6 Homes That Have Perfected the Art of Indoor-Outdoor Living

Where would you rather sit on a hot summer day: a sunny patio or an air-conditioned room? At this time of year, we often need to choose whether we’re going to embrace the weather or hide from it—but not these homeowners! With sliding glass doors and retractable walls, they’re able to enjoy the indoors and outdoors at the same time… and we’re more than a little envious.

Wonder Walls

The primary bedroom, the family room and the living room (pictured) at this North Vancouver home all feature folding glass walls that seamlessly connect the indoor and outdoor spaces—the latter of which contains a putting green, climbing wall, basketball court, sauna, hot tub and mega-sized chess set. “I wanted lots of zones,” says owner Lyndon Cormack of the 7,000-square-foot property. “Different places to hang out.” Tour the rest of this modern waterfront oasis designed by Omer Arbel.

Courtyard Seats

It’s not often that designers remove a pool from a property, but that’s exactly what the team at BattersbyHowat Architects did here. They replaced a small swimming area with a beautifully landscaped courtyard (complete with porcelain pavers and a rustic garden). Plus, they installed sliding glass walls in the living room, dining room and primary bedroom—giving the homeowners a ton of direct access to the revamped outdoor space. See the before and after renovation photos.

Expert Panels

The rear of this Vancouver house is fitted with a massive minimal-frame sliding panel system that was imported from Portugal, creating a seamless 30-foot opening to the backyard from the great room (made of a connected kitchen, dining and living room). “[It’s] very transparent,” says designer David Nicolay. Step inside this modern, minimal abode.

Material Matters

Matt McLeod and Lisa Bovell of McLeod Bovell Modern Houses wanted to ensure that this indoor-outdoor living space could withstand all the elements. It’s why they used accoya wood for the soffit and conversation pit, and covered the floor with large-format basalt tiles. “We are always trying to find materials that have that transitional quality,” says Bovell. “They’re not easy to find, but we gravitate toward them.” Check out the rest of this dramatic West Vancouver home.

Lofty Goals

At first glance, this loft-style apartment looks as if it belongs in Brooklyn—but it’s actually located in Vancouver’s Crosstown district. It has amazing city views, an open floor plan and a roomy 500-square-foot patio (accessed through a garage-style door). Explore this Falken Reynolds-designed condo.

Open Doors

The owners of this East Vancouver home say that the glass doors in the kitchen are hardly ever closed in the summer—and we don’t blame them. Bruce Carscadden of Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects went above and beyond, filling the space with natural light, connecting the indoor and outdoors and coming up with creative solutions that kept the project on budget. Now that’s what we call a win-win-win situation! Take a peek inside this bright family home.