Pool Makeover Breathes New Life into Backyard
Our clients desperately wanted to give their old swimming pool a fresh look. In particular, they had grown tired of the aging concrete deck surrounding their swimming pool. It was really starting to show considerable wear and tear. Also, our clients felt like the pool itself lacked any sort of “wow” factor. They still appreciated the unique shape of the swimming pool. It had a very geometrical shape that fit nicely within the unique layout of their backyard. They also still liked the angular lines of the existing spa. In fact, their main frustration centered on the swimming pool deck.
As designers, we could totally sympathize with their frustration. Due to the layout and the size of the backyard, the swimming pool (and its deck) dominates the view. Therefore, as that concrete has aged and deteriorated, the view has suffered greatly. We knew our primary objective was to find a pool deck alternative that would dramatically makeover the look and feel of this swimming pool design.
We began designing the pool and hardscape solution by looking back towards the home. We always want materials that in some way feel connected and a part of the architecture of the home. The landscape (including hardscape, pool-scape, etc.) should always work hand in-glove with the colors, style, and feel of the residence. Luckily, our clients’ home was beauty to behold. With a creamy stucco finish and arching roof lines, there was a lot to admire about the home as an inspiration to our new pool design. We also loved the contrasting dark tones of the darker tile and fascia colors that only further accentuated the brightness of the stucco.
The current grey concrete seemed to wash-out the rich coloring of the home. It offered little in the way of contrast and did not compliment the home or the pool design in any way. Therefore, we wanted to find a material that would really “pop” against the creamy stucco color and feel connected to the darker tones of the roof and fascia. We first considered a stamped concrete pattern. We could definitely improve the look of the deck with a textured stamped concrete and a darker concrete color. Although, we felt like this change would not be dramatic enough. After considering other materials such as natural stone and tile options, we found the perfect fit: concrete pavers!
Concrete pavers are a fabulous hardscape option for many reasons. Concrete pavers are available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and textures. Concrete pavers also offer tremendous longevity and durability. We have used pavers in many applications for our clients including driveways, patios, walkways and of course pool decks. We knew that concrete pavers would offer our clients a dynamic update to their swimming pool & deck.
We selected a Belgard paver that would beautifully compliment the linear lines of the pool & would offer a bold color contrast against the light tones of the home. We also selected a concrete precast pool coping that would tie-into the colors of the paver so that the pool nose would seamlessly flow into the pool deck. Our clients ended up loving the paver so much that we also used it to recreate a number of walkways on the property. We also incorporated the precast pool nose into the cap for a new custom fire pit.
After all the heavy demolition work and hardscape installation was complete, we also addressed an accent wall that neighbored the swimming pool. We selected a tile that would now fit with the darker colors of the concrete paver and would match the overall feel of the new design. Once this was complete, we re-plastered the interior finish of the swimming pool and spa with a lighter plaster to once again add another layer of contrasting colors.
Now our clients have a pool that is not just a part of the backyard, it is the main attraction!
