Our Good Looking 4x8 Creme Fraiche set against the blue of the pool and the Gorgeous Valley. While ARTO products are made in Los Angeles County, California, we are happy to ship our product worldwide! We work onsite with concrete, terra-cotta and ceramic. We build brick, tile and architectural elements for residential and commercial environments. We pride ourselves on providing perfectly imperfect product that gives a feel of rustic elegance.

Pool Renovations

NMB Custom Homes & Renovations

Traditional roman style pool and spa nestled in a private courtyard with incredibly lush landscaping.
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean courtyard rectangular natural pool in Miami with concrete pavers and a hot tub.

Chicago, IL Swimming Pool, Hot Tub and Water Feature

Platinum Poolcare

Request Free Quote This Urban Naturescape illustrates what can be done in a limited City of Chicago space. The swimming pool measures 9'0" x 31'0" and the hot tub meaures 8'0" x 9'0". The water feature has a 15'6" x 6'0" footprint, and raises 10'0" in the air to provide a beautiful and mellifluous cascase of water. Limestone copings and Natural stone decking along with beautiful stone fascia and wood pergola bring the entire project into focus. Linda Oyama Bryan

Traditional Pool

Design ideas for a traditional courtyard pool in Dallas.

Island Estates Beach House

Dream Coast Builders

Photos by Jon Cancelino Photography
This is an example of a beach style courtyard rectangular pool in Tampa with a hot tub and tile.

Osborn Exterior

Luxe Design Group

Large mediterranean courtyard rectangular lap pool in Phoenix with a water feature and tile.

Audubon Place B

EcoRegions

Fotosold
This is an example of a small mediterranean courtyard pool in New Orleans with concrete pavers.

Athens Backyard Pool

Southern Splash Pools Inc

Design ideas for a large transitional courtyard custom-shaped natural pool in Atlanta with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Rosemary Beach

Alan D. Holt, A.S.L.A., Landscape Architect

The stunning white walls of this Rosemary Beach house contrast with the Mediterranean Blue tiles of the pool. The five scuppers pour a stream of sound into the small pool courtyard, providing an oasis in this busy neighborhood. The compact, native landscape provides year-round color and interest. Photographed by: Alan D. Holt

Soper Place, Ottawa

Hobin Architecture Incorporated

This addition replaced a 2-car garage and pool house with a lavish spa, guest house and 4-car garage, accompanied by a new landscaped terrace with pool, hot tub and outdoor dining area. A covered walk-way was replaced with a fully enclosed glass link that provides year-round access between the addition and main house, and provides a secondary entrance to the home. The ground floor of the addition has the feel of a Scandinavian spa, featuring fitness equipment, massage room, steam room and a versatile gathering room with amenities for food preparation and indoor lounging. With the patio doors open, the west facing rooms each expand onto the pool terrace. Award: 2012 GOHBA Award of Excellence: Renovation/Addition Over $500,000 Completed in 2012 / 4,800 sq.ft (addition only) Photos by www.doublespacephoto.com

Livingston Woods Residence

CGU Homes

Design ideas for a courtyard custom-shaped pool in Other with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Gallery House

Craig Steere Architects

A ribbed structure provides wonderful shadow play to the lap pool which hugs the rear lounge. The ribs act as a device to allow light through, while obscuring the views in from the neighbouring properties. Photo by Jack Lovel

Orchid Lane Residence

Bernbaum-Magadini Architects

Inspiration for a contemporary courtyard rectangular lap pool in Dallas with concrete slab.

Gulf-Front Grandeur

E. F. San Juan

Gulf-Front Grandeur Private Residence / Alys Beach, Florida Architect: Khoury & Vogt Architects Builder: Hufham Farris Construction --- This one-of-a-kind Gulf-front residence in the New Urbanism community of Alys Beach, Florida, is truly a stunning piece of architecture matched only by its views. E. F. San Juan worked with the Alys Beach Town Planners at Khoury & Vogt Architects and the building team at Hufham Farris Construction on this challenging and fulfilling project. We supplied character white oak interior boxed beams and stair parts. We also furnished all of the interior trim and paneling. The exterior products we created include ipe shutters, gates, fascia and soffit, handrails, and newels (balcony), ceilings, and wall paneling, as well as custom columns and arched cased openings on the balconies. In addition, we worked with our trusted partners at Loewen to provide windows and Loewen LiftSlide doors. Challenges: This was the homeowners’ third residence in the area for which we supplied products, and it was indeed a unique challenge. The client wanted as much of the exterior as possible to be weathered wood. This included the shutters, gates, fascia, soffit, handrails, balcony newels, massive columns, and arched openings mentioned above. The home’s Gulf-front location makes rot and weather damage genuine threats. Knowing that this home was to be built to last through the ages, we needed to select a wood species that was up for the task. It needed to not only look beautiful but also stand up to those elements over time. Solution: The E. F. San Juan team and the talented architects at KVA settled upon ipe (pronounced “eepay”) for this project. It is one of the only woods that will sink when placed in water (you would not want to make a boat out of ipe!). This species is also commonly known as ironwood because it is so dense, making it virtually rot-resistant, and therefore an excellent choice for the substantial pieces of millwork needed for this project. However, ipe comes with its own challenges; its weight and density make it difficult to put through machines and glue. These factors also come into play for hinging when using ipe for a gate or door, which we did here. We used innovative joining methods to ensure that the gates and shutters had secondary and tertiary means of support with regard to the joinery. We believe the results speak for themselves! --- Photography by Layne Lillie, courtesy of Khoury & Vogt Architects

Modern Luxury in Alys Beach, FL

E. F. San Juan

This project called for a very modern interior with minimal visible wooden millwork, save for a few focal points such as the spectacular interior doors built by E. F. San Juan. We also supplied Loewen windows and exterior doors and custom E. F. San Juan Invincia™ impact-rated wooden entry door systems. Challenges: The interior doors were the greatest design challenge of this project. Interior designer Cindy Meador and the homeowners envisioned very modern, flush, European-style doors made of rich walnut with veneers for the bedrooms and bathrooms. The original design called for a brass inlay border to separate the horizontal panel veneers from the stiles and rails of the door; however, after some discussion, it became clear that this would not create the most stable construction to stand the test of time and use. Solution: We worked with the team to determine that a white maple inlay would create the desired contrast and enhance the all-wood simplicity of the door design. The most challenging part of building these doors was the time-consuming process of laminating the veneers and incorporating the maple inlay. As you can see from the photos, the entries become art displays along with the other beautiful art pieces that Cindy and the owners have incorporated into the home’s interior design. The Loewen windows and exterior doors are sleek and fit well with the home’s modern feel. These windows and doors, along with the sizable Invincia® main entry door built by our team, are made to impact-rated standards that will fortify the home and its occupants against the Gulf Coast elements. The completed home is a masterpiece by architect Tom Christ, interior designer Cindy Meador, and the Davis Dunn Construction team. The team here at E. F. San Juan was honored to be a part of it and we are proud of our artistic contribution. The residence has been featured in national publications such as VIE magazine as well as the Alys Gazette. Photography by Chris Luker

Rénovation complète

Aras Concept

Photo of a mid-sized modern courtyard rectangular lap pool in Other with natural stone pavers.

Small hidden gem close to Uzès

Laetitia Jourdan Photography

Watson House - Pool and Spa

Matthew Fowler, Architect

A day view of the swimming pool and spa, carved out of a former quarry. Cascading fountains line the left side of the pool and an expansive coral paved seating and lounge area are on the right side of the pool. Lush tropical landscaping surrounds the pool area and provides privacy and shade.

Our Work

Emerald Masonry Corp.

Inspiration for a large traditional courtyard custom-shaped lap pool in Other with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Homeowner Projects

Olsen Pavingstone, Inc.

Infinity Plank Timber Top Limestone running the length of this back yard with a fireplace, Jacuzzi, pool, BBQ and outdoor eating, and two patio areas
This is an example of an expansive beach style courtyard rectangular natural pool in Orange County with a hot tub and concrete pavers.

Courtyard Pool Design Ideas

Swimming pools are heavenly during hot Australian and New Zealand summers and are the perfect way to cool down, relax, entertain friends and even get fit. A pool can also create visual interest, especially when you consider features like coloured pool tiles, lighting and landscaping. If you are short on space, you might still fit a lap pool, plunge pool or swim spa, all of which could be focal points in your small garden. As you plan your pool design, map out your space and determine what size, shape and style works best for you. Browse the photos on Houzz for design ideas for above ground pools, inground pools, as well as pool landscaping and novelty features like pool slides or water features. Then, save your favourite photos to an ideabook, and get in touch with the experts behind your favourite picks.

What type of pool should I install?

The dimensions of your backyard will determine the type of inground pools you can install. Take into account boundary restrictions and pool fencing compliance. Fibreglass versions are cheaper, and quicker to install; whereas concrete constructions are better suited to tricky sites and give you more freedom in design. If you’re on a tight budget or don’t want to commit to an inground pool, above ground pools are a more affordable alternative. If you only have a small backyard, a plunge pool is a great solution, and can easily run along a boundary wall or down the side of a house. This option is also low maintenance, can be heated for use in winter, and can do double duty as a swim spa. A long, narrow space, on the other hand, could fit a lap pool, whereas a water feature could fill an awkward space. If your backyard features a stunning vista, consider an infinity pool to accentuate the view.

What pool fencing options are available?

While the specifics vary from state to state, fencing is required of most pool designs. However, pool fencing doesn’t have to obscure your pool design. Glass fencing is increasingly popular for this reason exactly, and is available framed, frameless, semi-frameless and even in-ground. A cheaper alternative is aluminium or steel fencing, which, again, are available in a variety of styles: flat top, loop-top, double-top and wire-based.

What pool landscaping features should I consider?

To get the most out of your pool, design an area that offers multiple hangouts. Include a nearby barbecue, dining area, seating for lounging and outdoor shower. Having shaded areas will give you more reason to stay poolside longer, too. Timber decking and stone paving are popular choices for pool surrounds, and are also helpful in creating zones. Just imagine a raised timber platform with a daybed – a luxurious, resort-style addition to any pool design. Leafy trees and rocks will create a more natural-looking oasis, and will help provide more privacy for swimmers. Where you want your landscape to be the main focus, keep pool equipment and furnishings to a minimum.