Houzz Users’ Favourite Outdoor Photos from Around the World
As warmer weather approaches, be inspired by last year’s most-saved garden and outdoor photos
Houzz
15 May 2022
The weather is warming up, the birds are chirping, and Houzz users are thinking about their gardens. To get our creative gardening juices flowing, we’ve turned to some of last summer’s most inspiring outdoor projects.
Featured here are the most-saved garden and outdoor photos uploaded within each country and saved by users around the world (including in that country) between January 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022, catching summer favourites from both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Featured here are the most-saved garden and outdoor photos uploaded within each country and saved by users around the world (including in that country) between January 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022, catching summer favourites from both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Australia
Australia has a fantastic climate for outdoor entertaining, as this design by Grindstone Landscapes suggests. While a barbecue on a deck was once considered sufficient for cooking, full-service kitchens that include fridges, sinks and even pizza ovens, are now gaining in popularity.
With very hot summers, shade is essential and a fan to circulate air is a desirable extra. Here, travertine paving complements the contemporary colour palette of this custom-made kitchen and dining space.
You might also enjoy 20 Pizza Oven Set-ups to Inspire Your Garden Project.
Australia has a fantastic climate for outdoor entertaining, as this design by Grindstone Landscapes suggests. While a barbecue on a deck was once considered sufficient for cooking, full-service kitchens that include fridges, sinks and even pizza ovens, are now gaining in popularity.
With very hot summers, shade is essential and a fan to circulate air is a desirable extra. Here, travertine paving complements the contemporary colour palette of this custom-made kitchen and dining space.
You might also enjoy 20 Pizza Oven Set-ups to Inspire Your Garden Project.
Austria
Biotop Landschaftsgestaltung specialises in natural swimming pools, and created this dreamy set-up for a home in the state of Styria, Austria. The wooden terrace offers a view of the water cascading down to a small timber reading hut.
For even more of a holiday feel, there’s a small sunbathing island in the middle of this 300 sq m lake. The water is cleaned biologically, with no added chemicals.
Biotop Landschaftsgestaltung specialises in natural swimming pools, and created this dreamy set-up for a home in the state of Styria, Austria. The wooden terrace offers a view of the water cascading down to a small timber reading hut.
For even more of a holiday feel, there’s a small sunbathing island in the middle of this 300 sq m lake. The water is cleaned biologically, with no added chemicals.
France
Homes in the south of France are always beloved by users. This stunning garden belongs to a guest house in Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence. Standout features include its beautiful swimming pool and gorgeous view of the vineyard below.
Homes in the south of France are always beloved by users. This stunning garden belongs to a guest house in Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence. Standout features include its beautiful swimming pool and gorgeous view of the vineyard below.
Germany
This home’s owners asked Skandella Architektur for a minimalist and clearly structured front garden design. Grasses at varying heights, a variety of shrubs and Corten steel borders give the plot a calming sense of order.
This home’s owners asked Skandella Architektur for a minimalist and clearly structured front garden design. Grasses at varying heights, a variety of shrubs and Corten steel borders give the plot a calming sense of order.
Ireland
This contemporary outdoor space by McKiernan Architects has been designed to fit in effortlessly with the new side extension. Conceptualising the two spaces as one enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors and allows for a seamless transition between the two.
A cool white and grey colour palette visually links the spaces and the fuss-free green planting palette is streamlined and modern.
This contemporary outdoor space by McKiernan Architects has been designed to fit in effortlessly with the new side extension. Conceptualising the two spaces as one enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors and allows for a seamless transition between the two.
A cool white and grey colour palette visually links the spaces and the fuss-free green planting palette is streamlined and modern.
Italy
This garden has all the classic gems of a Tuscan landscape: gentle hills, expansive wilderness, and a historic farm house that mixes traditional architecture with the feeling of balanced living.
Architect Alessandra Cipriani has chosen to maintain and restore the classic beauty of the stone façade and the traditional interiors, keepings its historic feel alive.
This garden has all the classic gems of a Tuscan landscape: gentle hills, expansive wilderness, and a historic farm house that mixes traditional architecture with the feeling of balanced living.
Architect Alessandra Cipriani has chosen to maintain and restore the classic beauty of the stone façade and the traditional interiors, keepings its historic feel alive.
Japan
Thirty years ago, this oceanside villa was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa (1934-2007), one of the founders of the Metabolist movement, and constructed by a famous craftsman, Sotoji Nakamura (1906-1997).
Hannat Architects studied the thinking and techniques of these two masters when they renovated a bathroom in the house and added the modern deck overlooking the Pacific ocean. Lights under the deck and along the villa’s outer walls create a soft glow.
This home is a masterclass in how to preserve a traditional wooden sukiya-zukuri style house while adding modern charm and comforts.
Thirty years ago, this oceanside villa was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa (1934-2007), one of the founders of the Metabolist movement, and constructed by a famous craftsman, Sotoji Nakamura (1906-1997).
Hannat Architects studied the thinking and techniques of these two masters when they renovated a bathroom in the house and added the modern deck overlooking the Pacific ocean. Lights under the deck and along the villa’s outer walls create a soft glow.
This home is a masterclass in how to preserve a traditional wooden sukiya-zukuri style house while adding modern charm and comforts.
New Zealand
A hardwood deck is considered an essential in New Zealand. This vast platform, which wraps around a contemporary home by Designpoint Architecture, creates many opportunities for relaxing outdoors, from family meals to chatting and reading to undertaking some repotting.
A hardwood deck is considered an essential in New Zealand. This vast platform, which wraps around a contemporary home by Designpoint Architecture, creates many opportunities for relaxing outdoors, from family meals to chatting and reading to undertaking some repotting.
Spain
This photo revels in the wonderful warmth of earth tones and the muted greens of the almond and fig trees that are so characteristic of the island of Formentera, where this home by Marià Castelló is located.
The ceramic latticework that defines the entrance and the transition between the social and private areas of the house lets the sun’s rays gently filter into the interior.
This house was a dream come true for its two young owners, who live here year-round, but who wouldn’t fall in love with a landscape like this, and a home that respects and sits in dialogue with its natural surroundings?
This photo revels in the wonderful warmth of earth tones and the muted greens of the almond and fig trees that are so characteristic of the island of Formentera, where this home by Marià Castelló is located.
The ceramic latticework that defines the entrance and the transition between the social and private areas of the house lets the sun’s rays gently filter into the interior.
This house was a dream come true for its two young owners, who live here year-round, but who wouldn’t fall in love with a landscape like this, and a home that respects and sits in dialogue with its natural surroundings?
United Kingdom
This contemporary patio by Zulufish is tucked away on the lower-ground floor of a Victorian terraced house in London.
The petite space makes clever use of the exterior walls by integrating a bench into the raised planting beds. Vertical timber cladding creates privacy, while a light colour palette ensures the small space feels bright and inviting.
Accessed via sliding glass doors from the dining room, the courtyard feels like a seamless extension of the interior.
This contemporary patio by Zulufish is tucked away on the lower-ground floor of a Victorian terraced house in London.
The petite space makes clever use of the exterior walls by integrating a bench into the raised planting beds. Vertical timber cladding creates privacy, while a light colour palette ensures the small space feels bright and inviting.
Accessed via sliding glass doors from the dining room, the courtyard feels like a seamless extension of the interior.
United States
Indoor-outdoor features are popular in California homes, as residents relish the region’s mostly pleasant weather and look for ways to make the most of their living spaces. This San Francisco-area home designed by Libby Raab Architecture and built by Supple Homes takes the experience one step further with an outdoor shower, which the homeowners wanted for showering under the stars and rinsing off after dips in their hot tub.
The landscape design by Elements Landscape addresses the region’s warm, dry climate with low-water grasses and permeable gravel that contribute to a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant garden. Precast hexagonal concrete pavers lead to a backyard patio designed for dining, lounging and barbecuing.
Tell us…
Which of these outdoor spaces appeals to you the most? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Indoor-outdoor features are popular in California homes, as residents relish the region’s mostly pleasant weather and look for ways to make the most of their living spaces. This San Francisco-area home designed by Libby Raab Architecture and built by Supple Homes takes the experience one step further with an outdoor shower, which the homeowners wanted for showering under the stars and rinsing off after dips in their hot tub.
The landscape design by Elements Landscape addresses the region’s warm, dry climate with low-water grasses and permeable gravel that contribute to a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant garden. Precast hexagonal concrete pavers lead to a backyard patio designed for dining, lounging and barbecuing.
Tell us…
Which of these outdoor spaces appeals to you the most? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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I'm probably biased because I live in the Mediterranean part of France, but the one my heart favours over all is that beautiful Tuscan exterior: life goals, really ! Overall, many inspirations to be had here. I love how the Formentera exterior plays on the starkness of the landscape and uses traditional architecture in a very modern way. The Japanese setup is also rather charming, the way the house blends into the hillside. The Austrian natural pool is a thing of wonder: I've been wanting a natural pool for so long, but they are so expensive to build that will never happen! The Irish and English exteriors show us options if you live in either an urban or very wet areas (I prefer prairie gardens myself, which I find prettier and more eco-friendly but paved areas are much more practical when it rains on a daily basis). Like others, I am a bit surprised at the US picture, but I guess the choice is based on what was most saved, and therefore popular. I can certainly see the appeal if you live close to a beach or some form of outdoor swimming, and it is a lovely setup.
For me, the natural pool is a dream. I love swimming in colder water. If I ever come into both the place for it and the millions to build it ... 😁
I guess the outdoors is a very "local" thing, how much space you have and how long in the year the local climate encourages outdoor living. Actually surprised someone in Ireland did an in/outdoors as shown - which parts of the year can this be used, how many days did they have to wait to take that picture ? Though, people do these in London, and are surprised they only ever use one door of the bifolding "wall".
Love the little patio with seating in the planters. And the Japanese Seaside place. Oh heck ... I'd take any of them. Even the German techno-industrial garden. As a German, I can only think it German humour that this one was "most saved" !
the pic from austria does not do justice to styria! we live in italy in the summer - but we spent two weeks in july every year in styria. i can never get enough of the perfect weather and the landscape while riding around! it is blue sky, white billowy clouds and green mountains. and it has the most beautiful outdoor pool (about 2000 sq meters!) i have ever seen!