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90 Outdoor Stone Patio, Porch, Deck Side Yard Design Photos And Ideas

In a 4,000-person village known for epic windsurfing vacations, Atelier Branco builds a striking courtyard home.

Chen and Guang worked with Shenshan Landscape Design on the courtyard. "Material is the key point in landscape design," says Liu.

There is minimal decoration in the house, keeping the focus on the plantings that surround it.

“We wanted to build on the idea of a borrowed view. Because of the layered foliage, everything feels like it’s on our property, but it’s not,” Mark says.

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.

"The H-shaped plan and outbuildings create an assemblage of forms that celebrates the site and creates a continuing sense of surprise," Epstein adds.

designed by Estúdio Minke

Re-configured Side Entry

The day and night pavilions are separated by a granite walkway with a monumental stair.

Situated amid the forest in Rhinebeck, New York, the geometric, eco-friendly Ex of In House by architect Steven Holl stars a large window capable of heating the living space with sunlight during the winter months. In the summer, a shade ensures it keeps cool. In accordance with the home’s sustainable mission, the interiors are finished with natural oiled wood and plywood, and all light fixtures were 3D-printed in PLA cornstarch-based plastic.

Large glass windows and doors optimize cool ocean breezes and usher in an abundance of natural light, highlighting the home's clean lines and minimalist design.

Built in 1962, Steel House #4 is one of seven iconic, steel-and-glass prefab homes designed by Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison as part of an affordable solution for the masses. Yet while an entire tract of nearly 40 homes was planned, only seven models were erected before the soaring costs of steel rendered the project impractical. Of the seven, house #4 was restored and renovated by the new owners who sought the input from Wexler himself. With the home boasting Class 1 Historic Site status and a footprint designed by one of the great masters of desert modern architecture, the owners wanted to maintain the integrity of the original design while "[modernizing] the layout to give the rooms the most light and air," they said.

Concrete stairs lead from the kitchen to the pool area. A peekaboo perforated screen crafted from black metal allows guests to see the activity unfolding inside.

Architect David Dowell and his wife, Kathy, took a decade to determine what they wanted to do with the historic 12-acre property they bought in eastern Kansas. The couple eventually opted to renovate and expand the modest limestone cottage that was already there. The resulting 1,250-square-foot getaway sits on the rolling plain amid elm, silver maple, and eastern red cedar trees. “You don’t have to choose between old and new,” says David. “It’s a false construct in our brain to even think that way.”

Another glimpse of the courtyard. On the grounds there is lush landscaping, including orange trees, that evoke the Mediterranean.

A string of glass hallways connect the four pavilions, bringing a slice of the great outdoors inside.

From the driveway, stepping stones lead across a wading pool to the home's main entrance. An island patio rests as a centerpiece beneath the pergola.

To expand and also brighten the home, the team added a sun-filled dining space and opened up the lace side facade through the use of Marvin Lift and Slide Doors. "My team and I are big fans of Marvin products,

Labrooy draws inspiration from the works of American architectural photographer Julius Schulman for his digitally rendered midcentury landscapes.

Perched on the northwest coast of Mallorca, S'Estaca offers mesmerizing Mediterranean views.

Despite the estate's secluded location in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, the international airport of Palma is just a short drive away.

A spacious outdoor sitting area is located right off the main kitchen.

All of the home's public spaces have access to the central courtyard, allowing a seamless flow for entertaining.

Water features pepper the gardens throughout.

A roof of horizontal slats filters the harsh light and creates moody shadows.

Gardens surround the stone facade for a softening effect.

Expansive glass doors open onto the main courtyard.

The covered entrance area is Ulla Hell's favorite aspect of the Continuous Extension. She shares: "It is the moment when the wooden sticks turn around from the balcony bands to become the ceiling of that space, the band turns around the ceiling to finally find the thematic conclusion when touching the ground. This space also frames very nicely the view towards the surrounding topography."

Indigenous plantings, suitable for the warm climate, surround the simple massing. The blue sky is a powerful contrast to the white plastered walls.

Breen chose large-scale Stepstone pavers that are 60 inches long, the biggest size the company provides. Stepstone also offers the pavers in 12 standard colors for a uniform finish when paired with other products.

Sliding glass doors enable indoor/outdoor flow.

A view of the exterior sitting area.

A wrap-around porch shelters visitors from the hot summer sun and protects from the winter rains that are characteristic of Napa Valley.

The atrium and adjacent skylights fill the home with light and fresh air.

The atrium as it connects to the rest of the house.

240 signature spots cover each of the columns that frame the jacuzzi.

Rainwater trickles into the pool below. The project “breathes the same clarifying calm as Sen-no-Rikyu’s contemplative 16th-century teahouses in Kyoto,” according to the listing.

Wingårdh built a small outdoor pool that's perfect for a post-sauna dip.

Barragán designed Casa Gilardi, in Mexico City, around this single jacaranda tree.

The central courtyard connects to a raised deck for socializing within easy access to the kitchen.

The exterior masonry remains largely intact. Corsar, who works mostly on commercial projects through his firm MCVI, designed a new wing that forks off the existing structure at a right angle.

An outdoor shower.

The view from the kitchen to the newly opened terrace is one of Serboli's favorite parts of the home. “I love being in the kitchen, looking at the living room with the big window totally open. I think it's a privileged position because you can cook or eat (I love both) looking towards a space with unclear and undefined limits.”

The home is elegantly set into its surroundings and overlooks a serene garden patio with a koi pond.

Walden 7 is a vertical labyrinth of connected courtyards, terraces, and apartments.

A dynamic walkway bridges a gap above terraced planters.

The Ex of In House exterior

Travertine flooring by New Marble Company continues from the interiors to the outdoor courtyards to further emphasize indoor/outdoor living.

Populated by palms, the circular garden occupies the heart of the home.

A limestone partition wall screens the indoor courtyard from the garage.

This view shows how the original house relates to the new addition, which was stepped in to make room for an exterior courtyard.

Outside, a timber pergola shades the garden and the split-stone slate pavers continue outside for a greater sense of connection between inside and out.

The courtyard sits in the center of the home and divides it into two wings, separating the family’s private quarters from the guest accommodations. There are almost no hotel rooms in Stinson Beach, so being able to spend the night is exceptionally special.

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.