Garden of the Week: A Smart, Sliding Cover Over a USA Plunge Pool
How an expert team, a clever composition and a sliding pool cover made the most of a modest-sized backyard in Texas, USA
Squeezing a pool, deck, and dining and play areas between this house and garage was no easy feat. “This was a super tight space – it’s actually even smaller than it appears in the photos,” says Kelly Daacon of Texas Tiny Pools, whose firm sited and installed the pool and its very clever pool cover. Next, the homeowners hired landscape architect Kevin Lenhart to design a multi-functional and cohesive landscape, before Zach Brashear of Cutters Landscaping managed the installation of the concrete, deck, pavers and turf.
The pool measures 2.7 x 3.6 metres and is 1.3 metres deep. The decorative tiles above the waterline is Quarter Circle tile from Clay Imports in Texas, USA. This pool also has a heater for the chilly seasons.
“We provided tree protection during construction to make sure the existing tree survived,” says Daacon. Lenhart notes that the tree’s placement on the north side of the yard created a pleasing balance of sunny and shady spots.
The pool coping is charcoal Lueders stone. This is a regional limestone quarried in Lueders, Texas, that’s denser than other types of limestone. “It is harder and doesn’t chip like other limestones might,” says Brashear.
“We provided tree protection during construction to make sure the existing tree survived,” says Daacon. Lenhart notes that the tree’s placement on the north side of the yard created a pleasing balance of sunny and shady spots.
The pool coping is charcoal Lueders stone. This is a regional limestone quarried in Lueders, Texas, that’s denser than other types of limestone. “It is harder and doesn’t chip like other limestones might,” says Brashear.
One of the smartest features of this project is the pool cover. The deck in the foreground and part of the deck on the opposite side of the pool serve as the cover. “These types of covers are more popular in Europe,” says Daacon. “They make a lot of sense for clients who don’t have a lot of yard space to spare. They can cover the pool and gain that space back.”
The pool cover decks slide on wheels along a track system to meet over the middle of the pool. “This system is similar to what you’d use on a driveway gate that’s on a track,” says Daacon. The decks have a latch that holds them in place, and they can be padlocked for safety when the pool is covered.
All pool safety requirement codes were met, Daacon says, including fencing, gates and the appropriate locks and alarms on all windows and doors that access the pool.
The pool cover decks slide on wheels along a track system to meet over the middle of the pool. “This system is similar to what you’d use on a driveway gate that’s on a track,” says Daacon. The decks have a latch that holds them in place, and they can be padlocked for safety when the pool is covered.
All pool safety requirement codes were met, Daacon says, including fencing, gates and the appropriate locks and alarms on all windows and doors that access the pool.
Here’s what the deck looks like when both pieces have been moved to cover the pool. Brashear notes that one person can slide the pieces by themselves without any trouble. “This pool cover idea is ingenious. It makes the yard adaptable,” says Lenhart.
The decks are composed of a composite material called AZEK by TimberTech, and the colour is Slate Gray. Lenhart designed an additional deck from the same material that meets one side of the pool cover when it’s open. He had it cut around the tree so as not to disturb the root system.
The decks are composed of a composite material called AZEK by TimberTech, and the colour is Slate Gray. Lenhart designed an additional deck from the same material that meets one side of the pool cover when it’s open. He had it cut around the tree so as not to disturb the root system.
Here’s a look at the covered pool from a different angle. Lenhart specified artificial turf for the expanses beneath the pool covers and in between the pavers, as natural grass would not grow well in such environments.
In a compact yard, every centimetre counts. One clever idea that saved space was mounting the umbrella to the sliding deck. “This is such a small detail with a big impact,” says Lenhart. “Had the umbrella been installed on the ground with a footing, it would have taken up more ground space and chopped up the yard.”
The stairs on the left lead to a secondary dwelling above the homeowners’ garage. Circulation area around the pool was tight, so Lenhart composed the yard in a way that left ample space to enter both the house and the stairs that lead to the secondary dwelling.
“Any change in elevation, even the one step up to the decking here, can chop up a yard,” he says. “So I wanted to approach the design of the rest of the landscape in a way that stitched it all together and made it cohesive.” He accomplished this by using a consistent and limited materials palette.
The composition of the large pavers around two sides forms a modern grid that suits the client’s streamlined tastes and the home’s architecture. The pavers are also similar in colour to the concrete that runs along the side of the house. Using artificial turf in between the pavers and on the larger expanses tied different areas together and added softness. Lenhart also notes that subtle repetition, such as the way the colours in the Acapulco chairs and pool tiles match, is a great way to create cohesiveness.
“Any change in elevation, even the one step up to the decking here, can chop up a yard,” he says. “So I wanted to approach the design of the rest of the landscape in a way that stitched it all together and made it cohesive.” He accomplished this by using a consistent and limited materials palette.
The composition of the large pavers around two sides forms a modern grid that suits the client’s streamlined tastes and the home’s architecture. The pavers are also similar in colour to the concrete that runs along the side of the house. Using artificial turf in between the pavers and on the larger expanses tied different areas together and added softness. Lenhart also notes that subtle repetition, such as the way the colours in the Acapulco chairs and pool tiles match, is a great way to create cohesiveness.
The rectangular Lueders stone pavers are 0.6 x 1.2 metres and weigh about 102 kilograms each. “These are cut out of blocks of limestone at a quarry,” says Brashear.
He and his installation team used sand setting to place the pavers firmly in the yard. “We used a road base, which is compacted crushed gravel and granite. Then we layered sand on top of it and set the pavers in the sand,” Brashear says.
Browse images of beautiful Australian pools for inspiration
He and his installation team used sand setting to place the pavers firmly in the yard. “We used a road base, which is compacted crushed gravel and granite. Then we layered sand on top of it and set the pavers in the sand,” Brashear says.
Browse images of beautiful Australian pools for inspiration
The composition of the pavers creates a pleasing geometry in the yard. It also ties the house, the pool, the decks and the garage together.
“We wanted to use every bit of space we could without making it feel cluttered,” says Lenhart. He expanded the paved patio space right up to the carport. “This area had the perfect dimensions for adding a dining table,” he says.
Daacon notes that about half the pools his firm has installed this year were plunge pools. He believes their popularity comes from the following benefits they offer over larger pools: they fit nicely in compact yards without dominating landscapes; require less water use due to size and have less loss via evaporation; consume much less energy to heat; and they require less effort to clean.
Your turn
Are you as wowed as we are with this ingenious pool cover and design? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
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Your turn
Are you as wowed as we are with this ingenious pool cover and design? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
More
Ready for more great global design? Enjoy this France Houzz: A New Island Home With an Old Soul
Garden at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Austin, USA
Size: 111 square metres
Landscape architect: Kevin Lenhart of Yardzen
Landscape installation: Zach Brashear of Cutters Landscaping
Pool installation: Kelly Daacon of Texas Tiny Pools
This photograph shows how tight the area between the house and garage is. It also shows the existing tree the team saved, which provides nice shade during Austin’s hot summers.
“These clients wanted a multi-functional, adaptable space where they could cool off, relax, sun, dine, lounge and entertain,” says Lenhart. “With the existing horizontal fencing, large tree on the north side of the yard and the plantings adding softness to the yard, this landscape had great bones.”
The project began when the client hired Texas Tiny Pools. They determined where the pool should go – centred off the back of the home’s glass doors. They designed it and installed it, along with the clever pool cover. Lenhart gleaned a strong sense of the owners’ style from a style quiz, shared inspiration photos and the architecture of their home. “These clients liked a minimalist modern style,” he says.
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