The Little But Mighty Pool

The challenges of a second story deck renovation didn't give us the option to build a large pool at an affordable price.  We didn't want the expensive of constructing new footings (over 20 feet high on sloped terrain) to hold up a massive pool.  We minimized the expense by working with the existing walls and structure of the lower story, building only a couple of new footings just a few feet off the ground.  The results are what we affectionately refer to as the "little but mighty" pool.  It's small in size (approximately 12' x 7') but with big, bold details and packed full of features it creates quite an impression.

I chose to tile the entire pool.  All 425 square feet of it!  I used recycled Italian glass tiles in a mosaic of dark blue tones which give the water a deep blue hue, creating a beautiful contrast against the crystal clear blue Caribbean in the background.  The spartan gray safety railing surrounding the pool was painted so that it disappeared into the landscape.

A built in bench at the deeper, 6-foot end of the pool is the perfect spot to soak in the sun or watch the sunset.  

A custom safety railing made out of a seamless piece of tempered glass stands 18" in height along the pool's edge, ensuring unobstructed views.

The stone mason created a freeform waterfall built into a stone privacy wall. The water feature not only creates a fun oasis, but also buffers ambient noise at the flip of a switch.

The pool follows the natural angles of the house.  As a result it is not perfectly rectangular in shape, making the shallower end of the pool wider then the deeper end.  I took advantage of this and tucked the steps into the widest corner, maximizing valued swim space.  I also made the deepest step smaller then the others to save on space.  That's because at 4 feet the shallow end of the pool is deeper then most pools, requiring more entry steps then usual (five in total).  An extra wide second step landing creates the prefect place to sit and enjoy the waterfall in the shade.  It all seems simple now but it took me weeks and a couple of do-overs to design these steps! 

The pool is saline and is powered by a solar pool pump.  A saline pool cuts back on chemicals and the solar pump is not only a green, eco-friendly alternative but also saves a bundle on electricity.

Little space, big impact!
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