Lewis Aquatech lined its interior and exterior with black glass tiles from Italy.A property overlooking the Occoquan River calls for a special kind of landscape, particularly when the back yard sits well above a clear expanse of river. According to Don Gwiz, vice president of Lewis Aquatech, the homeowners knew exactly what they wanted: a "unique architectural feel" to go along with the riverside setting. Unique is what they got.As the centerpiece of the design, Lewis Aquatech constructed a large rectangular pool lined with a black exposed aggregate called "pebble tech." At one end of the pool deck is a raised spa (pictured above) lined inside and out with black glass tiles from Italy that reflect the plants in the surrounding landscape. The spa spills over into a rill that leads to a shallow children's pool, and steps descend to a circular fire pit with a seat wall that's adjacent to the side of the swimming pool. It's modern, it's clean, it's crisp and it's definitely architectural.

For another project in Great Falls, Lewis Aquatech designed a natural pool and spa to enhance a woodland setting. The pool has a built-in circular spa and a "negative edge" along the back side. Steps from the pool deck lead down to an expansive lawn where the homeowners can sit and enjoy the waterfall. "If the yard is in a natural setting," says Gwiz, "then that's the palette one should use to design—lots of boulders, lots of stone, lots of free-form radiuses."

Lewis Aquatech created this free-form pool with a built-in
spa in Great Falls to replace an old, rectangular swimming
pool. The “negative edge” on the back side of the pool spills
over flagstone tiles, creating an entirely new water feature.