More homeowners are building
resort-style pools with sunken living rooms and platforms surrounded
with water; take a dip without getting wet
New designs mimic sprawling resort-style pools with “islands” that are accessible via bridges and footpaths. Plush seating, dining tables, fire pits and sunbathing platforms are serenely surrounded by water.
“In some cases we’re designing pools where people don’t even swim in them,” says Kurt Kraisinger, founder of Lorax Design Group, a landscape architecture firm in Overland Park, Kan. “It’s more about engaging with the pool itself.”
Sunken living rooms with fire pits are a popular feature because homeowners can be at eye level with the water. Others are opting for large platforms in the middle of the pool with enough space for al fresco dining. “It’s a fun feature that becomes a destination” within the home, says Ryan Hughes, a Tampa-based outdoor living designer.
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PHOTO: NIGEL LORD Homeowners are interested in creating pool islands to get a “feel of multiple rooms in the backyard,” says Rick Chafey, a Mesa, Ariz.-based pool designer. Mr. Chafey recently built a deck that’s attached on one side and extends out over pool, so people can swim underneath. When designing larger pools, the goal is to encourage multiple gathering areas “by creating islands” that can make the area feel more spread out, he says. Increasingly that means freeform pool edges or lazy river type shapes rather than a paired down rectangular shape, says Mr. Chafey.
Others are using the island-type pool amenities to better integrate the pool’s design with that of the home. Last year, Michael Nantz, a Dallas-based pool and landscape designer, created a two-story island that’s connected by a walking path to the outdoor terrace in a Jamaica vacation home. The upstairs level is surrounded by glass, so visitors get a glimpse of both the pool and the ocean, he says. The two-story island is seen from throughout the home and “brings the pool more inline with the [overall] architecture,” he says.
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Be prepared to pay for the amenity. A sunken living room feature can be especially costly to install and maintain because there are electrical hazards if high-voltage power is too close to the water’s edge. Others are prone to flooding and require drainage pump systems along with additional waterproofing. Built-in lighting is essential because there’s no way to hang lights overhead. Costs for installing areas in the pool start at about $25,000 for a simple platform, Mr. Hughes estimates.
PHOTO: SIMON BERLYN In 2016 U.S. homeowners spent $2.7 billion on in-ground pools, up from $1.8 billion in 2011, according to market research firm Pkdata.
The effort can pay off. Pools with opulent island-style entertaining areas are increasingly a deciding factor for buyers, says Rayni Williams, Los Angeles-based real-estate agent. In Los Angeles, homes above $20 million can get a $5 million to $10 million premium based on the pool and lounging areas that speak to the “California lifestyle,” says Ms. Williams. Buyers prefer pool areas that are easily visible from the main indoor living areas rather than on a lower level or hidden from view. The “money shot” view of a resort-like pool from the home’s entryway can sell a home instantly, says Ms. Williams.
Earlier this year, Ms. Williams sold a luxury property with a 12,000-pound rock with a fire pit center that was placed in the water and allowed for additional seating inside the pool. Some Midcentury Modern homes often have booths within the pool for entertaining, she adds. Homes with sunken living areas and fire features can create buzz around the property; a “famous” pool draws in luxury buyers, she says.
“Even if you use that pool once a year, [an elaborate pool] gives you a feeling that you’re going to enjoy your life,” she says. Source.
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