Landscape Design
Patio of the Week
Yard of the Week: Modern Look Nods to Traditional Japanese Design
A Northern California backyard gains decks, patios, a pavilion and an outdoor kitchen that flow in a calm, organized way
This Northern California family had a big backyard with a pool and some patio spaces. But the property’s disjointed and dated look left them craving an organized outdoor space with functionality and a calm feel. “My clients wanted to be able to do the things they enjoyed indoors outside,” landscape designer Colin Miller says. “And they wanted a more modern look inspired by traditional Japanese design.” The resulting space includes a series of lounging areas, an outdoor kitchen, a dining space, a large fountain and a pavilion complete with a fireplace, a TV and an outdoor shower.
Before exploring the outdoor rooms, we’ll look at the yard’s overall layout. This photo was taken from an outdoor pavilion that Miller placed toward the back of the property. At 20,000 square feet, the backyard had a lot of room for different areas, but it needed to be laid out in an organized way and not look like a hodgepodge.
Miller began by placing the pavilion in a spot where it would serve as “the backbone of the yard,” he says. From there, he worked with the existing entrances off the house and the amoeba-shaped pool. He placed a fire pit lounge patio near the pool on the left and the dining area on the right. The outdoor kitchen is conveniently located close to the house and the dining area, and there are two casual seating areas on a deck just outside the family room on the right. There is another deck off the primary bedroom on the left side of the house. A water feature with a bridge over it divides the deck on the left from the decks and patios on the right.
“The shape of the pool was one of the biggest constraints. My clients wanted more modern style for the outdoor rooms around it,” Miller says. He used strong straight lines to contrast the pool’s curved shape. The pool’s placement away from the house was a plus, as it left space for a series of outdoor rooms and features directly off the house.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture in the Houzz Shop
Miller began by placing the pavilion in a spot where it would serve as “the backbone of the yard,” he says. From there, he worked with the existing entrances off the house and the amoeba-shaped pool. He placed a fire pit lounge patio near the pool on the left and the dining area on the right. The outdoor kitchen is conveniently located close to the house and the dining area, and there are two casual seating areas on a deck just outside the family room on the right. There is another deck off the primary bedroom on the left side of the house. A water feature with a bridge over it divides the deck on the left from the decks and patios on the right.
“The shape of the pool was one of the biggest constraints. My clients wanted more modern style for the outdoor rooms around it,” Miller says. He used strong straight lines to contrast the pool’s curved shape. The pool’s placement away from the house was a plus, as it left space for a series of outdoor rooms and features directly off the house.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture in the Houzz Shop
This photo provides a good overview of the areas located right off the house. Because the house is 12 inches off the ground, Miller composed a series of planes. “The sightlines become more interesting with elevation changes — they bring your attention to different volumes and the transitions between them,” he says.
He used a mix of Thermory decking and concrete on the decks, patios and pathways; these form the large swaths of carefully curated materials inspired by traditional Japanese garden design. Thermory is sustainably harvested wood treated with heat and steam to give it rot resistance that is guaranteed for 25 years.
The deck on the left is located off the primary bedroom. From there, a bridge crosses a shallow pool in front of a fountain and planting beds. The elevated deck beyond provides two seating areas — one with a pair of oversize sculptural lounge chairs and a second with a pair of rocking chairs.
The outdoor kitchen is just past these decks, anchoring the corner of the series of outdoor rooms. The fire pit lounge area is on the patio between the outdoor kitchen and the pool.
He used a mix of Thermory decking and concrete on the decks, patios and pathways; these form the large swaths of carefully curated materials inspired by traditional Japanese garden design. Thermory is sustainably harvested wood treated with heat and steam to give it rot resistance that is guaranteed for 25 years.
The deck on the left is located off the primary bedroom. From there, a bridge crosses a shallow pool in front of a fountain and planting beds. The elevated deck beyond provides two seating areas — one with a pair of oversize sculptural lounge chairs and a second with a pair of rocking chairs.
The outdoor kitchen is just past these decks, anchoring the corner of the series of outdoor rooms. The fire pit lounge area is on the patio between the outdoor kitchen and the pool.
Limiting the material palette and creating relationships between wood and water were two of the principles Miller borrowed from traditional Japanese design. The concrete edge of the fountain continues back toward the house to form a planting bed.
15 Garden Fountains to Inspire Your Outdoor Space
15 Garden Fountains to Inspire Your Outdoor Space
“My client liked the idea of using boardwalks in the backyard,” Miller says. So he integrated a boardwalk-like feeling with the bridge across the fountain’s shallow pool. The bridge serves as a transition from the raised deck down to the patio.
The fountain’s pool is just 8 inches deep. “This kept the splash from the fountain from being too extreme, and it meant we wouldn’t have to use too much water to fill it. While it is a recirculating system, the pool does lose some water to evaporation,” Miller says. He used a black liner topped with black Mexican pebbles on the bottom of the pool to create the illusion of more depth. The pebbles also play off the dining table.
Another one of the homeowner’s passions is bonsai. Three bonsai trees can be seen atop stands near the corner of the house. (One of the two oversize sun loungers can be seen to the right.)
This photo also shows the thoughtful composition of concrete, wood and water elements as well as the way the different planes intersect. “The raised deck helps to showcase those sculptural lounge chairs,” Miller says.
This photo also shows the thoughtful composition of concrete, wood and water elements as well as the way the different planes intersect. “The raised deck helps to showcase those sculptural lounge chairs,” Miller says.
The bridge leads across the water to the outdoor fire pit lounge. Using a lower concrete patio here forged a strong relationship with the pool and delineated this area as a separate room from the decks off the house.
Find a local deck-and-patio specialist
Find a local deck-and-patio specialist
The lounge area has a different vibe than the raised decks and relates to the pool and pavilion. The elevated deck under the pavilion created another plane in the yard. Putting it at the same level as the decks off the house established the significance of the pavilion and its adjoining deck within the hierarchy of the yard.
The outdoor kitchen has a grill, a sink, a trash pullout and storage cabinets. The base is Thermory that matches the decking, and the prep countertop is concrete. This area also has a bar for people to gather around, with a redwood counter that ties it to the dining table.
The dining area provides a nice transition between the house and the pavilion. Shell chairs and an umbrella add modern touches to the yard.
Shop for outdoor dining furniture
Shop for outdoor dining furniture
“The family wanted a pavilion to protect them from the sun in the summer and the elements in the winter,” Miller says. They also wanted a TV, storage and an outdoor shower, which he incorporated into this structure.
Another one of the yard’s special sculptural elements is an existing orange tree, seen here. Miller built the deck around it so it could serve as one of the focal elements in the yard.
What to Know About Adding a Pergola
Another one of the yard’s special sculptural elements is an existing orange tree, seen here. Miller built the deck around it so it could serve as one of the focal elements in the yard.
What to Know About Adding a Pergola
Miller chose powder-coated aluminum for the pavilion’s structure. “These posts can look rather chunky, but this material gives it a very sleek profile,” he says. He clad the ceiling to match the siding of the house.
The pavilion is a comfy TV lounge, complete with a fireplace. A burled wood coffee table nods to the design of the dining table. For the fireplace-TV wall and cabinetry, Miller used Thermory that matches the decking. The countertops are concrete. And a globe ceiling light provides another modern touch.
The pavilion is a comfy TV lounge, complete with a fireplace. A burled wood coffee table nods to the design of the dining table. For the fireplace-TV wall and cabinetry, Miller used Thermory that matches the decking. The countertops are concrete. And a globe ceiling light provides another modern touch.
The right side of this photo shows the interesting way the straight lines of the decking meet the curved edge of the pool. This recalls the way the live edges of the redwood dining table’s slabs meet the river rocks.
A low wall beyond the pavilion forms an edge to the built outdoor spaces, and two chaise lounges provide a spot for sunning by the pool. “I also left a significant area of grass for the kids and dogs to play,” Miller says.
A low wall beyond the pavilion forms an edge to the built outdoor spaces, and two chaise lounges provide a spot for sunning by the pool. “I also left a significant area of grass for the kids and dogs to play,” Miller says.
For the back wall of the pavilion, Miller used board-formed concrete. “This is a simple material with inherent natural beauty. You can see the artful imperfections in it,” he says. “Also, it mimicked the texture of the wood and size of the boards used in the decking, but in a different material and on a vertical plane.”
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A boardwalk leads around to the back of the pavilion, where the outdoor shower is located. The shower is defined by more Thermory decking within the board-formed-concrete wall.
‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo (Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’, USDA zones 8 to 10; find your zone) next to the shower nods to Japanese design. “This bamboo is clumping and doesn’t spread by rhizomes, so it’s not an aggressive spreader. But we did use a root barrier around it to contain it,” Miller says.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about landscape design
Browse landscape photos
Hire a swimming pool contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo (Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’, USDA zones 8 to 10; find your zone) next to the shower nods to Japanese design. “This bamboo is clumping and doesn’t spread by rhizomes, so it’s not an aggressive spreader. But we did use a root barrier around it to contain it,” Miller says.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about landscape design
Browse landscape photos
Hire a swimming pool contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Walnut Creek, California
Size: About one-half acre
Landscape designer: Envision Landscape Studio
This dining table provided a lot of inspiration for the yard. It is composed of two redwood slabs with their live edges meeting in the middle; the gap between the slabs is filled with river rocks. One of the homeowners is a surgeon, “but he is also passionate about woodworking,” Miller says. “He had already made this table for the outdoor dining area, so I was able to plan that space around it.”
The table also provides insight into the inspiration Miller took from Japanese garden design, a style the homeowners admired. “A lot of modern landscape design nods to the principles of traditional Japanese gardens. These include clean and simple spaces, calming materials placed in large swaths, a few focal elements and the relationship between wood and water,” he says. The table, with its combination of wood and river rocks, nods to the relationship between wood and water.
Find a local landscape designer