LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
DESIGN & ARCHTIECTURE
PRIVATE
EDEN
Foxterra Design reimagines a private residential backyard as an immersive world with Stone Grotto, where material, proportion, and atmosphere converge.
SAMANTHA GREENE
PHOTOGRAPHY: JIMI SMITH
In a discipline often treated as secondary to architecture, Foxterra Design has quietly and convincingly shifted the conversation. Founded in Orange County by brothers Justin Fox and Nate Fox, the studio approaches landscape architecture not as embellishment, but as an experience, one meant to be lived in, moved through, and remembered.
Foxterra’s work balances composure with confidence. Water falls where it feels inevitable. Fire is scaled generously enough to gather around, not merely to observe. Stone, concrete, and planting are treated as architectural materials, deployed with intention and restraint. While the firm is known for bold gestures, the lasting impression is one of control, proportion, and comfort. These are landscapes designed to perform quietly as much as they impress.
The studio’s influence extends beyond traditional practice through its ability to articulate landscape architecture in a way that resonates culturally. By opening a window into the design and construction process, Foxterra has cultivated an audience that understands the labor, engineering, and precision behind moments that appear effortless. This visibility has drawn an international clientele, including prominent figures across creative and cultural fields, and has helped reposition landscape architecture as a central component of contemporary residential design.
That philosophy is vividly expressed in Stone Grotto, the name given to a private backyard transformation for a luxury residence in Yorba Linda, California. What began as an ordinary tract home yard has been reshaped into a deeply immersive environment inspired by the raw, elemental beauty of Tulum. Privacy was a defining challenge, with neighboring houses close on all sides. Rather than retreat inward, Foxterra layered the space outward, using architectural mass, planting, water, and light to create a feeling of seclusion without enclosure.
At the center of the landscape is a floating, sunken seating island set within the pool. Surrounded entirely by water, the space feels suspended, almost unreal. Engineered with concealed structural support and integrated drainage, it functions as both gathering place and sculptural anchor. Deep lounge seating and a monolithic fire feature turn the island into a natural focal point, a place where evenings stretch easily into night.
Nearby, a cenote-inspired spa is tucked beneath a covered outdoor living structure. Water spills from scuppers, sound softens the edges of space, and a programmable rain curtain drops between zones, creating the sensation of standing behind a waterfall. The spa is as much about atmosphere as it is about use, visible from multiple vantage points and animated even when unoccupied.
Material choices reinforce the sense of permanence and calm. Oversized porcelain slabs, stucco-like finishes, and pillowed architectural walls strike a balance between softness and monumentality. Tile extends beyond the waterline for a seamless, monolithic effect, while concealed lighting brings the landscape to life after dark. Fire and water are paired throughout, heightening contrast and sensory richness.
With a seven-figure construction budget, Stone Grotto reflects Foxterra’s ability to translate ambitious ideas into meticulously executed environments. More importantly, it demonstrates the studio’s belief that outdoor space should feel as intentional and emotionally resonant as the interiors it surrounds.
Through projects like Stone Grotto, Foxterra Design offers a contemporary vision of landscape architecture rooted in craft, clarity, and experience. These are spaces not designed to be admired from afar, but to be stepped into, lingered within, and lived fully.
Join our mailing list to receive curated updates, special features, and invitations to events that define the world of the discerning few.
Sign up today and never miss what’s next.