Like a mountain-state resort, this backyard getaway sets family-friendly amenities in a natural context. Just beyond the pool, pergola, playground, and outdoor kitchen, slender coniferous trees suggest high altitude, and the clear creekbed and terraced waterfall imitate tumbling descents from snow-sourced springs.

With its assortment of Colorado boulders, moss boulders, and cobblestones, the waterfall not only sounds and looks pleasant, but it also is environmentally friendly. By harvesting rainfall from all over the property and propelling it through many cascade points, the water feature returns the moisture cleanly to the air by evaporation.