By Luijten Landscaping
The Client required a makeover of their outdoor seating area and pool. The old pool was pulled out and a new one created in the same space. They required us to integrate the pump, filtration system and heating to a more logical and quieter location. The old pump shed was outside the bedrooms on the border of the section and as the pump had to draw the water from many meters away it was noisy and inefficient. They also wanted us to improve the transition from the house into the pool area, and to create a more useable space. It was important to incorporate more planting and greenery into the landscape around the pool area. To create shade was also a consideration as the outdoor area is north facing and they wanted to create a larger deck with outdoor seating area. The design intent was to create a new pool area to replace the old one, with a new deck area which integrates well with the existing house and new pool, creating a smoother transition between the two areas. We wanted to make it feel like one space, so the large wide steps draw you down and out to the pool area. They use the same upper decking material creating a flow down to the pool. The planter was added to break up the hardscape and introduce a soft green element into the area. The details and finishing of the planter and decking was important to create clean lines and it is key feature wall beside the pool. The other new block wall also was a challenge to integrate with the existing wall on site and it was important to make a seamless connection between the two. As the site is north facing with no existing trees for shade, a shade element needed to be considered for the outdoor seating area.
Photography:Â Chris Cameron Photography