Backyards · 6 ideas

Mediterranean Backyard Ideas

Mediterranean backyards are built for sun: thick stucco walls that stay cool, terracotta and travertine underfoot, deep loggias and arches for shade, and planting that shrugs off drought — olives, lavender, rosemary and cypress. The look runs from Spanish Colonial and Tuscan to the whitewashed simplicity of the islands.

Modern Classic Tropical Modern Farmhouse Mid-Century Modern Coastal English Cottage

Spanish Revival Patio with Stone Fire Pit

Sunlit Pool Beside Covered Fireplace Pavilion

Spanish Revival Patio with Stone Fire Pit Mediterranean backyard

Built-In Stucco Bench Beside Fire Pit Mediterranean backyard

Sunlit Pool Beside Covered Fireplace Pavilion Mediterranean backyard

Sunken Lounge with Stone Fire Pit Mediterranean backyard

Timber Pergola Shading Stone Dining Terrace Mediterranean backyard

Mediterranean Courtyard with Stone Fire Pit Mediterranean backyard

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About this collection

Mediterranean Backyard Ideas, explained.

As you browse, notice how the strongest backyard designs use a few honest materials repeated everywhere, and how courtyards and water are placed to catch shade rather than sun. Save the compositions that match your house's roofline and colour.

Mediterranean design is about shade and thick walls. Look for stucco in warm neutrals, terracotta or travertine underfoot, arches and loggias that throw deep shadow, and gravel courtyards rather than lawn. Water is small and central — a fountain, a rill, a tiled spa — and planting is drought-tolerant: olives, cypress, lavender, rosemary and bougainvillea. Wrought iron, blue-and-white tile and a long table under vines finish the picture.