The 5 Most Popular Outdoor Makeovers of 2023
Get fresh ideas for a yard, patio or porch from these most-read outdoor remodeling stories of the year
Sure, you can pop out a folding chair or potted plant on the stoop and call it a day. But a thoughtful outdoor space with comfortable seating, views and greenery can offer a true escape from the everyday. In this countdown of the most-read stories from our weekly outdoor makeover series this year, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to turn your own furnished or planted space into a refreshing, restorative haven. And if it’s already too cold where you live to enjoy the outdoors, cozy up with a hot chocolate and plan for warmer days.
4. Now They’re Cooking
Edible plants, an outdoor kitchen and a greenhouse for growing vegetables were on the menu of what this Hertfordshire, England, couple wanted for their yard. Landscape pro Jackie Gough included a freestanding grill, pizza oven and rotisserie station in the new brick kitchen. Raised beds hold both edible and ornamental plants.
From a bench under a lacy arbor, the owners can take in views of the new yard-width pond and pretty yet practical greenhouse.
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Edible plants, an outdoor kitchen and a greenhouse for growing vegetables were on the menu of what this Hertfordshire, England, couple wanted for their yard. Landscape pro Jackie Gough included a freestanding grill, pizza oven and rotisserie station in the new brick kitchen. Raised beds hold both edible and ornamental plants.
From a bench under a lacy arbor, the owners can take in views of the new yard-width pond and pretty yet practical greenhouse.
Learn more about this yard
3. Staying Connected
One of three patios at a Southern California home on a corner lot, this lounge area with a fireplace is shaded by a steel-and-wood pergola where the two wings of the house meet. Creating connections and cohesiveness was a priority, so the team from Garden Studio and Brandon Architects used complementary colors and materials, such as sandstone and Cottonwood limestone, throughout.
Toward the back of the photo you can see one of the other patios, a fire pit lounge off the primary bedroom. A dining patio is out of view but just a stone’s throw from the center patio.
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One of three patios at a Southern California home on a corner lot, this lounge area with a fireplace is shaded by a steel-and-wood pergola where the two wings of the house meet. Creating connections and cohesiveness was a priority, so the team from Garden Studio and Brandon Architects used complementary colors and materials, such as sandstone and Cottonwood limestone, throughout.
Toward the back of the photo you can see one of the other patios, a fire pit lounge off the primary bedroom. A dining patio is out of view but just a stone’s throw from the center patio.
Read more about this project
Shop for outdoor furniture and products
2. Treehouse-Like in Texas
Screens keep the bugs out but the leafy views open on this 350-square-foot Texas porch designed by Kaelee Pearson of CG&S Design-Build and built above a new garage as part of an addition. The flooring is a waterproofed porcelain wood-look tile that continues onto the new dining deck. Fans create a breeze on hot days, and plenty of cushy seating around a small table invites guests to stay awhile.
Explore this porch and home
Screens keep the bugs out but the leafy views open on this 350-square-foot Texas porch designed by Kaelee Pearson of CG&S Design-Build and built above a new garage as part of an addition. The flooring is a waterproofed porcelain wood-look tile that continues onto the new dining deck. Fans create a breeze on hot days, and plenty of cushy seating around a small table invites guests to stay awhile.
Explore this porch and home
1. Grace in Place
In about 1,950 square feet, designer Hallie Schmidt of Tierra Madre Fine Gardens fit a pergola-covered dining area, a fountain, a fire pit lounge deck and several nooks for entertaining and watching wildlife. And she did it in a casually elegant style that suits the San Francisco Bay Area location beautifully. Inspired by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the design features billowy, low-water grasses and other plants that create year-round interest, along with spherical sculptures and geometric paths that add artistic flair.
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In about 1,950 square feet, designer Hallie Schmidt of Tierra Madre Fine Gardens fit a pergola-covered dining area, a fountain, a fire pit lounge deck and several nooks for entertaining and watching wildlife. And she did it in a casually elegant style that suits the San Francisco Bay Area location beautifully. Inspired by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the design features billowy, low-water grasses and other plants that create year-round interest, along with spherical sculptures and geometric paths that add artistic flair.
Read more about this yard
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This patio in Austin, Texas, was empty save for a hot tub plopped in the middle. But it had plenty of potential for the family of four to hang out and entertain in comfort and style, and designer Brian Baughman of Double B Design ran with it. After expanding the patio deeper into the backyard, Baughman added an outdoor pavilion complete with kitchen, bar and a TV. He also created open-air dining and lounging zones, as well as an intimate fire pit seating area — all in a crisp black-and-white palette softened by bands of turf and rustling grasses.
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