Enchanting Outdoor Spaces That Mix Fresh Air with Incredible Design
An artful terrace, courtyard, or covered porch can transform nature into a plein air room
Having outdoor space to soak up the sunshine and take in the fresh air is critical to anyone’s mental health—especially right now. Galerie has published a slew of incredible homes equipped with outdoor spaces as carefully considered as their interiors—and we’ve rounded up the best below, from a jasmine-scented courtyard in the Spanish countryside to a terrace with a riot of color in the Hamptons.
1. The poolside terrace of a midcentury La Jolla house revamped by architect William T. Georgis is abloom with tropical plantings by Elysian Landscapes.
2. Kadlec Architecture + Design conceived the partially enclosed living room terrace at fashion designer Pamella Roland’s townhouse in Chicago. There, a wall-mounted piece by Steven Haulenbeek and a Jaume Plensa head sculpture overlook a seating area furnished with a Holly Hunt sofa and cocktail table and a Tribu armchair.
3. Esteemed artist Bernar Venet’s estate in the South of France is dotted with his arresting steel works, including large-scale pieces from his “Indeterminate Lines” and “Arcs” series.
4. Designer Madeline Stuart took cues from a trip to Morocco when breathing new life into this Spanish Revival landmark in La Jolla. Brian Tichenor of Tichenor and Thorp did the landscape design, which features a quartet of palm trees and an octagonal tiled water feature in the entry courtyard.
5. To create the joyous sunroom terrace at Clarissa Bronfman’s eclectic Hamptons home, designer Amy Lau utilized a multitiered Alvaro Catalán de Ocón lighting fixture and vividly colored Paola Lenti rug.
6. Wilbert Das designed this Zen Brazilian retreat for Karl Lagerfeld muse Kristen McMenamy and art dealer Ivor Braka. The beachside grounds feature tatajuba-wood chaise longues from Das’s Uxua Casa collection along the border of the swimming pool.
7. Anna Busta and Steve Giannetti designed this modern desert escape, which features a Norman Mooney sculpture in the reflecting pool created by landscape designer Sammy Castro.
8. Surrounded by flourishing white jasmine, the courtyard of this magnificent family getaway, designed by Isabel López-Quesada in the Spanish countryside, features vintage chairs clustered around an iron table of her design.
9. Sex and the City creator Darren Star teamed up with designer Waldo Fernandez to give his Hamptons home a ravishing reboot. Wisteria climbs the pergola in an outdoor sitting area designed by landscape architect Alec Gunn; the teak outdoor furniture by RH, Restoration Hardware, has cushions covered in a Sunbrella fabric.
10. Thomas Hickey and interior designer Edward Yedid, partners in the two-decade-old firm Grade New York, deliver a refreshingly modern take on Palm Beach living. Chaise longues and armchairs by Richard Schultz for Knoll border the pool, interspersed with a trio of tables by Sebastian Herkner for Ames beneath a Tuuci umbrella from RH.
11. James Magni and Paul McClean collaborate on a modern residence near Sacramento that makes the most of its breathtaking setting, teaming up with landscape designer Ed Haag to create a lakeside outdoor space that highlights the owner’s collection of art. Here, a sculpture by Jose Dávila stands next to the pool, overlooking Folsom Lake, in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
12. A Hamptons beach house architect Steven Harris and designer Lucien Rees Roberts features a curvaceous, asymmetrical pool and an entertaining pavilion topped by a boomerang-shaped roof, whose roof doubles as a distinctive water feature. Harris also designed the curving concrete bench with cushions by Rees Roberts, who furnished the rest of the space with travertine tables and vintage armchairs. David Kelly, a partner at Rees Roberts + Partners, oversaw the landscaping, which becomes more wild in the areas near the dunes.
13. Ariel Ashe and Reinaldo Leandro crafted this New Jersey beach house as a trio of rectilinear structures connected by enclosed breezeways. The duo worked with adviser Raquel Cayre on the art and furnishings, while Enea Garden Design conceived the landscaping. Tuuci umbrellas shade chaise longues by Kettal alongside the pool.
14. Located in the Hollywood Hills, the 1971 residence of art adviser John Wolf, crafted with designer and long-time friend Adam Bram Straus, features abundant outdoor spaces and seductive vistas of the city below. On the pool terrace, Willy Guhl concrete Pod chairs are joined by Gianfranco Frattini nesting tables beside the hot tub, while a sculpture by Jean-Marie Appriou is perched above.
15. London gallerists Louisa Guinness and Ben Brown’s home, located outside Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, proves to be the perfect setting for their art collection, curated from his roster of talents. The charismatic couple loves to entertain, but they also relish relaxing at home, enjoying informal lunches and dinners with family and friends on the terrace. Shaded by a leafy plane tree, surrounded by the idyllic gardens, it’s a magical spot to savor the long, lazy days of the Provençal summer. Here, a table draped with a Summerill & Bishop tablecloth and set with Pichon d’Uzès plates and John Jenkins glassware overlooks the pool area and gardens.