A fiery optical illusion and cool glass add drama to this modern oasis.
By Rebecca Robledo

In planning this backyard, the team at Phoenix-based Venetian Backyards knew it would be a years-long process. It was being built in conjunction with a home by DRRL Construction, a custom home builder based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sitting in the hills of northern Phoenix, the job would have the normal start-stop cycles that come with multiple projects and crews on the same site.

The waterscape needed to not only showcase the hills and mountains of northern Phoenix, but also carry the view indoors, as 20-foot-high sliding glass doors would essentially blend the indoor and outdoor spaces. Needless to say, materials and lines had to reflect the modern home. After more than two years of design, planning and construction, the homeowners were greeted with the view pictured above. With its use of elevation, luxury materials and lush plantings, it’s understandable that this backyard was recognized as one of Pebble Technology’s 2021 World’s Greatest Pools.

View to a hill

Where many designers place the spa near the home, and spill the pool’s vanishing edge toward the yard’s perimeter, this team flipped the script. Instead, they placed the spa at the far end of the waterscape, and set the pool’s vanishing edge to flow toward the house.

They chose this positioning to differentiate the project from others, but also to showcase the prime view of a nearby landmark — Camelback Mountain, north of Scottsdale, Ariz. — by perching the spa up.

“When you’re in the spa, you have this incredible view of the mountains,” says Trevor Tipton, president of Venetian Outdoors. “It also works as a fire pit: You don’t have to be in the spa, you can sit around the firepit and still have this continuously awesome view of the mountain.”

The back half of the spa is encircled by fire to create a couple optical illusions.

“As you look [from] the spa, it looks like the water is spilling into the fire,” Tipton says. “And when you’re looking up at the pool, it looks like the fire is floating on the water.”

He and his partner at Venetian, Matt Coyle, created this illusion by placing the fire in a planter that horse-shoes around half the spa. An approximately 6-inch-wide, custom-fabricated metal channel with slot and grating system sits underneath the fire glass so the water spills near the flame.

“The fire pit itself is built out of masonry, and then the grating system is built into that masonry,” Tipton says. “That way, the fire feature sits on top of there with the fire bar, and the gas run to it.”

Material Matters

Pebblesheen in Blue Surf provided the water color the client wanted. To arrive at this color, Tipton and Coyle reviewed different natural bodies of water with the clients to find out what color they preferred.

A mix of glass mosaic tile in tans, golds and black enhanced the modern desert look of the architecture and yard.

For the deck and masonry, the team used the same cream-colored stone as was used on the home, which was cut to scale for the decking and floating pavers interspersed in artificial turf.
Venetian Outdoors also designed and provided the softscape for the yard. Knowing that construction would take about two years, they planted the large ficus trees and hedges around the yard’s perimeter early in the schedule. This way, the specimens could mature as the project was being built.
“Once we’re able to get power to the house, we’ll run temporary irrigation around the edge and the outside of the house,” Tipton says. “So when the clients move into the house, [the plants are] looking a lot more developed and mature.”

Depending on the lot, they protect the plants in various ways, perhaps using perimeter walls as a shield. Pygmy date palms of medium height are planted throughout the yard. “They visually and architecturally gave us another layer and another level in the property,” Tipton says.
Four televisions are placed throughout, so there’s a view from just about every spot in the yard. A putting green keeps the homeowners busy.

“They’re golfers, so we worked the putting green into the backyard so you can use it from the upper level or you could chip at it from the lower level,” Tipton says.

The final product aptly tiers to the hillside view and provides a stunning view from the home.

“We encompassed the whole yard into this project to be able to follow the [view] up, and at the same time we kept up with the modern design,” Tipton says.

The pandemic ignited an explosion of backyard investment and activity that continues to reverberate to this day, as literally hundreds of thousands of potential pool owners entered the market, looking for the pleasures and relaxation our industry has been touting for decades. It’s been the pool story of this generation.

While the U.S. market saw a record number of new pool permit applications, just as strong was the renovation market, which in many ways can be more challenging than new construction. In fact, because most renovation projects involve outdated pools well past their prime both aesthetically and mechanically, unexpected complications can pop up at any time.

“Renovations are not for the faint of heart,” says Michael Durand, who co-owns J&M Pools in Senoia, Ga., with his younger brother, Jacob — without the least hint that he’s joking. “Every renovation project is going to have hiccups, which is why some builders don’t want to get involved in them. Remodels are going to be a little more work, but they also can be more profitable jobs.”

And often, the results of a remodel project can be stunning. With that in mind, AQUA asked three builders to share the details, challenges and rewards associated with some of their favorite renovations.

1. THE ‘EARLIER THAN EXPECTED’ PROJECT

One of the first pools J&M began servicing and maintaining back in 2009 (the company’s first year of operation) eventually became one of the company’s most epic renovation projects. About eight years after this vanishing-edge pool was built on the 18th hole of a golf course in Newnan, Ga., it began losing water. A thorough inspection traced the cause to a bad plumbing line in the in-floor pool cleaning system, and the damage was already compromising the deck and pool’s structural integrity near the pool’s entry. “The deck was so heavy that it actually started falling and pulling the pool with it,” Durand says.

In 2017, J&M crews demolished much of the side of the pool closest to the home in order to restore structural integrity. The company called in a structural engineer to help oversee the process, which was complicated by the pool’s hillside location. “The problem had probably been going on for a while, but we didn’t notice it until it cracked,” Durand says. “That’s when we said we need to do a significant remodel on this project.”

Communication with the homeowner is key in any project. But it’s particularly critical during a remodel, when costs can escalate quickly. In this case, because repair work already was required, the homeowner decided to modernize the pool without losing its distinct natural elements. J&M increased the number of spa spillovers to three, replaced the steps with a beach-entry shelf, installed new lights and added significant landscaping. “We make sure the customer understands that we don’t know what the total cost is going to be until we’re done,” Durand says. “If the customer understands that upfront, they end up being the best customers. They’re happy because we’ve not only fixed the problem, but we’ve made the pool better, we’ve made it prettier, and we’ve given it more integrity.”

The pool’s vanishing-edge wall remained structurally sound, but one-third of the shell needed to be removed and rebuilt; the spa was also rebuilt. The surface of the pool was overhauled and finished with a Pebble Tec shade of blue that also features gray pebbles and speckles of dark brown stones to create a medium-blue water color. Extra sparkle was added by blending in 30% aqua-blue glass beads with the finish. The overall effect contrasts sharply with the green landscaping and updated flagstone decking.

The price tag for this six-month project jumped from about $100,000 to $160,000, and it ended up being a larger undertaking than initially expected. But it remains one of Durand’s favorites. “It was the stepping stone we needed to really feel comfortable tackling any project, because there were so many facets to this one,” he says. “The goal when you do a remodel is to make it look like you built the pool, not like you added to a pool that was already built. This is still one of the top two prettiest remodels we’ve ever done.”

2. THE ‘DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN’ PROJECT

This sprawling 63-foot long freeform pool in El Cajon, Calif., was 25 years old and due for a major facelift. “The homeowner wanted a complete transformation of everything to make it look new,” says Scott McKenna, president of Gardner Outdoor and Pool Remodeling, based in El Cajon, Calif., whose company did exactly that over a two-month period in 2020. “Every time we uncovered something or the homeowner saw another possibility, they wanted to add to the project. There must have been 12 change orders.” Gardner brought in more manpower and asked crews to work on the weekends in order to keep the project on track, so the start of upcoming jobs wouldn’t be delayed.

The extensive renovation of the tired-looking, 25-year-old pool included the installation of new tile, finish, decking, mechanical and plumbing equipment, a fire pit and a full audio system, as well as an updated fountain and the creation of multiple shaded sitting areas. “We touched everything on this project,” McKenna says.

The installation of Pebble Tec’s PebbleBrilliance finish breathed new life into the pool by blending vibrant glass beads and natural stone aggregate. The pool’s broad expanse is accented by updated flagstone decking and coping, with shade structures that complement the water’s color. Gardner also oversaw updates to the landscaping, which resulted in a lusher, greener environment.

Among the more subtle but significant updates was the installation of a new set of entry steps, which added drama by doubling their number. “Instead of each step having a 1-foot rise, each step now has a 5-inch rise,” McKenna says. “Because there’s more of them, they go further out into the pool.” Artistic railings lend contemporary curves and enhance the pool’s welcoming appeal. New tile also revives a spa adjacent to the steps.

3. THE ‘THIRD-PARTY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT’ PROJECT

The initial marching orders for this decades-old, kidney-shaped pool in Austin, Texas, were simple: Replaster and retile to prevent any age-related leaks. Then, the homeowner began thinking about ways to update the backyard, which is nestled on the edge of the scenic Texas Hill Country. The client contracted with a landscape architect, who created a new vision for the pool. “It transformed from a small project into a significantly larger project; the initial price was $45,000, and the total project ended up being $280,000,” says Rob Scott, who oversees residential renovation sales for Austin, Texas-based Hines Pool & Spa. “The challenges started almost immediately.”

Originally built in the 1970s, the pool contained a limited shallow end, an all-but-forgotten spa (hidden behind foliage) and a deck in which the beautiful Texas Hill Country expanse and the pool competed with each other for attention. Hines’ crews shortened the pool’s depth from 9 feet to 6 feet while also rendering much of the original pool unrecognizable. They added a tanning shelf with lighted bubblers, installed two fountains and built a 21-foot-long wall with a 17-foot fire feature to replace the old deck. They also added new coping, tile, stone facing and lights.

One of the key elements of the landscape architect’s design was a cantilever deck over the pool on the side nearest the home (and completely opposite the original deck). Plans called for the deck to span about 10 feet over the pool, which essentially would have eliminated much of the pool space. Scott says the landscape architect firm based the deck’s dimensions on an outdated land survey rather than taking actual measurements in the homeowner’s backyard. In the end, Hines’ team assisted with correcting the scale and placement of the cantilever deck, as well as the fountains and fire feature (although the subsequent delays pushed the project’s duration to about two years). The result: cinematic views of both the updated pool and the surrounding hill country. “The thing that I’ve learned from this project is if a client is going to bring in a third party to do some aspect of the work, we need to meet with them prior to designs being finalized. Everyone needs to get on the same page,” Scott says, adding that he would gladly work with the landscape architect again.

The pool was refinished with a vibrant Pebble Tec PebbleSheen blue, accented by earthy brown and white pebbles to produce a medium-blue water color. “When we talk to homeowners exploring a pool remodel, one of the first discussions we have is about water color,” Scott says. “We ask what hues they like and note that the same color can look different based on the depth of the water, the color of the house, the color of the deck and the type of landscaping.” Although the same finish covers this entire pool, the tanning shelf (especially during the day) appears to be a different color than the rest of the pool because of its shallowness.

Despite the challenges, Scott still holds this wholly transformed pool in high esteem. “I feel blessed to have participated in what turned out to be a really significant project,” he says. “The client was just amazing through it all, and at the end of the week she would come out with a bag of groceries for every guy on the crew to take home. She was a very giving and generous person.”

If the jewel of your outdoor space is your pool, an exquisite tile may be its perfect accent—bringing it to a whole other level of luxury. For a tile that really brings the sparkle, we love Lightstreams™ Glass Tile. 

Whether used throughout an entire pool or just on the water line, this jewel-toned, artisan tile just seems to catch the light; and each tile is handcrafted to be one of a kind. Made in America, the line is specifically designed for use in pools, spas, and other water environments. It’s twice fired for maximum durability, making it highly resistant to cracking or breaking over time. Silky smooth edges add the finishing touch for a luxurious pool experience. 

Lightstreams glass tile delivers stunning iridescence. Choose from Renaissance II and Gold Iridescent Collections in colors ranging from peacock, royal, and turquoise blues to elegant gold, silver, and bronze tones. Each tile—available in 1”, 2”, and 3” sizes—has one side of striking iridescence as well as a reverse side of deeply saturated solid color. There’s even a wide array of jewel inlays, accent tiles, and custom colors and sizes available to make a pool or spa unforgettable.

For more information on our Lightstream collection, click here.

Creating glass tile that is project specific – i.e., custom-made for a single client – is both a great opportunity and at times a tall challenge. It’s almost always a chance to stretch creatibely and technically, and almost always big-time fun, the part where I can really think and create in terms of a specific, more personal environment for the client without considering as much, universal appeal. 

To learn more about glass permutations, click on the link below: https://pti.cmmg.xyz/products/lightstreams-tile/

Mountainside construction provides exciting challenges for an engineer/builder who enjoys them

By Scott Webb

A sweet pool with three knife-edges and a fourth vanishing edge overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina provides ample builder interest on its own. But hang that vessel off a granite cliff, with all the complexities of cantilever construction and load support, and you have the kind of project that stimulates an aquatic engineer.

Such was the joyful challenge for builder Mark Dorsey, licensed engineer, GENESIS instructor and president of Medallion Pools, Asheville, N.C.

“When we arrived on the scene, the homeowner had actually been hammering away on the granite rock cliffside for about a year, trying to get ready for construction. They almost gave up on the property, they’d spent so much on it. They kind of got into it with no way of getting out of it, other than just plowing ahead and finishing.

The problem was that they couldn’t do traditional blasting. So there was nothing else to do but a whole lot of hydraulic hammering.”

The goal was worthwhile — a home with a spectacular view of Asheville, the French Broad River valley and the mountains above, complete with a pool to reflect the entire scene — but there were some construction quandaries to be solved. All told, it took 2 1/2 years, a year to hammer out a flat place to stand and build on, and another 1 1/2 years to complete construction. 

“Basically, in a situation like this, you can’t get your equipment below the site, so you have to do everything from above.”

CANTILEVER CALCULUS

With a stout retaining wall anchored into the mountain and extending from the house across the face of the pool area, notched for the cantilevered pool and spa, Medallion’s engineering team got to work on the torsion calculations. “The spa extended 5 feet out beyond the retaining wall, and the pool extended 3 feet out,” says Dorsey. “The most challenging part of it was the forming for the concrete cantilever supports. When we shot the cantilever forms, we’re supporting wet concrete with wood (see picture of wood support structure), and those calculations were important, too. We checked those several times to make sure we had it right.”

“There were several ways of doing it, and it wasn’t like you could get a piece of equipment below the wall. We had to do everything from above. So we basically built heavy duty framing, like you would frame a deck with 2-by-12s, and then we hung that over the edge. And lag-bolted it to the top of the wall, and then supported that down to the footing at an angle with 4-by-4s.”

A DISCREET SURGE TANK

Another unusual facet of the project was the overflow system Medallion Pools uses.

“We don’t build the trough below the vanishing edge big enough for the entire surge capacity,” says Dorsey.

“We use a gravity system where the overflow drains down into a 1,300-gallon plastic tank in the equipment room underneath the porch, and then gets circulated back into the pool.”

The stainless steel overflow trough is 8 inches deep by 8 inches wide with pipe outlets positioned every 4 feet to ensure complete drainage.

“We have a local steel fabricator make the trough for us, which saves a lot of money and time, as we can hang it in just one day with the use of special tabs and bracing, instead of shooting a surge trough as another concrete piece on the outside of the pool. This system also results in less evaporation and heat loss.”

With the cantilever support structures and the overflow drainage system in place, and the pool and spa shot, it was time for a finish worthy of the stylish mountain retreat.

“The choice of finish on the pool is always a difficult one for a homeowner,” says Dorsey, “but when I showed her the Pebble Tec Lightstream iridescent tiles, she got excited about having those on the spa. Eventually she went with the Pebble Brilliance finish in the Majestic Sound color for the pool — those have been so reliable for me over the years, and we’ve found they make chemical start-up and maintenance easier, requiring little to no brushing.”

With finishes applied and the pool filled, Dorsey had a chance to step back and reflect on the pleasures of meeting a difficult challenge and fulfilling the dreams of a client. Especially enjoyable was the experience of making detailed plans, force diagrams and calculations, the accuracy of which was borne out in the final product.

“I’m an engineer, and I have another structural engineer on staff. Together, we enjoy the technical part of the job,” Dorsey says. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s so fulfilling to put something on paper and then go out there and actually do it.”

Camp Southern Ground Celebrates the Building of a Brand-New Pool – with Pool Industry Partners Coming Together to Help! (Master Pools Guild)

The opening of the DAYLO Aquatics Center on May 6^th marked the start of this year’s summer for Camp Southern Ground. Founded by GRAMMY Award-winning artist Zac Brown in 2011, Camp Southern Ground stretches across more than 400 acres of land in Fayetteville, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Atlanta.  During summer months, it is an inclusive, residential camp—bringing together typically developing children, children with neurodevelopmental differences, underserved kids and kids from military families to participate in programs that challenge, educate and inspire.  The rest of the year is dedicated to supporting post-9/11 veterans through work and wellness programs that help them find community, direction, purpose and healing during—and even long after—their transition back to civilian life, all at no cost to participants.

“The new pool is a wonderful addition to camp,“ said Mike Dobbs, Camp Southern Ground President and CEO. “We felt so blessed to be adopted by the Georgia Pool and Spa Association, by so many pool industry partners and by the Weiss family (DAYLO Foundation). Together, they helped us to raise funds for building the pool, together with bathhouse, laundry facility, pumphouse and recreation room.

Shawn Still (owner of Olympic Pool Plastering) brought in Eric Brooks (Innovative Pools) as the pool builder for the project, following three years of fundraising by the Georgia Chapter of the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. In addition, pool industry vendors rallied to provide materials at no charge or at a deep discount.

Pebble Technology provided the finish material for free. (The pool features Aqua Blue PebbleSheen™.)  Olympic Pool Plastering contributed the pool finish application.  Jandy and Fluidra contributed significantly, as well.   Dobbs added, “So many vendor partners got behind the effort. It’s a beautiful thing to see even competitors come together for good in this way—and with such high standards for the result. In fact, the pool has already won an award for design and construction excellence, through the Atlanta Business Chronicle.”

The DAYLO Aquatic Center pool is just one part of a camp experience designed to teach the beauty of inclusion and that, in our differences, every person in the world has immense value.  Kudos to the Pool Industry community for working together to make a real difference for so many. As Zac Brown sings, “Love is the remedy.”

Submitted by Kari Paulson, Pebble Technology International. All photos were provided by Olympic Pool Plastering.

Griffin Pools is continuing its 45-year history of setting the industry standard in new pool construction. Two of Griffin Pools’ stunning new pool projects in Lake Wales, Fla., were named in the 2019 edition of Pebble Tec’s World’s Greatest Pools, which recognizes pool design that goes above and beyond in design and appearance. Griffin Pools is honored to receive these awards from a staple of the world’s pool building industry. As Elite Pebble Technology builders, Pebble Tec is key to their commitment to setting the gold standard in residential pool construction and building eye-catching pools.

“This recognition is not only historic for our company’s compelling 45-year history, but also historic for the entire Polk County pool industry,” says Andy Hernan, president of Griffin Pools. “Griffin Pools is the first pool company in Polk County to ever receive such an award. We give a tribute and thank you to our loyal community supporting our team since 1975.”

In designing the pools, Griffin teamed up with world-class architects and a designer to build cohesive and aesthetically-pleasing backyard pools. They worked with American Institute of Architecture Medal of Honor-winner Max Stang, award-winning architect Claudio Noriega and designer Candace Holladay to incorporate superb design elements into their pools. 

“The combined talent level involved with these projects was such a blessing and an amazing opportunity for everyone involved,” Hernan says. “The level of respect and customer satisfaction achievement were always listed first on the agenda at meetings.”

Both of the award-winning pools were built in Lake Wales. The first winning pool used the Majestic Sound finish from the Pebble Brilliance series, which combines glass beads and natural stone. The second pool used classic PebbleTec with a Moonlight Grey color.

Pebble Tec has over 50 colors to choose from throughout their product lines, making it easy for Griffin Pools to find the right natural pebble pool finish.

In 2020, Griffin Pools celebrates their 45th anniversary. Since 1975, they have been building the finest pools and spas for our customers in Central Florida. With recognition in the World’s Greatest Pools 2019 edition, they have now been named alongside the best luxury pool builders in the world.

No other pool company in Central Florida has the same history, expertise and personal touch as the team at Griffin Pools. With over 7,000 completed pool projects, Griffin Pools is the premier pool builder in Polk, Hardee, East Hillsborough and Highlands Counties for a reason.

The Griffin Pools history of excellent projects would not have been possible without the support of the Lakeland community coupled with over 300 years of certified and tenured talent who masterfully craft each and every pool they build. Griffin Pools works with their customers every step of the way to exceed expectations.

Natural materials and tones combine with clean lines and clever features to create a perch at once opulent and homey.

by Rebecca Robledo

Some properties just have too much going for them. In creating this pool/spa combination, the designers had two beautiful views to work with — one of the warm modern home, the other of Asheville, N.C. and the nearby French Broad Valley. In response, they developed this sleek pool with knife-edge detail on three sides and vanishing edge on the fourth. 

The raised four-sided overflow spa with fire pit provides the centerpiece. And it sports a clever feature: The transparent swim-up bar hanging over the vanishing edge. In-spa stools sidle up to the bar so viewers can look directly from the overhanging spa edge to the long vista. The bar achieves two seemingly contradictory goals — making functional use of the best seat in the house while preventing the bar from interrupting the view over the vanishing edge

To create the bar, the Medallion team cut and polished a sheet of 1-inch-thick plexiglass. It’s set 1 inch above the vanishing-edge weir so water can flow underneath it with the smallest possible profile. It is secured with stainless steel connectors often used for glass railings.

The fire pit not only frames the vista, but represents a visual bridge between the deck and pool, using the same porcelain tile found on the deck, which is meant to replicate granite, and an accent strip of the mosaic used on the pool and spa. It works with the transparent bar to help protect users at the edge.

Designers Mark Dorsey and Bob Lewis largely followed through on the home’s symmetry, pairing the spa with a sunshelf of the same footprint so they each take up half the pool’s width. In addition, an outdoor kitchen and outdoor living room each share about half the covered patio space.

The team contoured the spa seating to resemble that found in manufactured acrylic spas. Recessed jets reduce the profile while increasing comfort. An inset of wooden deck placed on the side opposite the home hearkens back to a similar material used in the architecture.

The finished product reflects the precision and sensibility of professionals with Dorsey’s and Lewis’ engineering background. In fact, even providing work site access required preliminary engineering, with forms and a walking platform calculated so crews could safely hang the 17 and 18 feet off the ground while working around the vanishing edges.