The warm's a-comin', people, and we can't stop thinking 'bout summer nights out back with a few of our besties and a glass of something goooood… We've got a few fabulous outdoorsy-type spaces in our Rolodex of favorite places, so we thought it might be time for another Quint-Essentials (should you need reminding, this is our "best of" series, wherein we give you the short 'n' sweet on 5 of our favorite things). Last time we served you fireplace realness, but this edition is bringing you a little closer to the great outdoors. Think: decks. Nature's front porch. Grab a cuppa, kick up those feet, and ahhh.... Drink it all in.
1) Imbue's Buddhist Retreat
We'll waste no time getting into the nitty-gritty. The sweeping views at this Buddhist Retreat in Grover, Utah (which we featured as a Place of Worship a few years back), bring us to our knees in a resounding "Hallelujah!" every time. We love those clean-as-hell lines and the vast feel of the deck, which make it super versatile and great for a gathering. But being that it's a Buddhist Retreat and all, we're mostly just in awe of those Nirvana-worthy desert views. Just add coffee and consider yourself totally awakened. Full story here.
2) The Marathon House
We just tooted the horn of the home attached to this deck in a recent Place of Worship blog, but we thought it warranted a shout of its own. With super clean lines and a "can't believe it's not Photoshop" view, this boarded beauty seamlessly divides an immaculately modern interior and a supremely wild mountainside. With a few artfully-placed pieces of furniture (and walls of windows that open), it's practically an extension of the living room. This is new-school modern with city and mountain views. Win, win, win. See the full story here.
3) J St
This little gipper in the Avenues made it onto our Quint-Essentials: Fetching Firesides edition, so it's safe to say the modern remodel is firing on a few good cylinders. We put this baby on the market a few months back, and sold it damn near the next day--and judging from this perfect patio setup, it's no surprise. One of this backyard beauty's best qualities is that it's actually an add-on above the garage, taking full advantage of every last square foot. There's plenty of room to gather, and it's all just off the kitchen/dining area (so you'll never have to worry about spilling sangria). Bonus: views of the 'hood from on high. See the sold listing here.
4) Eastcapitol Blvd
This upper Aves midcentury marvel was recently snapped up by a few lovely friends of the COLLECTIVE, but we're still dreaming about the stellar deck (which wraps allllll the way around this pretty little thing). The hillside mid mod offers dizzying city views with more than enough space for a few rockers. There's also a more private entertaining space 'round back (with a fireplace and a canyon-adjacent backyard) should you want to get away from it all. Sigh... It's rough, isn't it? See the sold listing here.
5) Steve Macdonald Home
One of our all-time favorite midcentury homes, this original Steve Macdonald in Holladay is rocking one of the most killer backyards we know of, and those clean lines and hard angles square it off sublimely. The deck acts as a median between the pool (not pictured, but glorious) and the main bedroom...or sauna, if that's your pleasure (jaw = dropped). This wraparound is the unassuming icing on a minimally modern piece of cake. Come to think of it, it's probably more of a tiramisu. See the full story here.
