6 bright and breezy homes for outdoor entertaining

Honolulu, Hawaii

A wall of glass doors in this Hawaiian Modernist home opens to a wraparound lanai with hot tub, shower, dining area, and Pacific Ocean views.

Built in 1956 and recently renovated, the four-bedroom A-frame has lava-rock walls, hardwood floors, and a vaulted living space flowing into a dining room, lounge alcove, and updated kitchen with breakfast bar.

The landscaped lot is near Diamond Head State Monument, a 475-acre park. $3,750,000. Noel Shaw, Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers, (808) 221-8889.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Cushing, Maine

This 1850 Colonial-style farmhouse in Davis Cove has a stone patio with firepit surrounded by terraces, mature gardens, and lawns leading to a pier, art studio, boathouse, and guesthouse.

The updated three-bedroom main home features a library and living room sharing a double-sided fireplace, a dining room with fireplace, and open kitchen with fireplace and marble island.

The 16.5-acre waterfront property spans two islands, woods, and a pond. $4,900,000 Scott Horty, Camden Real Estate Company, (207) 596-1110.

Rancho Mirage, California

The grounds of this 1984 Pueblo Revival estate include an 80-foot pool, party pavilion, and alfresco dining room.

The two-bedroom house has flagstone floors, viga and latilla ceilings, adobe walls, and a primary suite with kiva fireplace.

The 2.53-acre property has lawns and courtyards; mature tropical landscaping; a citrus, guava, pear, avocado, fig, and mango orchard; tennis, bocce, basketball, and horseshoes; two guesthouses, converted-stable gym, and equestrian facilities. $4,150,000. Jennifer Parker-Stanton, Deasy Penner Podley, (323) 351-3278.

Solvang, California

This 1980 French Country-style estate has a screened dining veranda overlooking the pool, gardens, and olive trees; a firepit; and extensive outdoor seating.

The updated four-bedroom house features distressed-pine floors, antique doors, limestone fireplaces, a 19th-century bar with Italian marble counter, remodeled kitchen, breakfast nook, and music room.

The 5-acre property includes a kitchen garden, orchard, barn, art studio, sleeping loft, stables, and paddocks. $4,680,000. Patty Murphy, Sotheby's International Realty — Santa Ynez Valley Brokerage, (805) 680-8571.

Miami, Florida

Outside this three-bedroom Coconut Grove home are an elevated deck surrounded by tropical flora and a pea-gravel patio with alfresco dining under the trees.

The 1948 Alfred Browning Parker-designed house has blond-wood floors, white-painted wood ceilings, stone-clad fireplace, shed roof, clerestory and roofline windows, and an airy living-dining area flowing into an eat-in kitchen.

Kampong Botanic Garden, the university and Tahiti Beach are minutes away. $2,199,000. Alba Biondi, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, EWM Realty, (305) 323-2595.

Mountville, Pennsylvania

The backyard of this 1890 Federal-style home features an organically shaped in-ground pool and fenced patio with a thatched-cabana bar and space for lounge chairs.

The five-bedroom house combines modern updates and rich historic details, including a high-ceilinged dining room with original crown and baseboard moldings and brick double fireplace.

The landscaped lot is walking distance to two parks; the Susquehanna River Water Trail is 15 minutes' drive. $460,000. Jeffery Seibert, Keller Williams Elite, (717) 684-5678.

This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.