We were contacted by a family named Pesek who lived near Memorial Drive on the West side of Houston. They lived in a stately home built in the late 1950’s. Many years back, they had contracted a local pool company to install an old lagoon-style pool, which they had since grown tired of. When they initially called us, they wanted to know if we could build them an outdoor room at the far end of the swimming pool. We scheduled a free consultation at a time convenient to them, and we drove out to their residence to take a look at the property. After a quick survey of the back yard, rear of the home, and the swimming pool, we determined that building an outdoor room as an addition to their existing landscaping design would not bring them the results they expected. The pool was visibly dated with an early “70’s” look, which not only clashed with the late 50’s style of home architecture, but guaranteed an even greater clash with any modern-style outdoor room we constructed. Luckily for the Peseks, we offered an even better landscaping plan than the one they had hoped for. We proposed the construction of a new outdoor room and an entirely new swimming pool. Both of these new structures would be built around the classical geometry of proportional right angles. This would allow a very modern design to compliment an older home, because basic geometric patterns are universal in many architectural designs used throughout history. In this case, both the swimming pool and the outdoor rooms were designed as interrelated quadrilateral forms with proportional right angles that created the illusion of lengthened distance and a sense of Classical elegance. This proved a perfect complement to a house that had originally been built as a symbolic emblem of a simpler, more rugged and absolute era. Though reminiscent of classical design and complimentary to the conservative design of the home, the interior of the outdoor room was ultra-modern in its array of comfort and convenience. The Peseks felt this would be a great place to hold birthday parties for their child. With this new outdoor room, the Peseks could take the party outside at any time of day or night, and at any time of year. We also built the structure to be fully functional as an outdoor kitchen as well as an outdoor entertainment area. There was a smoker, a refrigerator, an ice maker, and a water heater—all intended to eliminate any need to return to the house once the party began. Seating and entertainment systems were also added to provide state of the art fun for adults and children alike. We installed a flat-screen plasma TV, and we wired it for cable. The swimming pool was built between the outdoor room and the rear entrance to the house. We got rid of the old lagoon-pool design which geometrically clashed with the right angles of the house and outdoor room. We then had a completely new pool built, in the shape of a rectangle, with a rather innovative coping design. We showcased the pool with a coping that rose perpendicular to the ground out of the stone patio surface. This reinforced our blend of contemporary look with classical right angles. We saved the client an enormous amount of money on travertine by setting the coping so that it does not overhang with the tile. Because the ground between the house and the outdoor room gradually dropped in grade, we used the natural slope of the ground to create another perpendicular right angle at the end of the pool. Here, we installed a waterfall which spilled over into a heated spa. Although the spa was fed from within itself, it was built to look as though water was coming from within the pool. The ultimate result of all of this is a new sense of visual “ebb and flow,” so to speak. When Mr. Pesek sits in his couch facing his house, the earth appears to rise up first into an illuminated pool which leads the way up the steps to his home. When he sits in his spa facing the other direction, the earth rises up like a doorway to his outdoor room, where he can comfortably relax in the water while he watches TV. For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

This beautiful Town and Country outdoor room consists of a covered patio connecting the home to the pool area. The tall arched ceiling is stained cedar with recessed lighting, speakers and ceiling fans. The fireplace is gas and is faced with cultured stone. Retractable solar wall screens block the heat and glare of the sun as well as some wind on the west side. Photo by Gordon Kummer

This outdoor living addition was built with an original-to-the-home look including matching shingles, paint, and brick. The tongue and groove wood ceiling and decorative concrete enhance the feel of this outdoor project. Ceiling fans create a sweet breeze throughout this patio, and the recessed lighting allows for an enjoyable evening outdoors. Flood lights were also placed on the exterior of the patio to increase nighttime visibility and security.

This one of a kind custom designed fireplace was a huge hit at Homearama a few years ago. It blends a wonderful rose garden on the outside ring of the fireplace, a water feature, a lighting element and amazing seating walls to produce that classic blend of hard and soft lines that make this a spectacular outdoor living area.

The homeowner wanted a hill country style outdoor living space larger than their existing covered area. The main structure is now 280 sq ft with a 9-1/2 feet long kitchen complete with a grill, fridge & utensil drawers. The secondary structure is 144 sq ft with a gas fire pit lined with crushed glass. The table on the left in the main structure was a piece of granite the homeowner had and wanted it made into a table, so we made a wrought iron frame for it. There are more sentimental touches! The swing by the fire pit is a newly made replica of a swing the husband had made in wood shop in high school over 50 years ago. The flooring is stamped concrete in a wood bridge plank pattern. TK IMAGES

These Katy TX homeowners were looking for a space that would combine their love for the outdoors and watching sports. Tradition Outdoor Living designed a unique open plan that includes a covered patio flanked by two cedar pergolas and a stone fire pit. This combination of structures provides a fully protected lounge area for TV viewing and two partially shaded areas for grilling and dining in comfort. The covered patio has an open gable roof with cedar trusses, cedar trimmed columns and beams. The stained tongue and groove ceiling is fitted out with recessed lighting and ceiling fans. The matching pergolas provide partial shade while allowing natural light to filter through. The concrete was extended to create room for seating around the fire pit. The concrete is stamped and stained to coordinate with the stone fire pit and stone footers. Rustic lighting, furniture and decor create a laid back, rugged outdoor retreat.

This covered patio by Outdoor Homescapes of Houston shows what nightlife outdoors can be. Nightlighting makes this bar and TV area glow, with a secondary boost of glowing warmth from the firepit across the patio of stamped concrete. Natural stone retaining walls are interspersed with path lighting for even more layers and textures of functional and aesthetic illumination. www.outdoorhomescapes.com

Stamped concrete patio with the slate pattern and the flagstone walkway.

Tropical patio featuring waterfall, bench seat and fire pit with colored glass. This decorative concrete back patio features tropical colors and an island feel, imitating the style of Hawaii.

Treve Johnson photography, Landscape by Samscaping, Inc

This Bevolo® original was designed in the 1940s by world renowned architect A. Hays Town and Andrew Bevolo Sr. This Original French Quarter® lantern adorns many historic buildings across the country. The light can be used with a wide range of architectural styles. It is available in natural gas, liquid propane, and electric.

Cozy custom outdoor gas fire pit built on concrete patio and surrounded by luscious green landscaping.