Summer is in full bloom, and on the Monterey Peninsula, that means it’s time to get outside. Our mild, sunny climate makes outdoor living possible year-round. The homes that make the most of it are designed with the outdoors in mind from the start.
At Lewis Builders, outdoor living is part of the conversation from day one. After 25 years of building and remodeling on the Peninsula, we know how much it matters.
This summer, we’re sharing three of our outdoor projects. Three different homes, three different challenges, and a lot of lessons learned along the way.
Outdoor Living Is a Design Decision First
Before getting into the projects, it’s worth saying plainly: the best outdoor spaces aren’t the ones with the most features. They’re the ones designed around how a specific family actually lives.
A bocce court doesn’t add value if nobody plays bocce. Likewise, a view deck won’t get much use if you have to walk through three rooms to reach it.
Outdoor space works for the same reasons interior space works. It needs a thoughtful layout, good flow, and a clear understanding of the people who will use it.
That’s why we ask plenty of questions before we design anything outside. Who lives in the home? Who will use the space, and how often? What are their ages? What limits them now? Finally, what do they hope the space will make possible in the future?
Project 1: Unlocking Space on a Small City Lot
This first home won a prestigious regional design award – The Chrysalis Award.
It came to us with almost no usable outdoor space, at first. A long, cracked driveway and front-facing garage dominated the site. Hardscape took up space that could have served the family, and there was little reason to spend time outdoors.
The family envisioned a place where multiple generations could gather, enjoy themselves, and feel at home. Outdoor living was the answer; the question was where to put it.
Our breakthrough came when we reconsidered the garage.
By reorienting it to face the street directly, we shortened the driveway approach. As a result, we freed up roughly 1,200 square feet of usable yard.
That one move changed the entire project.
After we reclaimed that space, we designed a layered outdoor environment with distinct zones for different uses:
- Bocce ball court alongside the property
- Putting green
- Gas firepit with seating
- Built-in BBQ for outdoor cooking
- Two 4-panel sliding glass doors connecting the living and dining rooms directly to the patio
The second story created another opportunity.
Above the garage, we built a 550-square-foot view deck with a private patio, beverage center, and fire table. The result gives the family a quiet retreat above the activity below.
Even better, no one had anticipated the ocean views until the deck went up.
"We were so grateful for the ideas that our builder gave us; truly allowing this family home to become home to the future generations. We absolutely love the end result!"
The lesson here is one we come back to often: if your yard feels limited, the problem may not be the size, but how the site is organized.
Project 2: Designing Outdoors Around a Historic Home
Not every outdoor challenge is about space. Sometimes you work within a set of rules and still create something beautiful.
The Castle House is an English Tudor built in 1925 in Carmel-by-the-Sea. When the owners came to us for a full home remodel, the outdoor space was one of the biggest opportunities on the property.
The existing landscape didn’t support the architecture. Nothing extended the home’s character or encouraged people to step outside.
However, the home’s historic status added another layer to the project. The historical review board needed to approve changes, and several original features had to remain.
The team restored the original steel windows instead of replacing them. We also kept the original doors and brought them back to life. Additionally, we carefully repaired several sections of exterior stonework so they matched the original material seamlessly. Working with the historical review board added steps to the process, but the result is a home that looks like it has always been well cared for.
Our goal was to design an outdoor landscape that felt specific to this house. We positioned the firepit and semicircular bench to face the home’s turret. That decision created a natural gathering place and a strong architectural focal point.
The space draws you outside from the living room, primary suite, or guest house. It also seats ten people comfortably and feels like it has always belonged there.
New windows and doors were also added throughout to open the home up to the exterior, making the connection between inside and outside feel natural.
Ultimately, this project shows that historic or legal constraints don’t have to limit how a home lives. With the right team and a little patience, you can honor what’s original and still create a space that modern residents can call home.
Project 3: A Thoughtful Garden with Room to Gather
Our final case study in unincorporated Carmel started with a simple wish list: a sauna and a place to eat outside. The yard was modest, but the design team – LB Design working alongside landscape architect Rhadiante Van de Voorde of Elemental Design – turned it into one of our most creative outdoor spaces.
Rather than flatten the site’s natural slopes, the team used the elevation changes to their advantage. The yard flows through a series of terraces, each with its own feel and function.
The dining terrace leads toward a wall, with the sauna tucked just behind it. The sauna opens toward a tree fern vignette, so you see intentional greenery instead of a fence or a neighbor’s yard.
Nearby, the fire terrace features flagstone, a circular fire feature, and heated chairs. That last detail makes a noticeable difference on foggy Carmel evenings. The space feels cozy while still looking polished.
The materials throughout tell their own story. Rather than installing a standard concrete path, the team used bluestone pavers with ground cover growing between the stones. As a result, the walkway feels softer and more natural underfoot. Thin bands of pebbles are grouted into the bluestone pattern, adding subtle texture and a nod to Japanese garden design.
Dry-stack stone walls frame the patio edges and give the landscape an established feel. They look as if they could have been there for decades. We built the custom arbor overhead from lumber salvaged from a single old growth redwood tree, a material you simply can’t buy new. Nothing here came off a shelf.
A Japanese maple planted against the sauna wall ties it all together. Its leaves shift from green to deep red as the seasons change, so the garden always has something new to look at. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference, which is emblematic of this whole project.
The Range of What's Possible
Three very different projects share the same idea: outdoor space works best when you design it around how you actually live.
For a sense of the full range, our current custom build, Este Alomar in Tehama, takes outdoor living about as far as it can go.
It’s a dream project. Of course, most homeowners aren’t starting from scratch on 12 acres, and they don’t need to.
The three projects above show what’s possible on real lots, with real budgets, for families who simply want to spend more time outside.
Indoor-Outdoor Connection: The Detail That Changes Everything
Every project on this list has it: a strong connection between inside and outside. A wide slider door that opens your living room to the patio. A deck positioned to catch the right view. A covered walkway that makes stepping outside feel easy even on a foggy day.
We think about this connection early in the design process. We decide where doors open, what views each window frames, and how the floor levels relate to the grade outside.
Thinking About Your Own Outdoor Space?
Summer is a great time to look at your yard with fresh eyes. Whether you’re working with a small city lot, a larger property that needs definition, or a modest yard you’d like to do more with, there’s likely more potential there than you think.
Lewis Builders designs and builds outdoor spaces across Carmel, Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel Valley. We handle design and construction under one roof, so your outdoor project gets the same attention as every room inside.
Schedule a consultation today and let’s talk about what your property could become.