Pool Environments, Inc.

May 2014

This classic formal design focuses on the rear wall. The wall is a beautifully proportioned multi-height wall, faced in Leuder limestone. As the stonewalls gracefully stair step down, shorter columns serve as the base to four Frank Lloyd Wright inspired cast stone bowls.

$175k

Dallas, TX

Jun 2013

The owners of this estate property decided to increase their outdoor living by adding on a large living, dining and kitchen area, as well as completely gutting and remodeling the swimming pool. The existing pool felt dark and dated, to our client. While the existing pool included laminar jets, there was no real strong focal point, and it also included a rarely-used spa, that they were ready to get rid of. From Pennsylvania coping stone, black glass tile, and dark grey plaster, we refreshed the feel of the pool with Leuder limestone coping, a beautiful aqua gem stone glass tile, and Martinique plaster. All of the pedestals were demod out of the pool to allow for a clean, rectangular shape. The spa and steps were demod and filled in with a huge wet deck area, outlined in the same glass tile. All of the Travertine decks, which had begun to age and deteriorate, were replaced with Leuder limestone, set on concrete, and accented with strips of synthetic turf. The addition of the 24 raised Lueder limestone clad wall across the length of the pool includes a 6 long sheer descent waterfall. The main focal point of the project however is the 66 tall waterwall, which is centered on the main axis through the formal areas of the home. Ledgestone panels are fed from an integral water channel at the top of the wall, and lit with LED down lights. These panels are framed in dark grey, large format, porcelain tile. One on-site change was adding the strips of aqua glass tile, separating the dark grey tiles. Little details like this fortify the importance of having the designer on-site during phases of construction. The new outdoor room more than tripled the size of the existing patio area. The fireplace and kitchen are both clad in Ledgestone matching that used on the waterwall, creating a continuity of design. The fireplace is flanked with large built-in cabinets for ample storage, and boasts a massive rough hewn beam as its mantle. The dining area graciously seats 8-10 for dinner, and adjoins the nearby living area. The kitchen area rivals most any homes main kitchen, with plentiful counter space, finished in Neolith Basalt Grey. Appliances include a double under-mount sink, dishwasher, multiple under-counter refrigerators, bbq grill, a pizza oven, and plenty of storage

$75k

Dallas, TX

Nov 2012

The crisp palette of charcoal grey and white set the scene for this modern backyard. Raised 24" above the swimming pool, the outdoor room houses a stone fire pit and tv on the upper level and the outdoor kitchen on the lower. The grey ledgestone wall veneer is neatly framed by Lueder limestone, which continues as the pool coping. The subtle, but striking water feature is created by a bank of custom made 2 x 2 stainless steel water scuppers. Charcoal glass mosaic tile, and Ocean Blue PebbleTec solidify the grey palette and create the perfect contrast to the colored concrete decks, finished to match the Lueder limestone. The greatest moment of trust from the client came when we had a mid-construction vision to add a pop of color to the sea of grey. The retaining wall down the side property line had been planned using the natural grey of the concrete blocks. As we saw the project coming together, though, we felt we really needed to add a signature moment in the project, and chartreuse was exactly what would accomplish that. it took a little convincing, but the client came on board and we painted the wall and the door of the shed in vibrant chartreuse. The project would have been beautiful without it, but the addition of that detail of color absolutely sent it over the top.

$95k

Dallas, TX

May 2012

This once beautiful garden and swimming pool, designed by one of the areas highly acclaimed landscape architects, had become overgrown and fallen into disrepair over the years. Our client brought in several designers, who one after the other were kindly dismissed. They simply didnt get it. She told us. So, she brought us in to give us a shot at interpreting her vision for a revived, refreshed, and modern garden and pool area. One of the first elements that caught my eye, as she walked us through the garden, was a beautifully sculptural Bios dArc tree that lay gracefully across the landscape, its canopy shading the eastern end of the pool. As I offered an idea to clear out the vegetation under the tree, and allow the trunk of the tree to become a focal point in the garden, she said, Youre hired! It seems that every other designer she brought in wanted to cut the tree down, and that simply was not going to happen. The vision for the project came together very quickly. A clean, modern aesthetic was the base philosophy. The first challenge was in dealing with the odd shape of the existing swimming pool. Every wall of the pool is at an odd angle. None of the lines were parallel or perpendicular to the home, nor to one another. This did not work well with my vision for creating long, horizontal lines. My solution was to envision over-sized rectangular slabs of stone set around the mass of the pool, and carving the shape of the pool into this grid-work. We accomplished this, actually by framing and pouring a colored concrete cantilever coping, separating the decking from the coping with a band of Mexican beach pebble. The high contrast between the beach pebbles and the limestone colored concrete draws the eye to these straight lines, and diminishes the impact of the odd angles of the pool. The next challenge was to create a water feature that would be the main focal point when the client is looking through the kitchen windows. Once again, the odd angles of the pool made this interesting. The solution was to come inside the shell of the existing pool, and build up a 30 raised wall that aligns with the parallel deck and coping lines. This new wall was veneered with a beautiful glass mosaic tile, with a subtle row of accent tile that lines up with the custom 2x2 stainless steel scupper waterfalls. The taller wall is then balanced by an 18 raised wall, veneered in Pennsylvania Bluestone, which follows the adjoining angle of the pool. A simple, pale blue 6x6 waterline tile recedes into the background, as it blends seamlessly with the subtle hue of the water, created by Oyster Quartz Diamondbrite. The decking is a smooth finish, colored concrete that matches the cantilever coping. The beloved Bois dArc has become one of the shining stars in this beautiful garden. We cleared out all of the undergrowth in the area, and created a clean bed of Silver Mist crushed granite that surrounds the trunk. We expanded the decking under the canopy of the tree, to create a generous conversation area, flanked by a raised herb garden, and lit by twinkling lights in the branches overhead.

$85k

Dallas, TX

Jul 2000

Complete natural stone outdoor oasis featuring pool, separate 10 person spa, koi pond, grotto, waterfalls, island and cabana. Featured on Animal Planet-The Pool Master

$550k

Dallas, TX