Swimming Pool Designs & Placement- Where Oh Where

Swimming pool placement is one of the first things a homeowner things about when decided to add a swimming pool to their landscape.

I visited a prospective client the other day who wanted a swimming pool design. Since I live in Virginia, there are many "off the beaten path" home locations, and this was certainly one. After venturing out on my way to his home (with my GPS system!), I drove through rolling hills and mountains, with farmhouses dotted through the landscape.

I turned into a subdivision. Now, in New Jersey they are called developments, but in Virginia they are called subdivisions. At any rate, there were just a few houses there. I went to the end of the cul-de-sac, and there was a very subtle entrance to a driveway. Well, I entered here, drove along the twists and turns through the woods for about a quarter of a mile, and all of a sudden the house appeared.

The house was set with land sloping away. They did have a fair amount of lawn in the backyard. Adjacent to the lawn was woods.

And beyond?

The River.

Did I mention the views?

You could see the river in the distance. It was a filtered view through the woods, and of course the trees at this time have no leaves.

The agreed upon concept was to place the pool just inside the woods. The lawn area was not an option since the septic field was there. The pool shall be very naturalistic in form to blend in with the beautiful naturalistic surroundings. Some trees will have to be cleared, but I feel comfortable with this as they are either small or unhealthy. There is one large tree that will be removed, but only one amongst tons and tons. Pool landscape designs even if in the woods need plantings and in this environment they should be kept natural...perhaps even natives. I might consider extending the lawn also.

So here we have a lovely natural landscape with a view to the river from both the ground and the house. Landscape designs for pools can either produce a ho hum design or a spectacular one.

I am going for spectacular!

This is the perfect setting for a vanishing or disappearing edge as part of the swimming pool design. I suggested this, and the Clients were intrigued.
In case you are unfamiliar with this, a vanishing edge is where water flows over a section of the pool and seems to "disappear". The water, however, actually falls into a well-constructed basin. The trick is to set the pool in the correct location and at the right elevations so that the basin is not visible from your main viewpoints and especially the house....tricky since the house is very tall.

Location, location, location.