The splashiest backyard pools

When seaside vacations were hard to come by, these Torontonians brought the good times to their backyard

WHO: design Muriel company Solomon, Førs Studio; co-founder her husband of product Jordan Solomon, president of Ecostrat, a bioenergy supply and advisory firm; and their kids, Zoé, 21, and Jérémie, 19

WHERE: Forest Hill

Muriel and Jordan bought their red-brick detached house in 2002. They completed two extensive renovations to the interiors over the years and added a modern extension at the back, but left the 3,700-square-foot tree-filled backyard as is. They liked how it looked, but they barely used the space. One day, Muriel joked that the backyard was plenty big enough for a pool, and that was all it took. In June 2018, they hired architect Michael Amantea, who came up with a clean, contemporary design to complement the extension. The final project, completed in September 2020, includes a saltwater pool, a hot tub, a sunken lounge, a barbecue area and a sauna pavilion.

The new backyard has been the perfect pandemic retreat to reconnect with friends and shake off the day’s stresses. “Every time we go into the backyard,” says Muriel, “we can’t believe we built it.” This summer, Muriel and Jordan will install an outdoor black-steel spiral staircase from their bedroom to the backyard so Jordan can fulfill his dream of waking up in the morning and heading straight for the pool.

This Forest Hill backyard escape includes a saltwater pool, a Swedish sauna and an outdoor gym

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1 The concrete saltwater pool by Todd Pools is nine feet at its deepest, and edged in ipe decking and limestone. 2 The stone patio for the dining area is a floating slab built on helical piers to minimize intrusion on the magnolia’s roots. “It’s my favourite tree in the world,” says Muriel. 3 In the fall of 2020, the backyard functioned as a meeting spot, product testing space and showroom for Muriel’s new ceramic tableware line. 3 2

5 The 185-square-foot pavilion is topped with a green roof and stuffed with amenities: the sauna, an outdoor shower tucked at the back, gym equipment with a foldable rig for weights, and a change room. 6 The lounge set is from Jardin de Ville. The two teaktop side tables, purchased at Fresh in Corktown, open to reveal ice buckets. 5

4 4 “We put the frosted-glass window in the Swedish sauna to see the dancing shadows of the trees come through,” says Muriel.