5 Outdoor Design Styles to Inspire Your Backyard Transformation
Key Takeaways: One of the best ways to start gathering ideas for your backyard is by identifying the types of outdoor spaces you’re naturally drawn to. — Design styles provide inspiration. Exploring different styles can help you understand the materials, environments, and overall feeling you want to create. — Inspiration comes from many places. Travel, architecture, resorts, restaurants, and homes you’ve admired over the years often influence what you […]
3 Ways to Make a Small Backyard Feel Bigger
Key Takeaways: A small yard can work exceptionally well when every feature earns its place and the design is tailored to how the space will actually be used. — Edit your wish list first. Trying to fit every desired feature into a compact yard often leads to a crowded design and a higher budget. — Pay attention to scale. Smaller furniture, plants, and […]
Foxterra Featured in Architectural Digest’s “38 Outdoor Fire Pit Ideas to Transform Your Backyard”
Key Takeaways: — Design around the gathering. The most successful fire pits are sized and positioned around how people actually use the space.— Think beyond the flame. Seating, circulation, lighting, and views are just as important as the fire feature itself.— Fire and water work together. Combining both elements creates a resort-inspired outdoor environment.— Make […]
Most People Would Try to Hide This Wall. We Made It the Focal Point.
Key Takeaways: A backyard like this works when the limitations are used as part of the design instead of something to work around. — Use utility elements as a design feature. Retaining walls can define the space when they’re given texture, depth, and purpose. — Layer the space vertically. Elevation changes, planters, and sunken areas make a small yard feel larger. — Bring in lighting early. It changes how the space feels at night and adds depth you don’t get during the day. — Focus on […]
What Makes a Backyard Feel Like a Destination?
Key Takeaways: This backyard works because everything is built around how people actually use it, not just how it looks. — Start with one defining feature. Build the entire layout around something that gives the space direction.— Design for multiple uses. The more ways people can use the space, the longer they stay in it.— […]
5 Things That Take Your Space From “Yard” To “Resort”
Key Takeaways: A resort-style yard changes how you spend your weekends by giving you a space you actually want to stay in. — Start with discovery. Build in unexpected elements that pull you through the space and keep it engaging.— Create an immersive environment. Use fire, water, and lighting to shape how the space feels […]
The Details That Elevate Any Custom Pool Design
Key Takeaways: A pool feels better when the details match how you actually use it. — Start with lifestyle. A pool you dip into occasionally gets designed differently than one designed for a family with young kids. Consider your lifestyle when designing the pool.— Incorporate the edge into the design. A wider edge, ledges, and […]
Foxterra’s Nate Fox Quoted In Livingetc’s Article About Creating A California-Inspired Garden
Key Takeaways: A California-inspired garden isn’t about copying a look. It works when the space is designed around how it’s actually used and maintained. — Start with layout. The way the space connects to the house is what determines how often it actually gets used.— Use structure in planting. A few well-placed, architectural plants will […]
Foxterra Featured in Architectural Digest’s “62 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas for Luxury Backyard Living”
Key Takeaways: Outdoor kitchens like the ones featured in Architectural Digest reflect how these spaces are now being used as a core part of the home, not just an add-on. — Make it part of how the space functions. In the projects shown, the kitchen isn’t off to the side. It’s where people gather, cook, […]
The Decisions That Make or Break Your Backyard Project
Key Takeaways: The revision phase sets the tone for the entire construction experience. When it’s handled well, everything downstream feels smoother. — Know your property first. Lot coverage, setbacks, and easements shape what’s legally possible before design ever begins. — Let budget guide the design. A rendering only works if it reflects real construction numbers. — Protect the momentum. The longer a design sits dormant, […]