Justin Fox, founder of Foxterra Design, brings an unparalleled passion for design, 20+ years of construction and design experience, and a deep understanding of outdoor living to an industry that hasn’t evolved much in the past several decades. With a design philosophy rooted in a sense of discovery and visual impact, his work has garnered millions of followers and views on social media and set new standards for luxury exterior living. As one of the most recognized luxury exterior design studios in the U.S., Justin merges the principles of design, creativity, imagination and architecture to redefine what outdoor spaces can mean. His innovative and transformative designs have made him a thought leader in the evolving world of high-end landscape architecture. Lean into luxury with today’s Designer Friday, Justin Fox.
A relaxed, seamless indoor-outdoor moment where a sunken fire feature anchors the lounge and integrated LED lighting softly sets the mood for the night.
Andrew Joseph: How do you approach designing for a specific location or cultural influence?
Justin Fox: The main goal for any design is that we really capture the essence of what the client wants. And so, with location or cultural influences, we’ll often use reference imagery from inspiration that they provided, whether it’s a place they’ve gone on vacation, a specific hotel resort they love, or maybe there’s a specific area in the city that they’re really attracted to. Having those inspirational elements, we pull back, find the common denominator between these, say, “What is something the client’s really attracted to?” and we weave that into the design. It could be big boulders that connect with a more organic natural feel, a more traditional look with symmetry, or maybe a French look with light colors and order. We’re trying to find what it is that the client really connects with, while also engaging in what we call experiential design — creating an experience in the art for our client.
AJ: How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your designs?
JF: Circulation and flow are essential — thinking about how people move through a space, how many people it can handle, and how experiences unfold. It’s not just about creating a space that looks beautiful, but it’s also about considering how people get from one side of the yard to another and what experiences we can create for them on that journey. That can mean creating a space where you can’t see all of the yard at once, creating “rooms” or destinations in a yard through paths, or an element that might surprise you with an elevation change, like a dropped-in sunken seating area or a raised decking space.
The deeper you look into this space, the more layered it becomes, starting with a sunken fire feature set directly within the pool. Beyond that, a cascading water wall sits beside a fully equipped outdoor kitchen and pavilion that completes the experience.
AJ: What is the most challenging project you’ve worked on and how did you overcome it?
JF: We are currently building out a seven-million-dollar front and backyard, but the challenge is that the yard is almost completely boxed in by the home, the man cave, and the primary suite, so we don’t have any natural views, which is what you’d typically want.
It was difficult to leverage the beauty of nature and water in this space and to make sure that was the star of the show — not the buildings that surround this yard — but we took advantage of the change in elevation, added acrylic windows to allow for a full line of sight to the backyard when you are inside, and used water both inside and outside to create the illusion that there is no real boundary. There are also several water elements in both the front and backyard — cascading waterfalls are topped with fire features, an oversized cabana with a swim-up bar, and multiple fountains in the front entryway.
All of the elements were created so your senses gradually give way to all that is happening in the space, and you don’t actually notice the structural architectural elements as much anymore.
AJ: Can you tell us about a specific moment in your career that made you feel accomplished?
JF: One of the most surreal moments for me was about a year ago, sitting in our conference room and just looking out at the office. I realized there was so much incredible work happening around me, and it wasn’t because I was the one pushing it forward anymore. In the early days of the business, I was selling the jobs, designing them, and drafting them; I had visibility into every single detail. But now, I’ll walk by a team member’s desk and see a design that blows me away, and it was all them. We’ve been able to create an environment where designers are empowered to do their best work, to own their projects, and to build amazing relationships with our clients. That’s the accomplishment for me, knowing that we’ve built this team with such talented people who share our vision and are allowing us to reach so many more clients.
This spa-like hot tub leans into a museum-quality presence, where clean architectural lines, curated niches, and soft integrated lighting turn the space into a living gallery.
AJ: What’s a new hobby/skill that you have learned recently?
JF: Gardening! I have a whole pumpkin patch at our house, a sunflower field, strawberries, cilantro, and so much more. I’m not good at it (yet!), but it is new, challenging, and fun.
AJ: What’s the weirdest thing a client has ever asked you?
JF: Two projects have always stayed with me. One client told me this is the design direction they’re going for: “We’re going for a natural, luxurious, Zen Caribbean meets James Bond and they do acid at Burning Man vibe.” Full of contradictions and exciting at the same time. The project is still very early in the process, so it hasn’t been brought to life yet, but it’s fun dreaming up all the unique things that we could possibly do.
The second project is one that is getting built right now. The client said, “I recently got divorced, and I want this design to look so amazing that it makes my ex-wife jealous.” In fact, I checked in with him the other day, and he said we’ve succeeded!
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Photos by Jimi Smith Photography.