Home & Design

Expert Advice - Pool Makeovers

Breathing new life into lackluster pools and their surrounding landscapes

 
Expert Advice - Pool Makeovers


Whether they have purchased a home with an existing pool or built their own more than 10 years ago, many homeowners have pools that could use an update. The typical rectangular or kidney-shaped pool with a basic concrete deck can’t compare to today’s luxurious resort-like pools accompanied by fountains, waterfalls and custom hardscapes.



Aesthetics aside, most homeowners don’t realize that all pools require basic maintenance every 10 to 15 years. Concrete pools have to be re-plastered; if the pool liner is vinyl, you’ll need a new one. And while you’re at it, you may as well fix the tile and the coping. “It’s very similar to re-decorating a room inside,” says landscape architect Howard Cohen of Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction. “You might have some things you want to keep, but you’ll probably want a new, fresh look.” Re-doing the pool is also a lot less expensive than ripping everything out and starting over. Don Gwiz of Lewis-Aquatech says a basic update, including a new interior finish, tile, and coping, might cost $25,000, but there is no limit if you want a completely new fashionable outdoor living area.

The three makeovers that follow illustrate a vast array of possibilities for those old, outdated tubs that are sitting in the middle of so many back yards.

A Lush Destination

Ornamental grasses, an array of colorful perennials and a new lawn and walkway have artfully disguised a prominent free-form pool that now lies hidden behind a profuse Mediterranean-style landscape. The homeowners contacted Botanical Decorators to renovate the pool and remove the pool equipment from the basement of the house. According to landscape architect Steve Wlodarczyk, the company’s vice president, as the equipment aged, it sprang a leak and flooded the basement. “It was a major ordeal,” he said, “to get the equipment out of there and relocate it on the site.”

The pool was sitting in the middle of the yard, in plain sight of the house, like a floating spaceship. Designer Morgan Washburn nestled the pool into the landscape, adding new planting beds between the house and the pool to give the yard a sense of mystery. It’s now hidden from the rear of the house, and it does not come into view until you either wander across the lawn or down a curving path that is lined with vibrant plantings. The existing pool decking was

replaced with Sundek, a surface material that is cool to the feet and soft to walk on. Pockets of planting beds were added around the edge of the pool to give it a more lagoon-like feeling, and a small seating area at one end creates a quiet niche just large enough for two lounge chairs.

Wlodarczyk says the new design has completely transformed the back yard. “The pool is now a destination,” he says, “rather than an element right outside the back door.”

Design & Photography: Morgan Washburn, Botanical Decorators, Olney, Maryland.

You may also like:

Remodeling 101
Winners of the NARI COTY Awards share project challenges and offer advice on planning a stress-free renovation
Floor Samples
Interior designers offer their input on what to put under foot
Design Fusion
By melding seemingly unrelated design styles, Ann Kenkel makes this McLean house feel like home
HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

Stay Connected with HOME & DESIGN Newsletter

Copyright © 2024 Home & Design. All rights reserved. | Back to top
magnifier