12 Inspiring Outdoor Designs From Best of Houzz Winners
Spaces from around the world feature parquet-style flooring, a bouncing hanging net, creative planting pockets and more
Each year, we look through thousands of photos that professionals have uploaded to Houzz, to find the most popular images from around the world. The resulting gallery of Best of Houzz Design award winners is a real source of inspiration, and it includes some of the coolest ideas from around the world for your outdoor spaces, as seen here.
2. Pergola With Curtains, d’Aussy Interiors, Spain
This patio near Spain’s Costa Brava is nestled up against stone walls and has a steel pergola with a bamboo cane roof. Translucent white curtains catch the breeze, providing additional shade and a relaxed atmosphere.
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This patio near Spain’s Costa Brava is nestled up against stone walls and has a steel pergola with a bamboo cane roof. Translucent white curtains catch the breeze, providing additional shade and a relaxed atmosphere.
Find a landscape designer near you on Houzz
3. Hot Tub Instead of a Pool, Oslo I LA, United States
A hot tub can be less expensive than a full-size swimming pool and easier to maintain. Plus, a hot tub brings a soothing spa experience to the outdoors. These pros maximized a relatively small backyard in Santa Monica, California, with a cedar deck and built-in hot tub. Perimeter planters contain hedges that will grow to provide privacy.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A hot tub can be less expensive than a full-size swimming pool and easier to maintain. Plus, a hot tub brings a soothing spa experience to the outdoors. These pros maximized a relatively small backyard in Santa Monica, California, with a cedar deck and built-in hot tub. Perimeter planters contain hedges that will grow to provide privacy.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
4. Planting Pockets Instead of a Lawn, Belsize Gardens, United Kingdom
Organically shaped beds and flowing pathways offer a lovely journey through this peaceful haven designed by Miles Raybould. A variety of plants and pathways stand in for what could have been a traditional lawn. The stand-alone beds also make it easier to access the plants.
7 Landscape Design Ideas to Replace a Traditional Lawn
Organically shaped beds and flowing pathways offer a lovely journey through this peaceful haven designed by Miles Raybould. A variety of plants and pathways stand in for what could have been a traditional lawn. The stand-alone beds also make it easier to access the plants.
7 Landscape Design Ideas to Replace a Traditional Lawn
5. Cozy Pergola Transforms an Open Deck, maéma architectes, France
Sometimes a deck can feel too open and exposed. By planting large shrubs in containers around the edges and adding a charming wood pergola, the designer turned a wide-open rooftop terrace into a cozy retreat.
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Sometimes a deck can feel too open and exposed. By planting large shrubs in containers around the edges and adding a charming wood pergola, the designer turned a wide-open rooftop terrace into a cozy retreat.
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6. Sculptural Pizza Oven, Rowlands Architecture Design Studio, Australia
This patio plays with the theme of connectivity. A wood pergola connects to the side building, and paving appears to break apart and flow into the lawn. An eye-catching wood-fired oven features built-in planters with herbs that can be sprinkled onto freshly made pizzas.
This patio plays with the theme of connectivity. A wood pergola connects to the side building, and paving appears to break apart and flow into the lawn. An eye-catching wood-fired oven features built-in planters with herbs that can be sprinkled onto freshly made pizzas.
7. Side Yard Benefiting From a Bold Choice, Xanthe White Design, New Zealand
Lush plantings and oversize steppingstones create a sense of spaciousness in this side yard. The home’s exterior echoes the greens and whites of the landscape, which includes a rain chain. Layers of sand, pebbles and mulch also help keep rainwater runoff within the yard.
Lush plantings and oversize steppingstones create a sense of spaciousness in this side yard. The home’s exterior echoes the greens and whites of the landscape, which includes a rain chain. Layers of sand, pebbles and mulch also help keep rainwater runoff within the yard.
8. Parquet-Style Terrace Paving, Carola Vannini, Italy
One of the aims in renovating this apartment in Rome’s historic center was to open up the interiors to the outside. Wood-effect stoneware paving in a classic herringbone pattern creates a fluid indoor-outdoor transition. Warm colors enhanced by black details complement the bespoke furniture both inside the apartment and on the terrace.
One of the aims in renovating this apartment in Rome’s historic center was to open up the interiors to the outside. Wood-effect stoneware paving in a classic herringbone pattern creates a fluid indoor-outdoor transition. Warm colors enhanced by black details complement the bespoke furniture both inside the apartment and on the terrace.
9. Sunken Patio Adds Light to a Basement, heider pannen-vulpi architekten, Germany
A lower terrace level gives this house a bright basement, significantly increasing the usable living space while keeping the home within the local building height regulations. Large windows create a modern look while also making the home feel warm and inviting.
A lower terrace level gives this house a bright basement, significantly increasing the usable living space while keeping the home within the local building height regulations. Large windows create a modern look while also making the home feel warm and inviting.
11. Artful Composition With a Huge Impact, Hankura Design, Japan
This small atrium is proof that you don’t need a lot of space to have a true oasis. Although enclosed, it evokes a sense of freedom and peace. Its delicate composition, with a running water feature and moss-covered stones, as well as its artful play of light and shadow makes it feel like a forest. Large sliding doors provide an easy transition from the interior to the terrace and out to the garden, all of which are on the same level.
This small atrium is proof that you don’t need a lot of space to have a true oasis. Although enclosed, it evokes a sense of freedom and peace. Its delicate composition, with a running water feature and moss-covered stones, as well as its artful play of light and shadow makes it feel like a forest. Large sliding doors provide an easy transition from the interior to the terrace and out to the garden, all of which are on the same level.
12. Pool Built Into a Deck, La Nostra, Secrets d’Intérieur, France
Shallow rocky ground and a magnolia tree’s extensive roots prevented the installation of a traditional swimming pool in this courtyard surrounded by high walls. With the help of landscape professionals, owner and interior designer Laure Arancio solved this challenge by adding a 4½-foot-deep pool in an elevated wood deck. All the technical equipment is hidden beneath the deck.
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Get inspired by landscape photos
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Shallow rocky ground and a magnolia tree’s extensive roots prevented the installation of a traditional swimming pool in this courtyard surrounded by high walls. With the help of landscape professionals, owner and interior designer Laure Arancio solved this challenge by adding a 4½-foot-deep pool in an elevated wood deck. All the technical equipment is hidden beneath the deck.
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get inspired by landscape photos
Find a pro for your home or garden project
Shop for outdoor products
This veranda overlooking the Bavarian Fünfseenland (“Land of Five Lakes”) was designed to encourage joie de vivre with a permanently installed hanging net for extra fun. The large glass walls can be opened to create a smooth transition between inside and outside.