Modern Swimming Pool Ideas and Designs
Landscape-FusionA very small South Tampa backyard (typical) turned into a very usable space. Approx. 265 sq. ft. this small pool or spool (spa pool) has everything one needs to enjoy outdoor living life. Offset to one side of the yard, it allows for max use of the space. The approx. 330 sq. ft. french pattern silver travertine pool deck and straight edge pool coping gives this backyard a clean, simple, modern feel. With the soft zoyisa grass expanding almost to pool edges it gives the small space a vast, clean feel. The sunshelf in the pool adds a place of pause before entering the pool which has a max depth of 6 feet. No matter what time of year the spool is equiped with a pool heater that will have this oasis to 87 plus degrees within several hrs or less.
Landscape Fusion
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Randy Angell DesignsWhen modernizing a curve-lined ("free-form") pool, the best way to give it that contemporary look is to incorporate straight lines and sharp angles wherever you can. Seeing as how demolishing and altering the existing pool beam can be incredibly expensive (if not logistically impossible in some cases), the most cost-effective way to incorporate those straight lines is to reconfigure/re-shape the pool decking. This was one of the many things that happened on this West Plano project. Notice the straight line saw cuts in the decking, coupled with the squared-off outside deck edges that those lines run into.
Ryan Hughes DesignAppearing to float within the pool, the 8 foot circular lowered fire lounge and patio area provides a prime vantage point for embracing the total outdoor experience.
Photography by Joe Traina
Aqua PoolsA pool renovation can be a simple facelift or it can be a whole lot more. No matter how old your pool is, or what the design style is we can turn your dated pool into the masterpiece that you have been dreaming of.
Mark S. Garff, Landscape ArchitectAn existing home on Hunts Point was in need of a landscape renovation. SCJ Studio transformed the existing, uneven and small pool terrace from “afterthought” to an expansive outdoor amenity oasis with a built in gas firepit, ipe deck on a single level, and included a new privacy fence, raised corten steel planters and dramatic lighting. A new side garden with play lawn for the kids included raised cedar planting beds, crushed granite steel edged walkways, lighting and thoughtful planting.
Photo: Andrew Webb
UserMiami Beach flair on a true Canadian concrete spa. Our client was looking for the ultimate entertaining spot with seating for 10 people. The spa is 7 x 12 ft with a custom mosaic in the client's favourite colours. The steps and coping are actually hand finished imported stone called "rainbow". The addition of the acrylic glass wall gives this spa a WOW factor! This spa has the added benefit of a custom spa cover that will help to keep heating costs down.
Modern Swimming Pool Ideas and Designs
Randy Angell DesignsThe planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort.
The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision.
About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options.
Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward.
The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door.
The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses.
The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget.
As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit.
In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit.
From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa.
The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall.
The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump.
Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam.
One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish.
4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear.
A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.
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