8 Must-Have Summer Amenities
Tennis anyone? How about marshmallows roasting on an open fire? Or maybe you’d simply like some solitude by the sea? Read on for our favorite summer amenities and the homes across the Corcoran network that deliver them. The joys of summer are so much more with these exceptional features.
Head to Instagram, and let us know in the comments which amenity most spells summer to you.
Tennis Court
You’ll love this ace amenity. Whether for some high-intensity, friendly competition or just to perfect your backhand slice, a tennis court can level up a home’s grandiosity to that of the All English Club — even if you’re not playing on grass. Case in point: this Bridgehampton estate’s sunken center court, a picture of sporty elegance surrounded by compact hedges and a low-rising stone wall. When not serving, returning, and rallying your way to a five-set classic, soak up the majesty of a one-and-a-half-acre property that boasts plentiful space inside and out to turn any summer into a smash.
Outdoor Shower
For whatever reason, being able to shower outside always feels like the ultimate summer luxury. There is an indefinable magic to the sun shining overhead, nature’s symphony playing all around, and not needing to worry about fogging the mirror. The outdoor shower at this six-bedroom Hawaii home is gracefully one with its environment, boasting its own little tropical plant ecosystem, a rounded lava rock wall, and a tree canopy above. After hours spent in and around the pool or a day in the sand — whether on the beaches along Honoka’ope Bay or, less ideally, in the bunkers of the Francis H. I’i Brown golf courses — hitting the showers outside sounds divine.
Fire Pit
When the day winds down into a low-key evening, gathering around a fire pit is the ideal nightcap. However, providing warmth after the sun has set is only an aspect of a backdrop so versatile for other activities. Chat with friends over drinks, roast marshmallows for s’mores, or even bust out the guitar for some singalongs. At this Northern California vineyard estate, a stone gas-burning fire pit sits poolside and feels entirely wrapped into the property’s singular surroundings atop a scenic knoll. With mountains, trees, grapevines, and wide open skies all around, you’ll hardly find a better setting this summer to keep warm by the fire.
Bayfront Dock
As if living right by the water weren’t already an easy-breezy treat. A dock allows you to venture out onto said water at your own pace, aboard the craft of your choosing, while always knowing that sailing into port means finding the comforts of home. What distinguishes this property in Canada’s cottage country, then, is that it’s accessible solely by boat. Its dock is driveway and garage all in one, the only means of coming and going. Predictably, the sense of solitude here is unyieldingly pleasant. Bright, welcoming interiors merge harmoniously with the heavenly exterior setting, feeling days away from the very idea of hustle and bustle.
Private Beach
3051 N Ocean Boulevard, Gulf Stream, Florida | Listed By: Dana Koch and Paulette Koch of Corcoran’s Palm Beach Office.
Somebody somewhere may disagree, but it feels safe to say people go to the beach to relax. Well, what could be more relaxing than a beach right at home with no one else around? Having a personal slice of the sand is rare and, naturally, quite coveted — no matter the body of water meeting the shore. At this Gulf Stream estate, the Atlantic Ocean awaits less than a shell’s throw across the dune. That big blue body of water is visible from most rooms, and sunrises over the vast horizon are appointment viewing. Abundant comfort, luxury, and indoor-outdoor flow throughout the home make for a peacefulness that is impossible to overrate.
Tree House
783 Berean Church Road, Ellijay, Georgia | Listed By: Brooke Dyer of Corcoran Classic Living.
With only so many fine summer days left to enjoy, why not try branching off onto a new path? Tree houses are typically associated with childish endeavors, yet the core tenets of escaping into your own world are applicable to all ages. At this Georgia cabin property, an arborist-built tree house captures that ethos. Take the rope bridge and find yourself with a different perspective on things, ready to knock out a few chapters of that book or sip morning coffee in quiet contemplation. Other outdoor wonders here, all nestled beneath a hardwood canopy, include a shower, a clawfoot tub, and a timber-framed entertainment center featuring a stone fireplace and a projector screen.
Courtyard
The Beach House, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands | Listed By: Adrienne Harris and Glenroy Mark of Corcoran BVI.
Open-air spaces are all the rage among summer amenities, but there is something particularly special about a courtyard. Indoor-outdoor flow and delightful breezes can combine to help anyone achieve a state of zen. Courtyards bring that sense of bliss to the forefront. This Oil Nut Bay villa takes the courtyard mold up at least a few notches. Sometimes you gotta stand out. Some may say, “You don’t need a courtyard that’s also a sculpture garden with a water feature,” but why not? Given the context, we can think of no better place for such a thing to exist. It’s an al fresco anteroom, a fitting introduction to a staggeringly modern home that also features outdoor living and dining areas, an infinity pool, and much more, all on the oceanfront.
Roof Deck
63 S Camp Creek Road, Inlet Beach, Florida | Listed By: Hilary Farnum-Fasth and Josh Gettings of Corcoran Reverie.
The only thing better than a sunny day is the end of one. For as long as humans have been fascinated by that massive glowing ball of fire up above, they’ve marveled at watching it set. Bring that instinctual astonishment home from atop a roof deck. Not only does a roof deck give you daily front-row sunset seats, but once the sky has made its ombre transition to night, you’ve also got an ideal spot for stargazing. Cherish that win-win situation from high above the Emerald Coast at this Inlet Beach residence. Descend from its skyward tower into a seemingly endless series of spaces that are simultaneously staggering and inviting, or enjoy the heated saltwater pool or easy lake access via private dock.
