountain leopards and baboons also prowl. Before building, Herman and van Gass cleared the land of invasive species like the black wattle, an acacia tree.
Herman describes the shape of a sleeping dragon nestled in the mountains. In keeping with a Feng Shui philosophy, he intentionally left a hole in the building to allow the beast a clear view.
Guests can relax by the pool and soak in the views or hike into the mountains, following a creek into an ancient forest.
View from Sunfish Lake
Oriented to absorb the afternoon sun, floor-to-ceiling doors comprise two-thirds of the home’s west-facing walls, which open to an elevated deck overlooking Island Bay. Combined with extra-thick building insulation, this passive element provides sufficient heating for the home, even during winter months—a true feat given the region’s cold seasonal winds.
The deck, fashioned from ipe, was built around one of the property’s many granite outcroppings. An earthen roof was planted with the same varieties of sedum that were added to the front of the cottage.
The facade of the three-bedroom house sports a series of extruded pine boxes, which create sheltered spaces that stand up to the area’s fluctuating weather. The owners, Isaac Pineus and Andrew Duncanson, spend summers here with their twin sons.
The house nestled in the forest
Visitors can keep lookout for the St. Lawrence River’s resident marine mammals, which include Beluga and Sperm whales, from a pair of Adirondack chairs.
View South at Noon Time

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.

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