COURTYARDS CREATE GREAT OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES

by Arizona Custom Home Builder on September 30, 2009

Courtyards Add Outdoor Living Spaces to AZ Luxury Homes

With the popularity of the Old World style and its associated courtyards, as AZ custom home builders, at Woodridge Custom Builders LLC we have seen unique ways to create beautiful outdoor living spaces by incorporating a courtyard. Often home courtyards are located in the front of a custom home and offer an entirely new use for the front yard. Others are small exterior garden spaces or sitting areas off the private entrance of a guest bedroom, for example. Others are totally surrounded by the house itself. Features of a courtyard often include architectural features, arbors or shady areas, water fountains, fireplaces, large potted plants, outdoor living areas with outdoor furniture, and interesting flooring.

Architectural elements in a courtyard can create a unique atmosphere that complements a home’s style. Courtyard structures including arbors are practical, delightful garden focal points, and shady retreats from the hot Arizona sun. A water fountain can enhance the courtyard by offering the cool, refreshing sound of flowing water and attracting birds. An outdoor fireplace in a courtyard is great for those Arizona winter evenings where homeowners, winter visitors, party guests or family members can just hang out with a warm drink or make s’mores.

Courtyard furniture, both for styling and comfort in outdoor living spaces adds unique ambiance to a courtyard. Outdoor furniture serves a practical function such as for dining or entertaining, as well as just lounging for that early morning coffee by a fire. Tall trees and large potted plants can add significant elegance to a courtyard, creating a lush feeling and adding another layer of privacy. Flooring choices also add to the flavor and flair of a courtyard. Natural flagstone is a popular stone used in Arizona, but the options are literally endless including interlocking pavers, concrete, slate etc.

Incorporating a courtyard into the design of a custom home can help a home owner create tremendous privacy. A front courtyard can seclude a house from a busy street and allow for entirely nontraditional uses of a front yard area. A totally enclosed courtyard can create the ultimate privacy for a spa area, or as in one customer’s house, provided outdoor living spaces for their cats, that didn’t go outside otherwise.

When designing a custom home with a courtyard, it takes experience and skill to get exactly what a custom home buyer is looking for. We often work with the talented home designers at Design Profile Inc. The photo below is a courtyard of a Chandler Arizona home, though we didn’t build this home, it is one of the homes designed by Design Profile Inc, and a great courtyard home to show potential customers. Too see photos of our courtyard homes, visit our photo gallery.