How do you design a backyard that feels like a private resort?
A backyard feels more like a private resort when you have different places to enjoy throughout the day. For this Newport Coast project, we designed areas for morning coffee, relaxing by the pool, eating outside, drinks with friends and family, and evenings around the fire, all while taking advantage of the Pacific Ocean views.
Key Takeaways:
– Think beyond the pool. Our clients wanted a pool, but they also wanted plenty of room to entertain, eat outside, relax, and spend time together.
– Give yourself different places to enjoy throughout the day. The swings work for morning coffee, the floating daybeds give you a place to relax by the pool, and the bar, dining, and fire lounge areas keep everyone outside into the evening.
– Make the most of the property. With Pacific Ocean views, we kept the overall design minimal and positioned the different areas throughout the yard to take advantage of the setting.
You can spend the entire day in this yard.
And that’s exactly how we designed it for our clients.
So that they can come out here and have different areas to enjoy throughout the day and into the evening.
Becuse when you have a property like this, with views of the Pacific Ocean, who wouldn’t want to be outside enjoying this all the time?
And, because the views really are the focal point, we kept the design minimal and focused on adding luxury details and designing a yard that makes it so easy to transition to different areas depending on the time of day or what you’re in the mood for.
Keep reading for all the details.
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Morning Coffee With a View
Imagine coming outside first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee and looking out over the ocean.
For so many people, making your coffee and taking a quiet moment before starting your day is something you really cherish. Now imagine how much better that moment would be outside with a view like this.
We designed these hanging swings so our clients can do exactly that. There’s something about a swing that instantly elevates the experience. You can be outside enjoying the yard, right next to the pool, without having to jump in and get wet.
It’s such a simple feature, but it gives you that feeling of being at a really great resort almost immediately when you get up in the morning.
Mid-Morning Lounge
We designed this yard so that even if you came outside just to have your coffee, there’s really no reason to go back in. Maybe you caught up with a friend on the phone, answered a few emails, or just sat there enjoying the view. Before you know it, it’s noon, you’re still outside, and now you’re ready to get some sun.
We designed two floating daybeds in the shallow end of the pool as the perfect place to lay out for a few hours. You can read a book, get a tan, watch your kids swim, or just relax and take in the incredible setting around you.
By placing the daybeds on floating decks within the pool, you’re completely surrounded by water while you relax. We also positioned them so you can take in the architecture, the rest of the yard, and of course, the incredible ocean view.
There’s something so serene about being surrounded by water. That’s why we call the daybeds the gravitational pull of this yard. They give you that same feeling you get laying out by the pool at a luxury private resort, except you get to do it at home.
Lunch by the Pool
By lunchtime, maybe you have friends over, the kids are still swimming, and everyone’s ready to sit down and eat together.
We wanted to make sure there was plenty of room for that too.
We actually made the pool smaller from our original design so we could give our clients more room to entertain. Instead of using the entire yard for a massive pool, we added a large dining area, bar seating, covered living areas, and plenty of room to hang out around the pool, too.
So while the kids are swimming, you can sit down for lunch, hang out at the bar, or stay close to the pool without everyone having to do the same thing.
For our clients, that extra room to have people over and enjoy the yard together was more important than having a bigger pool.
Cocktail Hour Overlooking the Ocean
By late afternoon, the bar becomes the place for a cocktail, a glass of wine, or smoothies for the kids.
We designed the bar and lounge areas to give everyone a comfortable place to hang out while still enjoying the incredible ocean view.
And with a property like this, we really didn’t need to overdo it. We kept the overall design minimal, with white finishes, warm wood, stone, and landscaping that complements the architecture and the setting.
You can spend the rest of the afternoon here with friends and family, looking out over the Pacific as the sun starts to go down.
Sunset Around the Fire
We designed the lounge area so you can move naturally from the pool or bar and settle in as the sun starts to go down.
With oversized, comfortable seating around the fire table, there’s plenty of room to sit with friends and family and watch the sunset over the ocean.
And this is really when the fire feature comes to life. As it gets darker and cooler outside, the fire makes this part of the yard feel even cozier and gives you another reason to stay outside.
You can spend the evening here talking, relaxing, and enjoying the view without feeling like the day outside has to end just because the sun went down.
For us, that’s what makes this yard feel so much like a private resort.
It’s not just the pool, the floating daybeds, the ocean view, or the fire. It’s being able to enjoy your yard differently throughout the entire day and always having somewhere you want to be.
For our clients, that means more time outside, more time together, and a pretty incredible place to call home.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a backyard feel like a private resort?
A private resort experience comes from having more than one reason to spend time outside. Comfortable places to relax, swim, eat, entertain, enjoy the view, and gather at night all help you use your yard differently throughout the day.
How do you design a backyard around an ocean view?
We look at where you’ll spend time throughout the yard and how each area can take advantage of the view. For this Newport Coast project, we kept the overall design minimal and positioned the pool, daybeds, bar, lounge areas, and fire feature around the property’s Pacific Ocean setting.
Why did you make the pool smaller in this Newport Coast backyard?
The original pool design was larger, but our clients wanted more room for entertaining. We reduced the pool size so we could include more space for dining, bar seating, covered living, and gathering around the pool.
What features did you include in this Newport Coast backyard?
We included a custom pool with floating daybeds, hanging swings, outdoor dining, bar seating, covered living areas, and an ocean-view lounge with a fire table. Each area gives the homeowners a different way to enjoy the property throughout the day.
How do you make a luxury backyard comfortable for both adults and kids?
Give everyone different ways to enjoy the yard while still spending time together. Kids can swim while adults relax nearby, families can eat together outside, and comfortable lounge areas give everyone somewhere to gather later in the day.
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.
Foxterra designs immersive outdoor environments that blend architecture, landscape, and lifestyle into one cohesive vision. Our work is rooted in timeless materials, intentional layout, and outdoor living that feels effortless to use every day. For this project, Justin shares how the team designed a Newport Coast backyard with different places to relax, entertain, and enjoy the Pacific Ocean views throughout the entire day.
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 redefines the backyard as an extension of modern luxury living.
In recent features, Nate’s perspective has been quoted across leading design publications, including Homes & Gardens and Luxury Pools + Outdoor Living, where he shares practical, design-forward guidance on everything from integrating sculptural moments and sightlines to creating “living wall” effects that soften hard architecture and make compact spaces feel more expansive.
