ダラスにあるエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、コンクリート敷き ) の写真

ハンティントンにあるエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、天然石敷き) の写真

Photos by Eric Delaforce
ローリーにあるラグジュアリーな広いエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、天然石敷き) の写真

We designed a freeform saltwater swimming pool to complement the shape of the lot and positioning of the house, and a composite deck were also incorporated into this backyard oasis.

Large outdoor metal pergola designs by Entanglements laser cut metal art. Curved decking area by the pool
メルボルンにある中くらいなエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭プール (噴水) の写真

Years ago, Exterior Worlds was contacted by a couple by the names of Rick and Susan Ashcroft. They asked if we could do something about the lagoon-style swimming pool that had been built behind their house in the late1940s. This style had been very popular at that time, and it is still a favored by some of the world’s more lavish resorts. However, ever since the day they had purchased their home, the Ashcroft’s had always been agitated by the ostentatiousness of the whole thing, and had finally decided to have it redesigned as a natural swimming pool. They wanted their back yard to retain the feeling of a tropical locale, but lose the touristic element in favor of that of a cozier, more private corner of paradise. We agreed with their sentiments wholeheartedly. Just a cursory glance at the property confirmed that a natural swimming pool design was a much better fit for the grade of the landscape and the surrounding opportunities for vegetation and lighting. The Ashcroft residence was located on the side of a hill that sloped down toward a ravine, and the house itself house was built 40 feet back from the road. The steep grade of the land posed construction challenges to any type of water feature, but there was a way to build a natural swimming pool here that would achieve the aesthetic the Ashcroft’s were seeking and create a lasting element that required only limited and very intermittent periods of maintenance. We began by stripping the pool down to its shell and building a retaining wall that offset the grade of the land. We shaped the surrounding earth around it into a much deeper basin that would allow water to collect naturally like it does at the base of a cliff. A series of interlocking pavers was laid around the perimeter to create a flat surface that extended from the back of the home to the retaining wall. This is a standard aesthetic used in most natural swimming pools, but it also served a special, practical purpose in this instance. Since this area was subject to heavy land erosion from runoff rainwater, pavers provided a very efficient way of reconstructing key elements of the structure every 5-10 years. The natural swimming pool now appeared as an inviting portal into a remote hill country getaway, just a stone’s throw away from the back of the house. We made it easier to reach by building two series of stone steps that led down to either side of the water’s edge. We were careful to avoid making them look too much like stairs. Instead, we designed them to closely mimic the layers of rock that often jut from the sides of mountains and dormant volcanoes on islands all over the Pacific. To further develop this theme, we placed a large flat stone to serve as a diving area, and we created a waterfall on either side of it by laying down stones in a manner that created varying speeds of water. Our construction methods here were very unique in comparison to those of our competitors. We took almost a month to consciously and deliberately lay each stone by hand. While this may seem painstakingly detailed to some, the rewards were astonishing, because our natural swimming pool mimicked Nature in such a way that it lacked almost all evidence of human engineering, and looked virtually identical to something you would stumble upon in the jungle of a tropical paradise. If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including memorial villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255 For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

The glass tile spa with stone sun shelf surrounding it and a faux rock bridge leading to the lazy river and grotto. The massive waterfall has multiple swim through tunnels leading to a swim up bar and restroom. Design and Construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by KO Rinearson PhotoArt Studios

ヒューストンにある高級な巨大なエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、タイル敷き) の写真

フェニックスにあるラグジュアリーな小さなエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、コンクリート板舗装 ) の写真

Completed in 2003, this garden in Highland Park, Texas featured a dramatic transformation into a wonderful intimate garden. The existing pool was renovated with all new coping and stone veneer and an end portion of the pool was enclosed to create a koi pond with aquatic plants. A glass panel was installed between the pool and koi pond to allow the swimmers to submerge themselves and see into the koi area. The rest of the garden featured lush landscaping which included shade loving plants and mint was planted in between the step stones for a soft feel. Completed with Naud Burnett & Partners.

The Berry family of Houston, Texas hired us to do swimming pool renovation in their backyard. The pool was badly in need of repair. Its surface, plaster, tile, and coping all needed reworking. The Berry’s had finally decided it was time to do something about this, so they contacted us to inquire about swimming pool restoration. We told them that we could certainly repair the damaged elements. After we took a closer look at the pool, however, we realized that more was required here than a cosmetic solution to wear and tear. Because of some serious design flaws, the aesthetic of the pool worked against surrounding landscape design. The rear portion of the pool was framed by architectural wall, and the water was surrounded by a brick and bluestone patio. The problem lay in the fact that the wall was too tall. It created a sense of separation from the remainder of the yard, and it obscured the view of a beautiful arbor that had been built beneath the trees behind the pool. It also hosted a contemporary-style, sheer-descent waterfall fountain that looked too modern for a traditional lawn and garden design. Restoring this wall to its proper relationship with the landscape would turn out to be one of the key elements to our swimming pool renovations work. We began by lowering the wall the wall so you could see the arbor and trees in the backyard more clearly. We also did away with the sheer-descent waterfall that clashed with surrounding backyard landscape design. We decided that a more traditional fountain would be more appropriate to the setting, and more aesthetically apropos if it complimented the brick and bluestone patio. To create this façade, we had to reconstruct the wall with bluestone columns rising up through the brick. These columns matched the bluestone in the patio, and added a stately form to the otherwise plain brick wall. Each column rose slightly higher than the top of the wall and was capped at the top. Thermal-finish weirs crafted in a flame detail jutted from under the capstones and poured water into the pool below. To draw greater emphasis to the pool itself as a body of water, we continued our swimming pool renovation with an expansion of the brick coping. This drew greater emphasis to the body of water within its form, and helps focus awareness on the tranquility created by the fountain. We also removed the outdated diving board and replaced it with a diving rock. This was safer and more attractive than the board. We also extended the entire pool and patio another 15 feet toward the right. This made the entire area a more relaxed and sweeping expanse of hardscape. While doing so, we expanded the brick coping around the pool from 8 inches to 12 inches. Because the spa had a rather unique shape, we decided to replace the coping here with custom brink interlace style that would fit its irregular design. Now that the swimming pool renovation itself was complete, we sought to extend the new sense of expansiveness into the rest of the yard. To accomplish this, we built a walkway out of bluestone stepping pads that ran across the surface of the water to the arbor on the other side of the fountain wall. This unique pathway created invitation to the world of the trees beyond the water’s edge, and counterbalanced the focal point of the pool area with the arbor as a secondary point of interest. We built a terrace and a dining area here so people could remain here in comfort for as long as they liked without having to run back to the patio or dash inside the kitchen for food and drinks.

シカゴにある広いエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭プール (噴水、天然石敷き) の写真

ハンティントンにあるエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、天然石敷き) の写真

ヒューストンにある高級な巨大なエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、タイル敷き) の写真

This view from the home's main balcony reveals the scale of this pool, spa and waterfall / grotto. The lazy river is separated by native grasses. Design and Construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by KO Rinearson PhotoArt Studios

ニューヨークにある高級な中くらいなエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなプール (噴水、天然石敷き) の写真

We added a beautiful naturalistic pool, landscaping, travertine paving, outdoor shower, custom porch and deck. Low maintenance landscaping, and planted bamboo in a secure 60 mil EPDM containment trench to give the clients privacy. One of our other challenges was to solve the storm water runoff, which we handled with and underground drain system. The outdoor raised firepit is a nice addition for for sitting around those cool nights. To complete our project was the outdoor lighting design which highlights all of the awesome focal points.

Close-up of this rich and artfully integrated colorful iridescent glass tile. Subtle and also eye-catching and light-catching, a stunning edging for the sun shelf and steps. Set into the custom black ceramic chip finish and echoing the curved design of the landscaping, this is a true beauty. Photo by Tim Schoon

A view of the swim up bar, grotto kitchen and pirate chandelier in this massive 2,500 sq.ft. grotto. Design and Construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by KO Rinearson PhotoArt Studios