What the clients had was a lap pool with no spa, concrete heaving above the pool and poor grading on the site in general, with steps and trees blocking the flow of traffic through the yard. Still, they wanted what everyone wants behind their home — something beautiful and engaging, a place where they could feel at ease for hours on end.
Enter designer Scott Cohen and the crew from The Green Scene, Northridge, Calif. The old pool was broken up and removed in short order, and Cohen’s vision for a new and expansive outdoor entertainment venue, taking advantage of the views with added outdoor rooms for cooking, bar service, dining, relaxing and entertaining, took shape.
A large, fan-shaped vanishing-edge swimming pool with a swim-up bar is the center of attention. Adjacent to the pool, offering shelter and a link to the home, is a solid-roof pavilion with a recessed dining patio, an outdoor kitchen and a living room with a fireplace.
The swim-up bar, adjacent to the dining room, was constructed of cast concrete and “earth mix” crushed recycled glass. A perimeter-overflow- illusion spa has a built-in cocktail table and beautifully reflects lights and fire effects at night.
A substantial fireplace anchors the outdoor living room, and dual fire bowls combine with water to spill over into the pool. The conversation area with built-in seating surrounds a fire pit and faces the evening views. Color-changing LED underwater lighting in the swimming pool complements the magical California sunset.
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The Green Scene
Northridge, Calif. www.greenscenelandscape.com Category: Concrete pool or pool/spa combo
