From experimental artworks to brightly patterned wallpaper, playing with the interior style of your home is simple. Changing the aesthetics of your outdoor space , however, can be a design conundrum. With unpredictable weather and a limited area available to actually decorate, where do you begin? Reimagine your backyard, rooftop , or pool area by getting creative with your exterior walls . Modern design trends allow for options that you might have never considered, like a wall made of greenery or outdoor-friendly modern art. These nine exteriors from the AD archives dress up their natural environments in unexpected and creative ways. From a Miami home with a colorful open-air lounge to a Tokyo rooftop with an understated mural, let these exteriors inspire your next project.

Legorreta Arquitectos designed this Hawaiian home, working alongside decorators from the Wiseman Group . The vibrant enclosed pool was inspired by jacaranda blossoms. Not only do the bright walls protect the lap pool from rain and excessive sun, they also provide a stunning color palette.

Interior designer S. Marc Thee and his partner, Eric Baptista, transformed the front yard of their Miami home into an outdoor living space. Bold yellow borders around the windows complement the modern decor.

This outdoor sitting area in Beverly Hills got a brilliant makeover by Robert Jackson, who created a trompe l’oeil mural inspired by Pompeii. It covered what was once a blasé retaining wall.

This 3,500-square-foot contemporary home in Hong Kong was created by the design firm Chang Bene Design . The rooftop terrace features a lap pool and a playful mural by Masao Mizukami.

For a modern overhaul of his 1889 Manhattan townhouse , Donny Deutsch recruited architect Frederic Schwartz and designers Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper. What once stood as a masonry wall was covered in faux boxwood by American Foliage & Design Group ; the chic outdoor furniture is by Richard Schultz.

San Francisco–based architect Jim Jennings wanted his Palm Springs retreat to be a “small, simple refuge.” Naturally, he took to minimalist decor indoors and out. In this sitting area, he covered the concrete-block exterior walls with a sleek square grid. "It is more residential, more intimate. In a subtle way, the square grid shifts your perception of the size and scale of the place you're in," says Jennings.

Stylist Carlos Mota worked with architecture firm Weetu and architectural designer Deniz Idil Akay to bring his dream beach house to life. The pillars and floor of the Dominican Republic getaway boast colorful matching tiles designed by Mota .

A poolside mural designed by Miguel Rivero is the focal point of this outdoor space in Mérida, Mexico. Home to Los Angeles art dealers David Serrano and Robert Wilson, the 19th-century building was renovated by Bohl Architects .