We invest so much effort into perfecting our outdoor spaces for one reason: to commune with nature. After all, what’s better than reading alone or sharing time with family and friends around a firepit, pool or dining table?
With that spirit in mind, we’ve combed through the archives of NJ HOME and our sister publications BERGEN and MONMOUTH to curate some of our favorite outdoor gathering places for your enjoyment and inspiration:
The team at New York-based PJC Architecture was tasked to turn a Mantoloking backyard into an “entertainment mecca.” A challenge, when they started with an empty space that lacked any real “personality or point of view,” according to the homeowner.” This living room pavilion more than met that task, with a media center, a woodburning fireplace and lots of places to sit.
This Westfield yard is all resort vibes, and the pergola calls to mind Italian vineyards and gardens. You’d never believe it used to be overgrown, filled with uneven hardscape and prone to flooding before Ellie and Mike of Ellie Mroz Design tamed it. The comfortable performance furniture and showstopping wooden pendent light complete the look.
Under the skilled hands of Karen Wolf of K+Co. Living, a “spec” home in Avalon is now filled with sun and perfectly captures the Shore vibe. The cabana area outside is filled with furniture that matches the house’s coastal exterior, plus oversized floor pillows for kids lounge on.
Though this Woodcliff Lake yard was originally steep, uneven and difficult to work with, Scenic Landscape was more than up for the task of turning it into an at-home vacation spot. Poolside lounge chairs and a massive gas-powered firepit is the perfect gathering place for both the homeowners and their school-aged sons (s’mores, anyone?).
Inspired by a Colorado mountain resort, this Kinnelon pool, designed by experts SJ Pools and Landscaping, includes a sun shelf with loungers sitting right in the water so you can tan but never overheat. It’s also just steps away from a full cabana and media center, so you need never step inside on sunny days.
The balconies are part of the draw of this high-rise condo in Asbury Park, and Shelia Rich of the eponymous design studio designed each as its own mini-escape. This one, tucked next to the primary bedroom, is perfect for taking in views of the waves, enjoying a morning cup of coffee or catching some rays.
Also designed by Wolf, outdoor pleasures are front and center at this Long Beach Island escape. The table can seat up to 14 with room to spare, perfect for a family who welcomes guests all throughout the summer. The pergolas add extra protection from both sun and the Shore bugs.
To see all the best designs in the Garden State, flip through NJ HOME—and keep an eye out for our September issue!