It is summertime in the northern hemisphere, with a mix of long sunny days and balmy nights. For many people, whether real or imagined, a dreamy terrace is the ideal space in which to while away the day.
In these terraces, a mix of natural materials and greenery, clean lines and organic designs, offer pleasing insights into summer terrace living.
La Calma House is a cool, contemporary Mediterranean home situated close to Barcelona. Designed by Ramón Esteve Estudio, the house incorporates a number of Esteve’s designs hallmarks, from a focus on atmosphere and the universality of experience to the contextualization of place. This outdoor dining and kitchen terrace features a palette of natural materials, including wood, rattan, and stone.
Designed by Depaolidefranceschibaldan Architetti, Casa Atelier MZ is a large and bright family home in Padua, Italy. The garden terrace is central to the arrangement of the house. A living space opens directly onto the terrace and the garden’s grey trachyte paths correspond to the smooth concrete of the interior floors. The design of this romantic garden terrace embraces the nostalgic characteristics of an antique orchard and its ancient plants are typical of the historic Paduan gardens.
3. House JP
In Rosario, Argentina, House JP is a tranquil dwelling in a quiet neighborhood setting. Designed by Pablo Gagliardo, the home’s terrace opens out from a glazed communal living room, acting as an extension of the space. A thin concrete overhang offers shade from the sun and integrated ceiling fans provide a welcome breeze.
4. MTMG House
This private sunny terrace is part of MTMG House, a home in Santo Tirso, Portugal, that was designed by NOARQ. The terrace is a bright addition to a secluded indoor pool.
This one-story villa in Benidorm by Modern House Architecture & Design is a world away from the Spanish holiday destination’s towering hotels and apartments blocks. The small sheltered terrace offers a pleasing sunspot, a perfect place to unwind.
6. House K
Istanbul-based architecture studio Acararch completed the interior design, landscape design, and landscape extensions of House K in Gümüşlük, Bodrum, on the west coast of Turkey. The studio added a shaded pergola with a bamboo roof covering to the sweeping terrace, resulting in a wonderful play of light and shadow.
7. Casa B14
Casa B14 is tucked away in a lush neighborhood in Dubai’s La Mer island. Designed by UNICA Architects, the home blends indoor and outdoor spaces. The facade of the upper volume is enriched with the intricate geometric pattern of the terracotta mashrabiya, an architectural element reminiscent of traditional Arabic design. This volume provides shade for the outdoor terrace, an area with an abundance of tropical vegetation.
8. Terrace with a house by the lake
The terrace of this home in Wielkopolska, Poland, is described as the heart of the house. Designed by UGO architecture and design, the terrace acts as an additional room that is shaded in summer by the trees growing in its center.
Designed by Studioninedots, Villa Fifty-Fifty in Eindhoven, Netherlands, is a home that mixes indoor and outdoor volumes: half house and half garden, hence the name “fifty-fifty”. Here, a large roof opening filters light into the indoor–outdoor terrace.
The visually expressive Olive Grove House in Quesa, Valencia, Spain, incorporates an extensive longitudinal terrace and swimming pool that extend into the adjacent olive grove. Designed by Balzar Arquitectos, the home’s terracotta tones blend beautifully with the environment.
