18 Fresh Ideas to Transform Your Backyard Into a Personal Oasis (2024)

At this Normandy-style chateau in Pebble Beach, designer Mary McDonald made sure the focal point of the courtyard remained on the impeccable cliffside vistas. Guests can enjoy a co*cktail by the fire before strolling over to the table for a breezy dinner with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. All furniture is by Janus et Cie.

A lush mix of lavender and rose lightly perfume the backyard and porch of this relaxed 1970s cottage in Napa Valley. Landscape designer Elaine Shaw relied on native bent grass and wildflowers to give the grounds of the home a sense of place within the natural landscape.

Historian Emily Eerdmans took full advantage of the limited green space at her West Village gallery-in-residence, dividing it into two different sections for relaxation and dining. Oak leaf hydrangea, salvia, and Lollipop verbena evoke the Cotswolds in the middle of the bustling city.

Architect Paul Bates cleverly designed the airy co*cktail terrace at this relaxed Birmingham home to directly connect to the butler's pantry for easy serving. The patio features furnishings from Melanie Pounds' shop Patina.

Decorative trellis mirrors make the quaint back garden of this Victorian-era rowhouse by designer Gary McBournie appear larger with ivied walls and white hydrangeas. The neutral furnishings (McKinnon and Harris) playfully offset the riots of color and pattern indoors.

The all-star team of designer Meredith McBrearty, architect Ryan Street, and landscape architect Bill Bauer worked together to ensure every inch of this midcentury Dallas home embraced its roots. The sleek pool and vintage Willy Guhl loop chairs mimic the geometric motifs seen in the home's architecture.

At first glance, one may suspect this English country-inspired folly to be just another poolhouse. However, architect Bob White designed the striking structure at this southern California adobe to serve as a private guest quarters and a dreamy second-floor office. The stucco color is Glacier White by Benjamin Moore.

In the vegetable garden of this Cathy Kincaid-designed cottage, a shingled garden shed offers a valuable place to store tools and take stock of crops after a harvest. Sweet Autumn clematis climbs the fence as boxwoods serve as a border.

Decorator Bunny Williams and landscape designer Tim Rees teamed up to ensure the formal garden at this Provençal farmhouse embodied al fresco living. Groves of cypress and olive trees frame the arbor where lunch is served almost daily.

Design maverick Hutton Wilkinson's maximalist panache runs throughout every room and out into the garden of his mountaintop retreat in Malibu. A wiry coral gazebo made from a recycled elevator cage overlooks the Pacific Ocean, offering a sense of whimsy to the ground.

With impeccable views of the coastal lagoon, a simple background patio would not do for Katherine and William Rayner's Hamptons retreat. The couple instead work with sculptor Simon Verity and architect Martha Finney to create a befitting grotto, made of Tula stone, seashells, and quartz, which played off the seaside setting.

Architect Bill Curtis challenged himself to give the Versailles-inspired folly a sense of belonging amongst the Star jasmine ivy and Canary Island date palms of this Houston estate. The pergola is constructed of precision-cut copper and sand-cast steel, two materials commonly used within the city during the 1930s. A bronze elephant fountain (Dan Ostermiller) stands guard by the round pond in the center of the backyard.

For a family who spends most of their time outdoors, architectural firm Khoury & Vogt built a serene outdoor bar for quick refreshment breaks in between dips in the pool. The backsplash features glazed Moroccan tiles (Moorish Architectural Design) in shades that mimic the sky above.

Walking through this estate garden in the rolling hills of Santa Barbara feels like visiting a renowned gallery with its captivating garden ornaments such as sculpture, antique pottery, and bubbling fountains.

Commanding stone pillars lead visitors to quietly explore the manicured labyrinth of Ficus nitida hedge at this Spanish Revival-style Montecito home. A pedestal sculpture (Dennis & Leen) marks the entrance of the path.

Design power couple Steve and Brooke Giannetti enjoy a slower pace of life at their Ojai ranch, tending to their garden and a rowdy bunch of chickens. A collection of antique watering cans and flowerpots decorates the coop.

Landscape architect Scott Shrader relied on drought-tolerant plants to effortlessly bring this garden high in the mountains of Malibu to life. In the courtyard, colossal agave plants sit under a canopy of olive trees.

As a passionate gardener, there's nothing Charlotte Moss loves more than relaxing amongst the greenery of her own backyard. The playful hammock serves as the ideal spot for a little late afternoon reading.