A 2003 NSPI San Diego Design Awards winner, remodel category

The homeowners wanted to take the standard 70's-era oval that was falling apart when they bought the house and turn it into a tropical paradise.

We removed the deep end wall in order to construct a free form raised spa. A depth conversion made the pool shallower. We designed a baja shelf entry into the pool at the shallow end to accomodate the clients' young daughter. The shallow water, which makes a perfect place to splash and play with water toys now, will still be functional as a spot to sunbathe or lounge semi-submerged in the future. We also placed several artificial rocks along the edge of the shelf to isolate it from the deeper water. The rocks serve not only to corral children and toys, but they also provide a handy resting place for a drink and feature a built-in umbrella stand to provide shade on the baja shelf.

The spa is surrounded by artificial rock. The multi-tiered rock water feature creates a cave around one end of the spa and sends water cascading to the side of the spa, as well as right over its top. Speakers were built into the artificial rock surrounding the spa for the music-loving homeowner. Another slightly submerged artificial rock provides a step from the spa into the deep end of the pool. It also allows access to the bench that runs the length of the spa. The bench was perfectly placed to allow one to sit and let the water spilling from the spa massage his shoulders, or, if the waterfall is on, to sit on the bench and hide behind the sheet of cascading water. Large Arizona flagstone coping stones were used around the pool. The natural edge was left on the stones to lend a more natural feel to the strict geometry of the oval pool. The pool was finished in a dark gray plaster and Tuscany waterline tile.

The deck, which had previously been a barren expanse of concrete, was replaced with a sand-blasted, dyed concrete. The new deck was poured in a freeform shape that left many large planter areas to be filled with tropical plants, creating the backyard paradise for which the homeowners were looking. Equipment features included deep heat (water returns at the bottom of the pool), Sta-Rite filter, pumps, heater, and cleaner, a Jandy RS AquaLink Control System, an ECOmatic salt system, Pentair SAm lights, and Polaris blowers.