A family in West University contacted us to design a contemporary Houston landscape for them. They live on a double lot, which is large for that neighborhood. They had built a custom home on the property, and they wanted a unique indoor-outdoor living experience that integrated a modern pool into the aesthetic of their home interior.
This was made possible by the design of the home itself. The living room can be fully opened to the yard by sliding glass doors. The pool we built is actually a lap swimming pool that measures a full 65 feet in length. Not only is this pool unique in size and design, but it is also unique in how it ties into the home. The patio literally connects the living room to the edge of the water. There is no coping, so you can literally walk across the patio into the water and start your swim in the heated, lighted interior of the pool.
Even for guests who do not swim, the proximity of the water to the living room makes the entire pool-patio layout part of the exterior design. This is a common theme in modern pool design.
The patio is also notable because it is constructed from stones that fit so tightly together the joints seem to disappear. Although the linear edges of the stones are faintly visible, the surface is one contiguous whole whose linear seamlessness supports both the linearity of the home and the lengthwise expanse of the pool.
While the patio design is strictly linear to tie the form of the home to that of the pool, our modern pool is decorated with a running bond pattern of tile work. Running bond is a design pattern that uses staggered stone, brick, or tile layouts to create something of a linear puzzle board effect that captures the eye. We created this pattern to compliment the brick work of the home exterior wall, thus aesthetically tying fine details of the pool to home architecture.
At the opposite end of the pool, we built a fountain into the side of the home's perimeter wall. The fountain head is actually square, mirroring the bricks in the wall. Unlike a typical fountain, the water here pours out in a horizontal plane which even more reinforces the theme of the quadrilateral geometry and linear movement of the modern pool.
We decorated the front of the home with a custom garden consisting of small ground cover plant species. We had to be very cautious around the trees due to West U’s strict tree preservation policies. In order to avoid damaging tree roots, we had to avoid digging too deep into the earth.
The species used in this garden—Japanese Ardesia, foxtail ferns, and dwarf mondo not only avoid disturbing tree roots, but they are low-growth by nature and highly shade resistant. We also built a gravel driveway that provides natural water drainage and preserves the root zone for trees. Concrete pads cross the driveway to give the homeowners a sure-footing for walking to and from their vehicles.
e bella - patrich_carlassara
Peta North
Esempio di un piccolo patio o portico mediterraneo in cortile con piastrelle
This award-winning and intimate cottage was rebuilt on the site of a deteriorating outbuilding. Doubling as a custom jewelry studio and guest retreat, the cottage’s timeless design was inspired by old National Parks rough-stone shelters that the owners had fallen in love with. A single living space boasts custom built-ins for jewelry work, a Murphy bed for overnight guests, and a stone fireplace for warmth and relaxation. A cozy loft nestles behind rustic timber trusses above. Expansive sliding glass doors open to an outdoor living terrace overlooking a serene wooded meadow.
Photos by: Emily Minton Redfield
bella pietra - stetiberio
Cherie Barber - Renovating For Profit
Ispirazione per una piccola terrazza minimal dietro casa con nessuna copertura
Esterno - nicola_matta
Esempio di un piccolo patio o portico chic dietro casa con nessuna copertura
giardino pavimento - federico_lomys
Photographer: Derek Latta
Immagine di un piccolo patio o portico contemporaneo con un tetto a sbalzo
Teak Veneered Tetraleaf™
Esempio della facciata di una casa piccola stile marinaro a due piani con rivestimento in pietra
Renovated woodburning grill with custom console table fabricated from architectural salvage and a bluestone slab.
Immagine di un piccolo patio o portico chic dietro casa con pavimentazioni in pietra naturale
Lucy Walters Photography
Foto della facciata di una casa piccola nera scandinava a un piano con tetto piano