We made it! Summer has officially arrived, and we couldn’t be more excited. Actually, we could… if one of these pools were in our backyards. Complete with lounge chairs, outdoor dining areas and stunning vistas, these patios and pool decks from the WL archives are just as hot as the weather.

Slim & Shady

Want to swim without subjecting yourself to the harsh summer sun? Take a page from McLeod Bovell’s book and place the pool beneath a cantilevered section of the house. This not only provides a bit of shade, but also lends a touch of drama to the outdoor space; dark cladding reflects off the water’s surface while mosaic tiles shimmer in the light. See more of this West Vancouver home.

Maui Magic

The lanai at this Hawaii residence is a great spot to relax and gaze out at the crescent-shaped Molokini Crater—but we’d probably spend more time on the loungers in the infinity pool. Soaking up the sun while soaking up the beautiful views sounds pretty great, if you ask us! Step inside this Stephanie Brown-designed vacation home.

Palm Paradise

Don’t be fooled by the tropical foliage and mid-century-modern style of this outdoor space. It looks as if it belongs to a swanky California hotel, but is actually connected to a home in Vancouver’s Kerrisdale neighbourhood. Architects Pat and Chart McCulloch gave the pool deck and guest house a Palm Springs vibe. Tour this warm-and-welcoming family hideaway.

Edgeless Entertainment

On paper, this Cedric Burgers-designed home seems at odds with its natural surroundings. But in practice, it feels like it’s somehow always been a part of the landscape. Retracting glass doors open up onto a 1,000-square-foot patio (complete with an outdoor kitchen space and waterfall pool) where the homeowners can take in the stunning West Coast views. Check out the rest of this glass-and-concrete cliffside home.

Photo: Christina Faminoff

Patio Party

The outside of this home has everything you need to throw a summer soiree: a saltwater pool, a wood-burning fireplace and a cooking area. Despite being situated on 80 acres of land in the northern Okanagan, designers Josephina Serra and Lauren Webb managed to create an intimate oasis for the entire family (and more!) to enjoy. Explore this modern farmhouse.

Outdoor Oasis

It’s hard to believe, but this backyard was once covered in asphalt. When designer Paul Lavoie moved in, he ripped it up to add the pool and landscaping (an unusual assortment of trees, including Scotch pines, and over a hundred white rose bushes); he also installed a 22-foot NanaWall to seamlessly connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.

“It’s a north-facing yard, so I thought I’d never go outside myself. But the house has been designed in such a way, the roof is so low-slung, that it’s always sunny, it’s always hot.It’s perfect,” he says. See the rest of this Palm Springs-inspired home.

Wily Wave

Architect Tony Robins won three of our Designer of the Year (DOTY) awards in 2014—and this Gulf Islands residence had a lot to do with it. The infinity pool is a work of art that can be enjoyed from various angles.

Take the lee side of the pool, for instance. It features a steel sculpture with holes that match the pattern of the property’s limestone topography. Meanwhile, the primary bedroom (situated above the courtyard) has a glass cut-out in the floor that allows waves to be reflected on the ceiling. Learn more about this DOTY winner.

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.