Enchanting Outdoor Spaces That Mix Fresh Air with Incredible Design

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.

The poolside terrace of a La Jolla, California, house done by architect William T. Georgis. Photo: Richard Powers

1. The poolside terrace of a midcentury La Jolla house revamped by architect William T. Georgis is abloom with tropical plantings by Elysian Landscapes.

Pamella Roland’s Chicago townhouse. Photo: Richard Powers

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.

Bernar Venet’s estate in the South of France. Photo: Ricardo Labougle

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.

Madeline Stuart revamped this landmark in La Jolla. Photo: Trevor Tondro

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.

Clarissa Bronfman’s art-filled Hamptons retreat. Photo: Thomas Loof

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.

Wilbert Das crafted this tropical escape for Kristen McMenamy and Ivor Braka. Photo: Richard Powers

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.

Steve Giannetti and Anna Busta created this desert retreat. Photo: Nikolas Koenig

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.

Recommended: Steve Giannetti and Anna Busta Create a Stunning Residence for Major Art Collectors

Isabel López-Quesada crafted this family getaway in the Spanish countryside. Photo: Ricardo Labougle

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.

Darren Starr’s Hamptons home. Photo: Richard Powers

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.