Five homes, five pool challenges—and five successful lifestyle additions.

Tonto Verde Views
At the Tonto Verde golf community northeast of Scottsdale, this project comprised the backyard, side and front water features and a fire pit as well as the landscaping and lighting. The pool and spa neatly form a rectangle, with one side designated for laps. The client didn’t want to sacrifice any McDowell Mountains views and the openness of the Sonoran Desert, so cozy areas for entertaining and conversation were created. Custom Sicis glass tile is used on the spa and the water line of the pool, whose interior is French gray. Travertine coping and decking create a luxury finish, and the copper spillways add splash and panache.

DESIGN TEAM  
Pool Designers and Builders: Hydroscapes, Scottsdale (Roger Soares II and Sheri Soares)

Camelback Mountain Remodel
To update their clients’ pool and add a spa, Hydroscapes retained the shape of the one and demoed out a corner for the spa. The company added travertine decking and coping, a copper pot/spill way and porcelain mosaic tile for the water line and front of the spa and incorporated a fire pit into a low brick retaining wall. The beautiful water feature wall is mixed travertine mosaic. When the pavers under the patio were removed, the crew discovered that the columns supporting the patio roof had no support. Pump jacks were placed until footings, wood timbers and bracings could be created and installed.

WORD TO THE WISE
“Rebuilding an existing pool? Be prepared for unexpected challenges: Oftentimes, remodels require procedures not encountered with new builds.”—Sheri Soares

Flourish in Fountain Hills
The pool shell was built first because once the hillside home was completed, access was not possible; the saltwater pool was then completed near the end of the home’s construction. Hydroscapes’ clients wanted elements to match the Old World style of the home, so urn water features were added. These also allow the homeowners to see and hear splashing from the second level of the house, as the pool is on the lower level of the tiered home. Although Saltillo tile was chosen for the decking, the material does not hold up well around pool water, especially saltwater. Instead, a more durable concrete tile was colored to match it.

WORD TO THE WISE
“Water features provide visual delight as well as music, which can also cover unwanted ambient noises.” —Roger Soares II

Sedona Serenity
A large water drainage culvert ran through the sloping backyard, requiring large piping to divert water around the pool as well as retaining walls behind the pool near the fire pit. Hydroscapes used the vanishing edge of the pool and retaining wall to build up this area. The deck is travertine while pool and spa interiors are a custom-blended Sicis glass tile to create the clients’ desired water color. Floating walk pads lead from the deck and front of the pool to the spa in the rear.

Up Front in Paradise Valley
For a home abutting the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, a new pool was designed and built in the front, matching the rectilinear design of the home as well as its colors and its existing plantings. The 70-foot-long vanishing-edge pool incorporates tile that blends in with the neighborhood flora. A revitalized sideyard with a fire pit gives the owners a courtyardlike entertaining area. With new water features, like the soothing scuppers, the pool speaks eloquently without overpowering the streetscape and preserve environment.

WORD TO THE WISE
“Think outside the backyard when thinking about a pool: What’s the best place on your site, even if it’s in an unexpected place or unique configuration?” —R.S.