The biggest stories about courtyard makeovers show how homeowners make the most of their outdoor space.
From sleek modern courtyards with a resort vibe to dream skies full of plants reminiscent of hidden gardens, homeowners are combining personal touch and serious functionality in their outdoor spaces. Check out the most read yard tour of 2021 below to discover ideas you can use in your own designs.
10. A glimpse of the yard of the drought-tolerant garden room
Tour of the 10 most popular courtyards in 2021
Who lives here: Bea and Tom Schumacher;
Location: California;
Size: 425 square meters backyard, 418 square meters front yard, 65 square meters parking lot;
Transform their backyard into a lush low-water landscape, an outdoor living room connected by a series of paths. Homeowners now enjoy al fresco dining on the gravel terrace at the back of the house. The new backyard also features an outdoor kitchen which includes a grill and a pizza oven. There is a separate fire pit area in one corner of the yard. Outside the master bedroom there is a spa lounge with a soaking tub and privacy wall, offering a private retreat.
9. A glimpse of the poolside yard
Who lives here: a couple and their daughter
Location: Hadenfield Lot, New Jersey
Size: About half an acre
The pool in this New Jersey backyard is in great shape, but everything else needs help. Designer Joe Palimeno demolished the plants next to the house to create a sunny little place for the two chaise longues. On the other side of the swim, a larger paved space houses chairs shaded by oversized parasols. Palimeno has also added a waterfall feature at one end of the pool. A new small deck has an integrated barbecue station.
8. Fireplace and pool courtyard
Who lives here: a young family with teenage sons
Location: Cape Dana, California
Size: 88 square meters front yard, 249 square meters backyard
The designers provide a warm, welcoming space for a family in Southern California that is perfect for entertaining. One of the first tasks is the firefighting function with seats; A new stucco completes the gas fire protection function, and its hearth is wide enough to sit on it. Dimmable café lights above the fireside lounge add to the evening atmosphere.
On the other side of the newly installed pool, next to the house, is an outdoor dining area with kitchen. It has overhead shutters that can be opened to allow sunlight to enter or close to provide shade or prevent rain.
7. A glimpse of an elegant courtyard on the desert
Who lives here: a family of three with another child on the way
Location: Arizona
Size: 464 square meters of backyard
A young family asked designer Kaitlyn Wolfe to turn their plain and open backyard into a sleek, modern space that felt like a resort. The redesign features a main living area located under a wooden pergola. The pergola is covered with high-performance fabrics in natural tones that block out the arizona heat of the sun, and the sprayer overhead adds another cooling element. A new gas fireplace holds the space in place, which also includes built-in seating and an outdoor kitchen.
Wolff's team added a covered terrace next to the house, as well as a swimming pool, a spa and an outdoor shower. They also combine pavers with low-maintenance artificial turf to provide a soft surface for kids and pets.
6. Landscape architect's dream of space
Who lives here: landscape architect Jay Sifford, who designed the landscape and installed plants;
Location: North Carolina
Size: 1.4 acres
About two years ago, landscape architect Jay Sifford found his dream property in the north Carolina mountains. He immediately got busy working in the garden, turning the relatively flat area in front of the house into a grass garden. He chose a variety of plants that can provide color and texture throughout the season, from junipers and pine trees to perennials and grasses.
Behind the house, steps follow a steep slope leading to swamps and streams. Sifford filled the clearing between native plants on both sides of the staircase with ferns, sedges (Carex oshimensis 'Everillo') and foam flowers (Tiarella sp.).
5. Family, friends and wildlife
Who lives here: a couple with small children, during construction
Place of birth: Massachusetts
Size: 186 m2
The design team turned a backyard that was mainly used for parking into a relaxing modern resort that homeowners could enjoy with friends and family. The new deck behind the Somerville, Massachusetts yard includes a built-in L-shaped sofa that can be flipped over for storage. A free-standing fountain sits in an alcove on one side, helping to mask the noise from the track that runs through the trail of the hotel to the trail. A small lawn connects the space between the deck and the dining area next to the house.
The newly planted finished space is mostly native to help welcome beneficial wildlife. "She wants her backyard to be a stop for birds," landscape architect Robert Gilmore said of one of the homeowners.
4. Outdoor living courtyard all year round
Who lives here: A young couple Location: Texas
Size: 139 m2
Transform their underutilized outdoor spaces into year-round destinations. Half of the compact space is now home to a dining area, with an outdoor kitchen nearby, as well as a sunken lounge with built-in cantilever benches and a mid-century fireplace.
On the other side of the yard, a 9× 171/2 foot plunge pool is the perfect place to hang out on a hot afternoon. "The maximum depth of the pool is about 4.5 feet, so you can interact with the space in the distance," Corea said.
3. A glimpse of the multifunctional focus landscape
Who lives here: This is a weekend getaway for couples and their college-age children.
Where: Located on Lake Michigan near Port Washington, Wisconsin
Property area: approximately 31/2 acres
The owners of this lakeside weekend villa have a lot of ideas about how they want to use their outdoor space and they also want to respect the spirit of the place and the nature around them. LandWorks' design team responded by backyard bars and dining venues (pictured) as well as an open sports lawn area, a large meditation lab and a multifunctional yoga room. Different garden areas are scattered throughout the sprawling property. The team then used large sweeping planting beds to break up the expansive outdoor spaces while still providing a connection to nature. Native, wildlife-appealing plants are low maintenance costs and provide natural tones that complement their surroundings.
2. Immerse yourself in a glimpse of the plant yard
Who lives here: a couple with adult children
Location: South West London
Size: 104 square meters
A winding path runs through this London backyard and leads to a charming courtyard that borrows the view of adjacent trees and is far from the original lawn, which ends in a dilapidated shed. Designer Joanne Bernstein also added drifting of perennials to fill the rest of the space and gently spill over onto the trails and courtyards. "The owners want a garden full of plants – an immersive experience," she said.
1. Private family oasis yard at a glance
Location: Denver;
Area: 531 square meters;
These Denver homeowners want Ashley Stevens and Jonathan Stevens to turn their backyard into a space where the whole family and their friends want to spend their time. The resulting design features two large covered terraces, one for dining and the other for lounging. A smaller BBQ area connects the two spaces with stunning custom water features from every corner of the yard. The courtyard is complemented by dimmable lights criss-crossing, dedicated children's spaces, and plantations with vegetables and herbs. The surrounding lush vegetation provides privacy.