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Outdoor Side Yard Design Photos and Ideas

"I like that my daughter can come down here to play, and we can also entertain easily,
Architects Mathilde Nicoulaud and Olivier Lekien recreated a 1930 compact house in Montreuil, France, on the outskirts of Paris as their ideal family home.
In this Australian project, a resort-worthy swimming pool sits beside the industrial-chic kitchen and living area. It's a joy to swim in, of course, but the body of water also provides evaporative cooling for the courtyard.
Unique among tiny homes, ESCAPE's Classic wraps the entryway in a screened-in and roof porch. It could also be fully enclosed to add an extra room to the home.
While Nature Pod pictured here has a showerhead installed outside, it is normally placed in the in the bathroom behind a glass door (or a curtain if the home is purchased without insulation).
The simple wood exterior can be customized based on the owner's wishes.
At Casa Cantellano, light is omnipresent, with vegetation-rich courtyards around every corner.
“Our drive to have a landscaped garden was for the kids to be able to have a space where they could adventure around the place,” says Natalie. “And part of what we enjoy is being able to sit and admire something that’s so beautiful.” They chose hardy Australian native plants to make the garden easy to maintain with minimal water.
What used to be the driveway is now a private side patio where the family regularly eats dinner. Ikea chairs join a table the couple made themselves.
Moss-covered rocks and twisted tree trunks give the landscape a fairyland-like quality.
Chickens foraging in an enclosed garden with vertical planters.
On the home's east side, the overhang created by the second story volume shades the front door while still allowing morning light into the bedrooms.
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Surrounded by oak trees and lush grasslands, Field Cabin features a steeply pitched roof and an expansive glass door and decking on the front facade.
The couple followed permaculture principles for their garden, complete with a robust compost system. You’ll also find an orchard, native prairie grasses, and a winter pond on the land.
Designed by award-winning Sant Architects, this four-bedroom vacation rental near Topanga elevates the concept of a mountain retreat to new heights—from its raw, concrete facade and hillside pool, to the Bauhaus-inspired interiors that feature expansive glass walls that overlook the Pacific Ocean. The clean, architectural lines are expressed using iron beams, concrete slabs, timber-panelled walls, and glass, and the sprawling, open-plan living area features a slide-away fireplace and enormous windows that seamlessly transition the property from cosy winter retreat to breezy summer getaway.
The larch slats above the brick reference a history of agriculture buildings in the area.
The exterior is constructed from cypress pine wood and lightweight polycarbonate.
Barragán designed Casa Gilardi, in Mexico City, around this single jacaranda tree.
In Bangkok, this family residence by Looklen Architects features four different courtyards with trees that stretch beyond its double-height interiors.
The garage’s huge doors had been covered up, so Studio Karhard freed up the openings for steel-and-glass doors from Ferrotec.
The umbrella resting on the terrace is from Frontgate.
The architects worked closely with the client to maintain the openness of the original plan.
The side patio doubles as a parking spot for a custom-built 1970 Honda CB750.
6. "Am I the 'fixer-upper' type?" "The truth is that an additional $100,000 on your purchase price is only about $300 more in payments,” she says. “If you work long hours and don't have a handy bone in your body, you might be better off buying a more fixed-up home.” 7. "Who are all of the decision makers, and can they actually see the home?" "There are times when parents may be helping out children with their down payment," she says. “It's always better to have the parents in on the process as early as possible."
Lane also designed a detached screen porch for the property. Its orientation captures the view of a small mountain across the lake. “A New Hampshire lake house always has a screened porch,” he says. “This one allows for a separate experience that connects you to nature.”
Likened to a "colonnaded Roman bath," the backyard pool is housed a room-like space.
Michael D'Angelo Landscape Architecture provided a new master plan that includes grassy areas for lawn games, a fire pit, and new plantings.
The pool and covered patio sit on the corner opposite of the entrance courtyard. The patio can be accessed through sliding glass doors from both the dining room and kitchen, and the master bedroom. Having lived on the site for so long, designer Jamie Chioco was able to quickly make informed decisions about the design—for example, one of the neighbors uses his backyard for large family gatherings and barbecues, and so it was decided early on to not to have many openings on that facade in order to give both homes privacy.
The outdoor living space of the Birch Le Collaboration House features a wood-burning fireplace under large, covered porch.
In the wintertime, the living room is cozy and welcoming with its large fireplace and warm lighting.
A monolithic opening in the facade provides an entrance from the exterior into the courtyard. The property's extensive landscaping was completed by George Girvin, with outdoor lighting by designer Pamela Burton.
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.
Sprawling across 2,500 square feet, the dwelling is divided into two zones. The open living areas are housed on the west side, while more private quarters—including a master suite—are sited on the eastern part of the house.
A string of glass hallways connect the four pavilions, bringing a slice of the great outdoors inside.
The courtyard offers a soothing space to take a break.
The end of each bedroom opens up to a private brick patio connecting the two spaces. Doors along the side also open up to full expose the bedroom spaces to the pool.
Saddle Peak Residence by AUX Architecture
The outdoor atrium of Family House Litvínovice is a completely private space that's well-suited for the installation of a hammock, outdoor bath, or shower. A11 designed the home to be an exploration of minimalism and privacy from the outside world.
A wooden picnic table is located off one end of the living room, creating a tranquil setting to enjoy alfresco dining while soaking up the sunshine.
Located in Aarhus, Denmark, Villa R is a minimalist, serene structure clad in zinc panels. "The objective was to create a house that brings the forest inside through large glass panels—and create an ever-changing seasonal backdrop for the interior living spaces," stated the architecture firm, C.F. Møller, of the 3,200-square-foot abode.
Inspired by the surrounding landscape of chestnut trees, rocky hillside, and bubbling stream, Portuguese architecture firm 3r Ernesto Pereira chose to blend into, and take advantage of, the local geography rather than fight against it at this sleek, modern home near the coastal city of Porto. At a cost of €100,000 (approximately $125,000) and measuring about 140 square meters, this stunning, wood-and-glass retreat took about four months to construct.
A sunken conversation pit surrounding a fire pit sits adjacent to the pool in this semi-outdoor space at a home in Atlantic Beach, Florida.
Beyond the large pedestrian gate, “which is really the home’s front door,” says Gottschalk, “the house begins to reveal its strong indoor and outdoor relationship. Blurring the boundary between the two is a key design element.”
The internal courtyard is the heart of the home.
Wood decking extends out to the yard.
Outside, a triangular saltwater pool overlooks breathtaking views.
For energy efficiency, the architects fitted the walls with wood fiber insulation and triple-glazed windows.
Water features pepper the gardens throughout.
Negative space appears to be carved out of the dark exterior to reveal the home's bright white interiors.
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