Celebrating the Best in Outdoor Living Design
BY MELISSA C. GILLESPIE
In every issue of Luxury Pools + Outdoor Living, we celebrate the artistry, innovation, and craftsmanship that define today’s most extraordinary outdoor spaces. This season, we’re proud to unveil the winners of the 2025 Oasis Awards—a new program created to spotlight standout achievements in outdoor kitchens, entertainment areas, and multifunctional living environments.
From sleek, chef-ready setups to open-air lounges that rival any interior, this year’s honorees showcase how thoughtful design and high-end amenities can transform a backyard into a true personal oasis. Selected by our editorial team for their creativity, functionality, and visual impact, each winner represents the evolving future of outdoor living—where form meets function in unforgettable ways.
See this year’s exceptional winners and the visionary teams behind them.
SCULPTURED ESCAPE
A negative-edge pool, chef’s kitchen, sunken fire lounge, and spa wrapped in gold tile create a luxurious landscape. The cantilevered cabana and layered structures offer shade, privacy, and visual intrigue. Photographs by Joshua Caldwell.
Project Team
Creative Environments
FRAMED FOR ENTERTAINING
This elevated escape balances architectural precision with relaxed luxury. The outdoor kitchen, fire lounge, and TV wall are framed in rich stone and defined lines. A reflective pool and panoramic views complete the refined indoor-outdoor experience.
Project By
Westmod
ELEVATED REFLECTION
Built before the home itself, this collaboration delivered a 100-footlong perimeter overflow pool, lake-facing design, and clever turf drainage that blends technical expertise with high-end entertaining spaces. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
Berglund Architects
SJ Pools and
Landscaping LLC
LAYERED LIVING
This high-functioning design connects a sunken outdoor kitchen, fire features, and lounge zones across a tiered landscape. Geometric lines, underlit stairs, and thoughtful sightlines create architectural unity and year-round usability.
Project Team
Westmod
REFINED GRANDEUR
This expansive property offers distinct destinations for lounging, dining, and fireside relaxation. Strong axial views and sophisticated lighting connect each space for effortless entertaining.
Project Team
Westmod
POLISHED WARMTH
Minimalist plantings and warm lighting define this clean, welcoming layout. Carefully chosen materials and tech integrations make it ideal for both day-tonight gatherings and quiet escapes.
Project By
Westmod
ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT
Featuring a sunken lounge, all-glass tile pool, fire elements, and acrylic windows, this technically complex space balances artistry and function for all-season entertaining.
Project By
Mosaicist, Inc.
Ryan Hughes Design
BOLD GEOMETRY
This resort-style plan blends a linear pool, circular fire zones, and precisely planted palms. Open dining and lounge areas invite effortless outdoor entertaining. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project Team
Enclave Luxury Outdoor Living
ENTERTAINER’S PARADISE
This Texas showpiece includes a poolhouse, covered dining pavilion, layered water features, and multiple lounge areas. Porcelain decking and premium finishes elevate every zone, delivering a seamless indoor-outdoor experience built for entertaining in style. Photographs by Riley V Photography.
Project Team
Crossville Studios, Elite Outdoor Living, MLD Custom Homes,
Pentair, QDI Surfaces, Randy Angell Designs
TROPICAL ELEVATION
Overcoming a 13-foot grade, this multi-level layout connects cascading water features, fire walls, and two full outdoor kitchens. Elevated terraces, hardscaping, and annual palm installations create a lush, tropical setting built for entertaining. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
Rocksolid Builders, SJ Pools
and Landscaping LLC
MODERN AMERICAN
This multi-level retreat delivers layered luxury—from a shimmering glass tile pool and elevated spa to a custom pizza oven and putting green. Thoughtfully designed lighting, an expansive kitchen pavilion, and multiple lounge zones create the ultimate environment for open-air entertaining.
Project By
Ryan Hughes Design
TIERED LUXURY
This outdoor retreat uses layered terraces to create distinct zones for cooking, lounging, and play. A striking infinity-edge pool, high-performance kitchen, fire lounge, and putting green make the most of every level— balancing elevation with effortless functionality. Photographs by Chad Davies.
Project By
Creative Environments
HISTORICALLY DESIGN AT OLD SPANISH LIVING
This Coral Gables, Florida, gem preserves 1920s Spanish-style charm through a custom pool mosaic and careful material integration that honors history and adds modern livability. Photographs by Legendary Productions.
Project By
Mosaicist, Inc.
Weston Lyons
LAYERED DESERT ELEGANCE
This Scottsdale, Arizona, stunner features multilevel decking that adds visual interest and flow across the expansive backyard. The covered outdoor kitchen, fireplace lounge, putting green, and bocce ball court offer endless ways to relax and entertain. Photographs by Aaron Erikkison / Hub Media Company.
Project By
Flowing Wells
Landscape & Pools
EFFORTLESS FLOW
This North Scottsdale, Arizona, retreat links multiple outdoor zones with purpose and style. Sunlit terraces, cozy lounge areas, and native landscaping create a serene, functional space that highlights the beauty of the surrounding desert. Photographs by Aaron Erikkison / Hub Media Company.
Project By
Flowing Wells
Landscape & Pools
ELEVATED MOUNTAIN RETREAT
Perched in the Colorado mountains, this multilevel outdoor space was designed to maximize panoramic views and create inviting zones for gathering. Clean lines, tiered layouts, and integrated lighting provide beauty and functionality. Photographs by Bergreen Photography.
Project By
Colorado Custom Covers &
Decks, Deckorators, PB&J
ISLAND MODERN
Modern minimalism meets Hawaiian tradition in this windward O‘ahu retreat. Clean lines, expansive decks, and lush plantings echo the surrounding landscape. Tranquil water features, layered lighting, and custom furnishings create a serene setting that blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living. Photographs by Kyle Rothenborg.
Project By
Complete Home Entertainment Systems, HHF Planners, Inatsuka Engineering, Island Enginuity, KGM, Maloney Construction, Marion Brenner, MNM Construction, Niche Beverly, Pacific AquaTech, Peter Vincent Architects, Point Line Construction, Shinsato Engineering, Surfacedesign
CIRCULAR VISION
This geometric marvel features a glass-walled spa perched above a vanishing-edge pool and framed by a sculptural black moon-gate. Centered around the home’s rotunda and the client’s love of circles, the design layers form, function, and drama with elevated materials and fluid transitions. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
Tipton Spires Design|Build
CONTEMPORARY FUSION
Sculptural and tech-savvy, this outdoor experience layers a minimalist dining zone and seamless transitions throughout the space. A fully integrated outdoor kitchen anchors the design, blending high-performance function with clean lines for effortless entertaining.
Project By
Westmod
FUNCTIONALITY & FUN IN ONE OUTDOOR SPACE
This backyard blends crisp architecture with everyday relaxation. A round infinity spa contrasts clean-lined geometry. An open-concept outdoor kitchen anchors the design, making the space both functional for entertaining and fun. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
AquaTerra Outdoors
TRANQUIL FORMS
Blending deco-inspired elements with sleek modern lines, this serene courtyard retreat invites relaxation from the moment of entry. A linear fire feature anchors the front terrace, while a melodic, tile-clad water wall draws guests into the heart of the space. Photographs by Josh Caldwell.
Project By
Creative Environments
COASTAL BRILLIANCE
An elevated pool with 13-ft crystal tile spillover defines this tropical estate. Lighting and audio from Coastal Source turn every evening into a sensory experience. Photographs by Tamara Alvarez Photography.
Project By
Coastal Source, D’Asign Source
AZUL OASIS
A resort-style oasis in Jupiter, Florida, where sustainable design meets barefoot luxury. Lush gardens, a glowing sunken firepit, and wellness zones surround the sleek poolscape, with native plantings and custom water features enhancing the connection to nature. Photographs by Sarah Thomson Diaz / Pelican Pix.
Project By
Affiniti Architects, Almar Jackson Pools, Decorators Unlimited, Engineering Solutions, Insite Studio, Rood Landscape, Stone Hardscapes, S.T.I., Treasure Coast Irrigation, Turtle Beach Construction
STRUCTURED SERENITY
Clean lines and year-round usability define this Arizona retreat. A bold shade structure anchors the design, with layered water features, a fireside lounge, and multiple gathering areas offering both intimacy and flow across the landscape.
Project By
Creative Environments
POTOMAC POOLHOUSE
What began as a simple storage structure became a multi-level design centerpiece. With a rooftop deck, pivoting doors, and zones for gathering, this poolhouse reframes how architecture shapes outdoor living. Photographs by Peak Visuals.
Project Team
Benning and Associates,
Intreegue, Lewis Aquatech,
Paradigm Office LLC
LUXURY RETREAT OUTSIDE THE CITY
Clean geometry and elegant simplicity define this pool and lounge design. A cedar pergola, stepping stones, and layered zones offer privacy and luxury in a tranquil, modern framework. Photographs by Jose L. Serrato, Jr.
Project By
Backyard Elements, Claffey
Pools, Toll Brothers
WATERFRONT ELEGANCE
Set on Miami’s exclusive Star Island, this design layers Indonesian stone, floating steps, a vanishing-edge pool, and green walls into a seamless retreat—blending water, architecture, and nature for a one-of-a-kind estate. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
CLAD Landscape
CPS Outdoors
CHIC RANCH CONTEMPORARY
This outdoor space layers horizontal warmth with vertical boldness—using cedar, stone, metal, and concrete to anchor a strong, modern aesthetic. Each space flows yet stands alone in function and personality. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project Team
Tipton Spires Design|Build
TIMELESS LINES
Inspired by Wrightian geometry, this Arlington, Texas, space uses steel trellises, horizontal planes, and rich materiality to guide transitions from the pool to kitchen, fire lounge, and gathering spaces. Photographs by Riley V Photography.
Project By
Atelier Vals, Mosaicist, Inc., Randy Angell Designs, Southwest Fence and Deck, Westside Waterscapes
TIDEWATER MODERN
Designed for life on the Chesapeake, this coastal escape merges pool, pavilion, and natural materials into a fluid connection between home and bay—honoring landscape, view, and relaxation. Photographs by Jennifer Hughes.
Project By
Baker Ingram & Associates, Kimmel Studio Architects,
Lane Engineering, Lynbrook of Annapolis
DEFINED OUTDOORS
Defined by strong geometry and layered materials, this outdoor living space integrates a linear pool, cantilevered shade, sunken lounge, and elevated spa. Architectural elements frame each zone, balancing bold structure with comfort, greenery, and functionality. Photographs by Josh Caldwell.
Project By
Creative Environments
ORGANIC OASIS ON THE BAY
This bayfront lodge features a spa-bar hybrid, vanishing-edge pool, fire features, and circular planters—all in an organic layout that embraces the home’s angles and sightlines. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
Tipton Spires Design|Build
MODERN BIOPHILIC OUTDOOR LIVING
This nature-driven retreat features a timber and steel pergola, layered elevations, wood decking, and bespoke tile mosaics. Architectural lines and organic textures create a tranquil, sensory-rich environment grounded in biophilic design. Photographs by Legendary Productions.
Project By
DOMO Architecture, Mosaicist, Inc.,
Todd Michael Glaser
RESORT STYLE OUTDOOR LIVING
This entertainment-focused design features a raised acrylic-edge pool, sunken swim-up bar, and shaded cabana with TV. A striking 24-foot water wall adds drama while maintaining panoramic views of the lake beyond. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
AquaTerra Outdoors
Randy Angell Designs
RUSTIC TRADITIONAL
This symmetrical design uses dry-stack stone, cedar beams, and cascading sheers to define elegant structure. Elevated spas and a cantilevered fire feature anchor the layout, while multi-level hardscaping create warmth, flow, and architectural strength. Photographs by Jimi Smith.
Project By
Tipton Spires Design|Build
CIRCULAR HARMONY
This Arizona landscape reimagines the circle as a unifying design language. A custom cantilevered firepit links kitchen, pool, and lounge areas, while shade patterns and stepping stones echo circular rhythm. Photographs by Josh Caldwell.
Project By
Creative Environments
CLASSIC COMPOSITION
A central pool with raised spa, covered kitchen, and tailored landscaping define this elegant Richmond backyard. A custom poolhouse adds both function and symmetry, while supporting flexible zones for gathering and entertaining. Photographs by AquaTree Design.
Project By
CREATIVEscapes Design Inc.
