Request for proposal (RFP)
Outdoor Living Room

Outdoor Living Room

This project was a major remodel of a pool and pavilion, complete with a warm covered outdoor living room.

There were actually two pools here – the one you see and the shattered one that was crushed by expansive soils and used as the form for the visible pool. Yes, it’s a pool within a pool.

Outdoor living as seen from the new outdoor kitchen. The house is to the left. The pool pavilion is "across the pond" - a destination that feels like you've actually left the house and traveled to a resort.
Outdoor living as seen from the new outdoor kitchen. The house is to the left. The pool pavilion is "across the pond" - a destination that feels like you've actually left the house and traveled to a resort.

This small valley in Olivenhain California had a couple of other famously cracked pools within its highly expansive soils. It was the primary reason that we actually eliminated the in-floor cleaning system and broken single main drain instead of splitting it into a safe pair – I just didn’t want the risk of one small leak wreaking havoc on the structure.

Outdoor Living

This former patio was enclosed with new walls, custom doors, a solid roof, and new stone flooring leaving only one side open to the pool and yard. The glass doors at the right side connect to an indoor pool room with a billiards table.
This former patio was enclosed with new walls, custom doors, a solid roof, and new stone flooring leaving only one side open to the pool and yard. The glass doors at the right side connect to an indoor pool room with a billiards table.
The custom door at the rear wall is matched symmetrically with one on the right. Both open up the space for fresh air to an open space behind the pavilion where a small sports court exists. Many details included wrought iron as a rustic theme to the remodel.
The custom door at the rear wall is matched symmetrically with one on the right. Both open up the space for fresh air to an open space behind the pavilion where a small sports court exists. Many details included wrought iron as a rustic theme to the remodel.
The columns, wrought iron and wall below the wrought iron were original. We added the trellis and built out the waterfeature and spillways to provide white noise against the sidestreet beyond. The bamboo screen became temporarily necessary when an unexpected freeze killed the shrubs on the other side of the wall.
The columns, wrought iron and wall below the wrought iron were original. We added the trellis and built out the waterfeature and spillways to provide white noise against the sidestreet beyond. The bamboo screen became temporarily necessary when an unexpected freeze killed the shrubs on the other side of the wall.
The covered section beyond is the new outdoor kitchen with a large bar and firetable.
The covered section beyond is the new outdoor kitchen with a large bar and firetable.
Polished and sealed concrete countertops, complete with cracks and uneven color, continued the rustic look of the large U-shaped outdoor kitchen.
Polished and sealed concrete countertops, complete with cracks and uneven color, continued the rustic look of the large U-shaped outdoor kitchen.
New La Cantina doors and a feat of structural engineering allowed us to open up large walls to connect the indoor living space to the backyard, blurring any barriers.
New La Cantina doors and a feat of structural engineering allowed us to open up large walls to connect the indoor living space to the backyard, blurring any barriers.

Opposite the indoor pool room was a small building that was a shed, workshop and pool equipment room. It was cleared out and remodeled into a guest bedroom and bathroom with certain finish details matching the new outdoor theme.

The original spa was a mess after the pool-in-a-pool concept left the jets poorly functioning and at silly elevations. We raised it about a foot and added seventeen 1" Tishways - named after my friend David Tisherman. The glass tile was made by Walker Zanger.
The original spa was a mess after the pool-in-a-pool concept left the jets poorly functioning and at silly elevations. We raised it about a foot and added seventeen 1" Tishways - named after my friend David Tisherman. The glass tile was made by Walker Zanger.

Before

This single image shows the original patio, pool with raised red cast-in-place coping, and the original wrought iron fence and columns beyond (see the waterfeature image above).
This single image shows the original patio, pool with raised red cast-in-place coping, and the original wrought iron fence and columns beyond (see the waterfeature image above).

Team

Design, engineering and construction: Watershape Consulting Inc.

Event Pools
Watershape University (WU)
International Watershape Institute (IWI)
WaterShapes Magazine