Key Takeaways:
A luxury yard in 2026 works when the design focuses on how the space feels, not just how big or over the top it is. Here is how we think about it when we design these kinds of outdoor spaces.
— Start with discovery. Pools, water features, and sculptural elements are great places to create those “what is that?” moments that make you want to keep moving through the yard.
— Make it feel immersive. Sightlines, materials, and lighting should work together so you feel like you are in your own bubble when you step outside, not just standing in a basic backyard.
— Keep it personal to you. The details that matter most are the ones that actually mean something to you, whether that is a shape, a symbol, or a story, like the Lamborghini pool. That is what makes a luxury outdoor space feel like it really belongs to you.
How Luxury Yards Are Changing Next Year
When you think of a luxury outdoor space, what comes to mind?
For us, designing a high-end luxury backyard is not about creating something that is the biggest or most extravagant in the area. There is so much chatter and terminology around design aesthetics. The way we at Foxterra define a luxury yard is simple: it is a yard that feels immersive, that creates excitement, and that has a sense of discoverability.
True luxury comes from designing a yard that is completely customized to you, your lifestyle, your dreams, your aspirations, your home, and your family. So here are some principles we keep in mind as we approach every yard we work on.
Click the button below to schedule a free design consultation call with our team if you are aready to start your yard.
Discovery Means Finding The Unexpected
Discovery, for us, means finding the unexpected. We love to do this in any way we can, especially starting with pools and water features.
Most of our design work centers around a pool or a larger water feature on some level, and what we love is really pushing the definition of what a swimming pool is. Gone are the days where everything has to be just a long rectangular form. There are so many ways you can customize and add layers. There are so many ways to think outside the box when it comes to swimming pools and modern pool design.
A lot of our yards are designed to create a sense of intrigue, where you are curious: “What is that element?” and you feel pulled to explore further.
One of our modern desert designs is a perfect example of what I am talking about. From the street, you get a glimpse that there is something really cool behind this impressive entry door. As soon as that door opens, you have this view of what appears to be almost an abstract sculpture garden. It really focuses on the unexpected and on pulling you through the space, always giving you that feeling of, “There is something interesting right around the corner, I have to go see what that is.”
Making The Yard Feel Immersive
We also want our spaces to feel immersive.
This yard is a great example of that. The goal is to almost create a fantasy world where the outside world melts away. When you are inside this yard, you feel transported to a magical realm. It is about creating a bubble where everything feels intentional, cohesive, and completely separate from the noise of everyday life.
That is what luxury yard design looks like for us. It is less about showing off and more about how the space actually feels when you are in it.
Customization That Feels Personal To You
The last element, and this one can be so much fun, is customization.
We love when our clients come to us with out of the box ideas. A perfect example of this is our viral Lamborghini pool. This project is a great illustration of how we can take something a client is really passionate about and turn it into a meaningful design moment in their luxury backyard.
We love when clients come to us and say, “I do not know how, but I love this.” Whether it is something symbolic or something that just means a lot to them, we ask: how can we find a way to incorporate that, even if it is very subtle, into the design?
Those personal elements are what make a luxury outdoor space feel like it truly belongs to you.
Ready For Your Own Luxury Yard?
If you are ready to create a luxury yard that has elements of discovery, feels immersive, and is truly customized to you, our team would love to help.
Book your free design consultation with us by clicking the link down below.
Not ready to makeover your yard? Check out the free resources we created below – to help you as you start planning your new outdoor space.
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Designing a resort-style backyard isn’t just for warm climates, and this New Jersey project is proof. This modern outdoor space was intentionally designed to feel luxurious and livable in every season. In this tour, we walk through the features that make a year-round backyard not only possible, but comfortable and beautiful, in all four seasons.
What You’ll See in This Four-Season Backyard Tour:
– A weather-ready outdoor kitchen designed for four seasons
– A modern waterfall feature that blends natural landscape with clean architecture
– An acrylic pool panel that turns the pool into sculptural art
– And more
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes a yard feel like a true luxury yard?
A: For us, a luxury yard is not about size or how over the top it is. It is about how immersive it feels, how much excitement and curiosity it creates, and how well it reflects your lifestyle and personality.
Q: How do you approach pool design in a luxury backyard?
A: Most of our yards are centered around a pool or water feature. We like to push past basic rectangular shapes and explore custom forms, layers, and sculptural ideas so the pool feels like a unique design moment instead of just a standard feature.
Q: What does it mean for a yard to feel immersive?
A: An immersive yard is one where you feel transported. You feel like you are in your own bubble. Sightlines, materials, lighting, and layout all work together so the space feels cohesive and transportive when you step into it.
Q: How do you bring a client’s personal ideas into the design?
A: We ask clients what they love, even if they are not sure how it fits. It might be a car, a place, a memory, or a symbol. From there, we look for ways to weave that into the design in a way that feels natural, whether that is a bold moment like the Lamborghini pool or something more subtle.
Behind The Blog
Justin Fox
Founder & Creative Director
Founder Justin Fox grew up with a passion for landscaping. After 15+ years building luxury yards and pools as a licensed contractor, he saw the limits of the design/build model. Homes get detailed, architect-led plans, so why shouldn’t yards? In 2019 he convinced brother Nate Fox to join him and launched Foxterra Design to focus on immersive, luxury outdoor spaces.
Today, Foxterra creates resort-style residential environments for clients worldwide, pairing rigorous planning with bold imagination. Their work has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, in Architectural Digest, and other leading design outlets.
Nate Fox
Designer
Nate Fox helps shape Foxterra’s creative vision, blending architectural detail with a designer’s eye for proportion and flow. His work looks at the backyard as an extension of modern luxury living, not an afterthought.
For this story, Nate is focusing on what a luxury yard really looks and feels like in 2026, from immersive layouts to custom pool design that is actually personal to the people who live there.
