Large traditional backyard rectangular pool in San Diego with a water feature and stamped concrete.

Breathtaking view of infinity edge pool and spa overlooking Lake Lanier at sunset.
Large traditional backyard rectangular infinity pool in Atlanta with a water feature and concrete pavers.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular pool in Dallas with a water feature and decking.

Pool and spa with negative edge. Stacked stone and boulders. Flagstone decking. “Big Daddy Construction & Design" is a full service construction company with seasoned leadership and over 20 years of contracting experience in the Phoenix area. “Big Daddy” offers it's services as a viable alternative to business as usual in Arizona’s construction industry.

This infinity pool lights up beautifully at night. Add a few firebowls, dramatic garden beds and an outdoor kitchen and the three tiered paver patio comes to life.

Using the existing shell, we were able to transform the look and feel of the pool and its surroundings. Poured concrete, Trex decks, planters, and a fly-over bridge create an engaging space with intentional poolside social areas. Linda Oyama Bryan Photography

Small pool for swimming laps or cooling off. Tanning shelf in the water for staying cool.
Photo of a small transitional backyard rectangular lap pool in Dallas with a water feature and concrete pavers.

Design ideas for a small transitional backyard kidney-shaped aboveground pool in Orange County with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard custom-shaped aboveground pool in Orange County with a water feature and concrete slab.

Photo of a small modern backyard rectangular infinity pool in Adelaide with a water feature and decking.

Mid-sized transitional backyard custom-shaped pool in San Francisco with a water feature and tile.

This was my favorite aspect of the redesign. We took several negatives and turned them into incredible, showcase features. For example, the current basement has 8 foot high ceilings and is used primarily for storage. Our plan lowers it 4 feet, allowing for an enormous car and art gallery. The walls of the pool are acrylic letting in light and turning this area into a coveted place to entertain. The reflecting pool is approximately 150 feet long and invites people from the house into the yard to enjoy the gardens and the views. There are several unusable acres of hillside. Our plan calls for those to be planted with wine producing grapes with a wine cellar and caves built into the hillside.

This is an example of an expansive traditional backyard rectangular lap pool in Boston with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern backyard custom-shaped aboveground pool in Detroit with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Sacramento River waterfront property. Freestanding pool wall with stone veneer. Dedicated planting spaces and area lighting. LED lit bubbling water features at the "Sun shelf" area in the pool.

Built By Aqua-Link Pools and Spas. Designed By David Pedersen Engineered by Watershape Consulting
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard aboveground pool in Orange County with a water feature and tile.

Photo of a backyard rectangular lap pool in San Diego with a water feature and concrete slab.

This project, completed for a client in Sugar Land, Texas, was authorized by the homeowner and the architect and was done in conjunction with the efforts of the builder. Its minimalist approach to vegetation, its custom swimming pool design, and its unique hardscapes offer the reader an excellent example of contemporary landscape design. There were a lot of challenges to designing a pool that worked with the architecture of the home and fit the available space in the back yard. To understand the unique nature of the pool, we have to take a closer look at the home. The house features a number of curved facades and unique angles. Instead of a traditional back porch, it features a custom stonework patio and an outdoor kitchen. The pool is elevated above the shrub palette to make it level with the floor of the house. This compensates for the drop in elevation on the way to a lake that is located just beyond the property line. The back patio is made from sandstone laid over a concrete base. It double functions as a deck and as a floor of the summer kitchen that leads straight to the water’s edge. Such a fusion of human architecture with natural elements is common in contemporary landscape design. It is further reinforced by custom water jets built along the patio’s edge using a special construction technique. Our design team predetermined the location of each stone. Intersections of the stones were marked, and the pipes which eventually fed the jets were installed before setting the stone in place. This creates the very powerful illusion that the water is springing from the stone itself. It is perhaps the most effective method of extending the geometry of manmade forms into the natural world beyond as if to establish the supremacy of mind over the raw elements of nature. To continue the home’s architecture, we had to build the pool in a rectilinear shape with a decidedly curved edge that reflected the unique facades of the home. This enables the pool to better connect with the landscape as it gently arcs through the vegetation. This works to establish the preeminence of home architecture over the entire yard. This is a common and very powerful theme found in most contemporary landscape designs. Guests standing on the back patio get the sense that the design of the home itself has been extended infinitely into the yard—making it appear as though it is an actual part of the home. The top of the coping slopes down to the water at a 45 degree angle, creating a marked aesthetic that mirrors the grade of the yard that slopes toward the lake in the distance. This is an example of curved facades and walkway surfaces. The upper story and windows overhang the front wall and the contemporary style front door. We accented the scene with a small birch tree and low growth boxwood shrubs, dwarf yaupon, agapanthus, and nandina. We also planted Bermuda grass, which looks very good cut very short and retains its color. Bermuda grass is often used in contemporary landscape design to line stone walkways and to contemplate small shrubs.

Traditional rectangular pool in Dallas with natural stone pavers and a water feature.