outdoor spaces

The outdoor shower, custom built from a granite pillar, is an unfussy, practical structure that inhabits a graceful moment at the pool entry.

Working with existing changes in grade, the pool sits higher than the landscape beyond, providing an elevated view of the harbor; local granite coping and ipe decking create the pool’s quiet palette, which is offset by the property’s most colorful gardens, filled with catmint, ferns, viburnum, and lowbush blueberry.

The roof deck features furnishings from Casa Design Group.

Adjacent to the main living areas is an atrium, the scale of which was reduced to maximize interior living space.

A stone floor and Western red-cedar timbers make the screened porch feel as though it’s part of the outdoors.

Raised beds hold edibles and marigolds in the vegetable garden.

Rows of lockers by SchoolLockers.com offer plenty of storage for the family and their guests to stow everything from flip-flops to sunscreen.

Landscaping by Jennifer Anderson Design & Development adds the right touches of green to a backdrop of blues and whites in order to complete the bucolic scene.

A custom teak shower surround allows for a luxurious—and private—outdoor bath.

A Holly Hunt sectional surrounds a firepit from Restoration Hardware.

Nancy Monahan enjoys a glass of wine with Boca, her Havanese, in the backyard, where a fire table expands the seasons and ceramic stools allow seating for several guests.

An urn from Terrain was given its own pocket garden in the front courtyard where a dining table waits to entertain company.

To reflect the curved gates to the entry courtyard that doubles as a dining area, homeowner and designer Nancy Monahan installed a bluestone pathway. The weathered brick pillars exemplify her respect for the past.

“This is the one room where we went with the more typical blue-and-white nautical feel, although with a more youthful, contemporary touch,” says Boothby of the three-season screened porch.

This picnic table, which is set upon the foundation of an old outbuilding at the edge of the owner’s apple orchard, seats eight comfortably and offers drop-dead views of the Taconic Mountains. It is decorated with fresh-cut dahlias from the home’s vibrant gardens. The ANICHINI cashmere blanket on the bench keeps picnickers warm during cool evenings.

A raised terrace and infinity pool extend into the backyard, which abuts a saltwater pond with views of the bay beyond. Connecting landscaping and hardscaping with the architecture was an important element of the design for Polhemus Savery DaSilva, the firm responsible for the architecture, landscape architecture, and construction of the house.

The covered porch features a collection of wicker and a Crate & Barrel sofa that Skok reupholsters every five or six years. “Snoozing there in the afternoon is the most luxurious thing,” she says.

A classic gate bids welcome.

The screened porch with its teak trim is meant to invoke yacht designer Nathanael Greene Herreshoff. The homeowner loves the seasonal Lexan storm panels that help keep the room warm in the cooler months (a double-sided fireplace helps, too).

The original home didn’t have a porch, but the reimagined structure includes the perfect spot to sip lemonade from one of the Kennedy rockers.

A pedestrian bridge connects the main house to three small cabins, designated for the homeowners’ sons.

Accompanied by informal foot paths, a 360-foot stone wall follows a long arc matching the

A Rohl rainhead in the outdoor shower takes care of sandy beachgoers.

A copper wall on the outdoor shower simulates the reflective quality of a waterfall, while clusters of lush banana plants ratchet up the tropical vibe.

No detail was overlooked, from pillows and umbrellas to conveniently placed baskets to stow damp towels.

Retractable glass panels open to a pool that is thirty feet wide by sixty feet long; “that’s a big pool!” notes Skolnick, and it incorporates a submerged spa and a series of gradual entry platforms for soaking in the water.

Bleached pine boards and bluestone slabs provide a beachy, yet sophisticated backdrop for contemporary lighting and a tropical palette; the chair fabric is a fun nod to a traditional batik pattern.

The centerpiece of the patio is a broad firepit in a design that echoes the water feature.

Landscape architect Dan Gordon used granite, a traditional material, in unexpected ways; here he created a bold, scene-stealing water feature.

The home’s traditional front portico offers a sheltered spot to relax.

Terraces on each level were designed by Zen Associates with low-maintenance, natural-palette furnishings and vegetation that can survive New England winters.

To contrast the sharp angles of the planters and steel edging corralling the groundcover sedum “lawn,” ZEN Associates custom designed an oval stainless-steel spa.

From the comfy four-season sitting room, the evergreens form a vista to frame the skyline.

The terrace, which opens off the living room and overlooks the city, is a summertime haven. “It’s our tiny backyard,” Frazier says.

Simple, informal plants surround a swath of grassy lawn.

Hydrangeas and other native plantings border the dining area. Amanda and John Rich discovered that the space under the floating WWOO benches in the grilling area make a perfect spot for storing firewood.

Homeowner Amanda Rich cloned her summer tomatoes and raised them in her greenhouse over the winter.

Frameless glass fencing, treated to keep salt at bay, keeps the focus on the view. A major challenge, says landscape architect Peter White, was subtly changing the design vocabulary to go from Cape Cod classic at the house level to contemporary at the pool level.

The outdoor shower gets a spa-like look with blue granite walls.

The bar is a stylish mix of French limestone and black granite; the doors behind it open to storage.

The lower-level deck takes on a contemporary vibe with its French limestone tile flooring and a low wall of stone supplemented by soft plantings behind the chaises.

An entertaining deck holds an outdoor kitchen with everything needed to throw a party, plus a fire table for gathering even on chilly nights early in the season.

Architect Rolf Kielman incorporated garage doors on two sides of the house to let summer breezes flow freely. Designer Chapman salvaged an old trough of galvanized metal to stand in for a sink at the bar.

The TV sits above the bar, hidden behind a Vermont maple syrup sign interior designer Cathy Chapman commissioned.

Keith Wagner’s landscape plan includes segmented serpentine walls of local Panton stone.

“The pool house was designed to look like it emerges from the woods,” Wagner says.

Where better to enjoy the fire than on one of a pair of red-cushioned swinging benches?

This look at the back of the house shows how the designers used oversize windows and sliding doors to maximize waterfront views and fit the home to the sloping lot.

On the back patio, a Santa Barbara umbrella provides shade for a dining area with seating for up to ten. Landscape architect Anne Penniman also carved out spaces for lounging and sunning as well as an outdoor kitchen.

A bluestone-topped fireplace compliments the patio pavers and cozies up a seating area.

Two sets of French doors in the Summer House let warm breezes pass through from the Connecticut River to the garden.

Apple Bartlett at her Maine home overlooking Penobscot Bay. Her parents, Henry Parish II and Dorothy May “Sister” Parish, bought the property in the 1940s, although her family retreated to Islesboro for generations beforehand.

Views from the sitting room and deck offer infinite interest, regardless of the weather.

The revamped front porch sports a new teak floor and tiered teak railings. “This is a deliciously cool spot for enjoying evening cocktails,” interior designer Leslie Dunn says.

A glass railing and Adirondack chairs on the second-floor deck offer long vistas across the dunes, connecting the coastal scenery with the palette of the interior decor.

Views of conservation land are appetizers for relaxed outdoor meals.

Dinner is often enjoyed on the rear terrace.

The porch floors are cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood.

Beyond the boathouse, the second home on the property peeks through the trees.

Perched above a picturesque cove, the refurbished pool and deck area is a secluded bit of paradise.

Made of durable, mold-resistant Garapa Gold—a South American hardwood—the multi-level decks have lightened to a silvery gray that complements the shingled house.

The dining deck abuts the new addition and affords room for a generous table that’s used frequently. “The sunsets, the fog and mist—it’s all beautiful from here,” Park says.

Interior designer Anja Park created a lush landscape including a wisteria-draped pergola to link the handsomely refurbished main residence with the guest house.

Sparsely developed Lake Waramaug is best viewed from the comfort of an Adirondack chair.

The cottage roof slopes down from street level to shade the porch outside the second-floor bedrooms.

A shaded, lakeside granite patio sits between the cottage and the screen house.

The open part of the front porch has a gap at the base of the wall so water can drain out.

The front porch offers this lovely view. The house to the right is now privately owned but was once the Albonegon Inn, where Charlie Chaplin twice stayed.

What looks like a well-appointed pool house is actually a gardening shed.

Photo courtesy of Sudbury Design Group

Photo by Eric Roth

Photo courtesy of LeBlanc Jones Landscape Architects

Photo courtesy of LeBlanc Jones Landscape Architects

Photo by David Sundberg/Esto

Photo by Peter Vanderwarker

Photo by Peter Vanderwarker

A side porch is perfect for informal gatherings.

The back patio has gray stone tiles for continuity with the look and feel of the kitchen floor.

The generous deck wraps around the living room, increasing the home’s livable space. Interior designer Audrey Sterk elevates the outdoor area’s allure—as she has the whole house—with comfortable pieces that correlate with easy living and relaxation. The adjacent guest house/studio mimics the home’s design and provides bonus overnight accommodations.

The old fieldstone wall, which Gordon refurbished and reworked, is joined to the cedar fence by way of new cedar gates with bronze hardware. From the meadow side, due to the hilly topography, the wall reaches almost four feet in height.

: Bluestone paths lead to different areas of the garden and help keep feet dry when the grass is damp.

The inviting lawn terrace is an open-air room for play or entertaining.

Unlike today’s pool, which mirrors the lines of the architecture, the old pool was perpendicular to the house.

The red cedar pool fence will eventually weather to gray, making it a perfect fit for the garden’s understated palette.

The remodel included installing a pool in the corner created by the original house and a twentieth-century ell addition.

The sheep sculptures are by local artist Dan Falt, who has been welcoming children into his studio for art workshops since the homeowner and her designer were kids summering on the island.

A garden near the house holds seventeen varieties of roses, an arbor, and a swinging bench.

The wraparound porch makes a fine spot for outdoor dining and enjoying the garden views.

A lush landscape provides shade for the pool and inviting fire pit areas, where diving contests and s’mores are regular summer rituals.

The Wrights “have a clean and modern aesthetic,” says landscape architect Kristina Gates. “We removed plantings that blocked the house, added hedging, and created little moments to enjoy.”

A pagoda-inspired pergola makes a welcoming shelter by the pool.

Parquet-style teak flooring covers the expansive roof deck that sports an outdoor fireplace and flat-screen TV.

Cabinets with a built-in sink and refrigerator pair with a gas grill to create a seasonal open-air kitchen perfect for entertaining.

Festive flashlights lined up along the patio fence add nighttime ambience.

Windows abound at the rear of both cottage and studio, the better to gaze out over the water.

The backyard and pool area echo just enough of the geometry of the home to remain harmonic, while landscaping, ornamental flowers, discreet lighting, and a welcoming cabana soften the edges of a space used frequently for entertaining and family time.

The old, underutilized pool was replaced with a more organic design framed by granite pavers and the occasional protruding boulder.

The bluestone terrace is home to a fireplace and all-weather wicker seating.

Al fresco entertaining space was limited at the main house, so the owner made up for it at the barn, where an expansive pergola shelters the outdoor kitchen and dining area, and a pizza oven and an eighty-inch TV keep the party lively.

The screened porch looks over cornfields and a portion of the Appalachian Trail.

The home’s three-season, modified timber-frame screened-in porch is high enough off the ground to give it a tree-house feel.

Carefully selected elements, like a stone wall with a traditional look and the white dining canopy, play off the house and create a sense of unity.

Lighting at every step is as beautiful as it is functional, bathing the terraces in a soft glow and highlighting design features.

Lush, layered planting behind the white canopy gives the space a classic New England feel, even with the yard’s contemporary design and accents like the sleek dining table and chairs.

The full outdoor kitchen and bar are situated centrally for an ideal view of the pool.

A combination of textures and materials, from stone and oxidized steel to smooth pavers and lush vegetation, makes for a rich and naturally elegant poolscape.

A raised terrace with a fire pit is a fine setting for evening entertaining.

An understated water feature behind the chaises provides relaxing ambient sound.The full outdoor kitchen and bar are situated centrally for an ideal view of the pool.

The sunroom is everyone’s favorite, thanks to the curvaceous Acapulco rockers from Blackman Cruz that set the tone for the modern, stylish space. Designer Heather Wells adhered strictly to the black-and-white palette here, and used it throughout to keep the home airy, relaxed, and beachy-casual.

A spacious circular porch with idyllic views sits off the master bedroom.

The broad back porch offers plenty of room for an outdoor dinner party.

The sloping lot offers extensive views of the bay beyond from the home, from its many terraces and patios, and from the deck surrounding the infinity pool.

The pool house is an architectural nod to the main house.

Local fieldstone visually links the house with the terrace areas.

An environmentally protected coastal bank provides a natural buffer between the pool and the bay.

The plant-filled patio speaks to the owner’s passion for gardening.

Twin sheds and a shade-lending pergola anchor the pool area and complement the house.

The outdoor furniture is pale in tone and unadorned, to blend in with the sand and beach grasses.

The front porch’s mismatched furniture lends a “collected” look and adds a sense of history to the new home.

An outdoor dining room is located just steps from the pool and hot tub.

Sheltered under the back porch, a living and dining area allows the family to gather outside for much of the summer.

The patio offers sweeping vistas of the estate on which the carriage-house-turned-condo sits.

The screened porch resembles a small A-frame cabin; breezes can blow right through the latticed wicker furniture.

The roof deck features discreet areas for dining, cooking, and lounging, all with spectacular views of the city.

A seating area.

A pergola-covered dining area.

The screened porch is furnished with comfy sofas and tea-height tables for casual eating and reading, making it a favorite gathering spot.

A sisal rug defines the sunroom’s dining area. Cheery curtains make a colorful frame for the view.

To update the existing outdoor furniture collection, Lapierre had the pieces repainted and outfitted with new pillows and umbrellas.

The conservatory doors open onto a stone patio and fireplace. A small deck off the master bedroom sits above the sunny passage between the kitchen area and the wet bar.

Slats and boards on the waterside deck mimic the interiors.

The owners enjoy their second-story porch all year long.

To integrate the pool with the landscape, “We conceived of the rectangular pool as a farm relic—perhaps the foundation for a farm structure,” says Horiuchi. Behind the pool, plantings on the sloping lawn will grow lush over time.

Stone mason Eben Armer hand selected each locust branch for this outdoor shower he designed and built.

The screened porch provides views of the poolhouse (which also functions as guest quarters) and the water. Stiving-Nichols and furniture maker Jeff Soderbergh collaborated on the design of the handsome reclaimed cypress dining table, one of several he crafted for the house.

The random sizes and shapes of the paving stones further the natural look of the landscaping.

In the screened porch, the vibe is casual, inviting lingering on slipcovered chairs and a large circular daybed from JANUS et Cie.

The screened porch on the third floor invites relaxation with swinging daybeds and a bird’s eye view of Quonochontaug Pond.

The rails of the floating dock are made of rope.

A sunny screened-in porch is cooled by Cape Cod breezes and scattered with comfy chairs atop a Stark area rug.

Winding steps of uneven rock lead from dock to house for a more nature-in-the-raw experience.

Modernist architect Olav Hammarstrom believed in getting close to nature, in this case a private kettle pond. In the recent update, architect Coty Sidnam’s glass rail on the deck of the main house makes “up close” even closer.

The rebuilt deck ends with an outdoor shower outside the master bedroom.

The breezeway entry was hard to find until landscape architect Keith LeBlanc regraded and opened up the parking court.

From the perspective of the seating area, the pool’s infinity edge disappears into the waters of the bay.

At the near end of the pool, two pieces of granite stacked atop each other form a naturalistic and appealing diving platform. On the opposite end sits the fireplace, with a dining area and bar conveniently located nearby. Just steps from the bar, the spa is delineated from the pool by a curved wall designed for sitting and soaking.

The color of the pool, carefully chosen to blend with the surrounding vegetation and the bay, is a source of delight.

On the water side, the fencing is glass, while white-painted pickets do the job on the driveway side.

A smaller, round table for informal dining is located at one end of the pool, near the seating area.

A path leads across the lawn to the parking area.

At one end of the infinity pool, a cabana features an enclosed bar area, bathroom, and changing room.

A built-in banquette hugs the walls of the sunroom, which was designed to suggest a screened porch that had been enclosed.

The homeowner says everyone congregates in the kitchen or on the deck, whose expansive table easily accommodates twelve.

The swimming pool culminates in an invisible edge that visually blends into Buzzards Bay.

The deck railing follows the curve of the wetlands setback abutting the house; a second seating area at the rear capitalizes on its western exposure.

The generous deck wraps around the house and is accessible to the living room and the guest bedroom.

Higgins and her client laid out the garden like a parterre, with four flower beds surrounding a bird bath.

A fire pit serves as the focal point for a sunken lounge featuring built-in seating.

The fun never ends in a kids’ play area that holds, among other delights, a colorful balance beam and a stationary jet ski.

Convenient self-service from the countertop drink trough makes guests happy.

One part rustic, one part sleek, the Barn is anchored by a custom bar topped with Lunar White polished quartzite that waterfalls over two sides into a chiseled finish for a contrasting live-edge look.

An ipe-clad, granite-topped bar and grill area separates the upper deck from the pool level; the grill’s retractable lid keeps the terrace uncluttered.

The spa overlooks the pool and lets the party go on long after sunset.

The design team was given the task of creating an outdoor space that forms a seamless bridge between the house and the beautiful waterfront setting. Multiple terraces include an ipe deck topped with a contemporary pergola. The built-in metal light cages atop the columns are an element echoed in other metal detailing in the new backyard area.

The house sits on nearly two acres, and came with a pool and tennis court

Quinn carries the water’s color into the pool house with a graphic rug and pillows from Colony Rug Company.

JANUS et Cie’s Amalfi collection lounges lend style to the pool.

Landscape designer Jeff Stevens and interior designer Karen Quinn turned what was once a dairy room into an inviting entry space. Urns of geraniums and a crisp hedge of Winter Gem boxwood provide the initial welcome.