Backyards everywhere are going through striking transfor-mations. No longer just squares of grass contained within a fence, backyards as we know them have evolved into design-savvy extensions of the homes they accompany--indeed,the backyard has risen in status to become one of the most important rooms in the house. Today, more and more home-owners are realizing that committing time and money toward the goal of a beautiful outdoor living space brings many rewards, among them a smart financial investment, asizable increase in the livable space of their property, and the ability to experience the outdoors without leaving home.

Although the desire to connect to the outdoors is funda-mental to the human spirit, sometimes it can be difficult to see beyond the limitations of a site or a tight budget or a lack of space. Ultimate Backyard features dozens of examples of outdoor spaces that have either been released from their formerly drab existence or designed and built from the ground up. Whether in the middle of a city or the middle of nowhere, the secrets of inviting and architecturally unique outdoor spaces are revealed in colorful detail in the pages within. The common theme is simple but powerful:dwellings that connect to the environment directly through their architecture.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

SECTION 1: OUTDOOR ROOMS

Oregon Coast Cottage

Urban Oasis

A Sense of Discovery

Thinking Out of the Box

Sanctuary on a Busy Street

Outdoor Room for a Family

Eclectic Outdoor Room

Elegant Screened Porch

Merging Old with New

For Kids Only

SECTION 2: INDOOR/OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS

Addressing Site and Sound

Two Connected Spaces

Loft-Style Desert Beauty

House with Two Personalities

Malibu Fixer-Upper

A New View

Lake House on a Budget

Bedroom That Opens to the Outdoors

Escape from the Texas Heat

Outdoor Connections from Every Room

SECTION 3: WATER

Sophistication in a Small Yard

Modern Water-Focused Masterpiece

Private Outdoor Spa

Pool Retreat in the Mountains

Tract House Pool Transformation

Spanish Colonial Ambience

Space for Play and Meditation

Contemporary Pool Remodel

Water at Every Turn

Luxurious Florida Getaway

SECTION 4: CREATIVE LANDSCAPES

Indigenous Vermont Lodge

Colorful California Eichler

Innovative and Economical Rooftop Room

Up in the Trees

Collection of Cultivated Spaces

Magical Garden on a Budget

New York City Hideaways

Resources