Creating a
poolside paradise
in your own
back yard
by Mary Ann Cole
photography by Vernon Wentz
Everyone dreams of living in paradise. We leave our winter vacations wistfully and sit at our office desks thinking of the shady grottos, sun-drenched decks and cascading water we’ve left behind.
Paradise lost? Maybe not. Instead of spending all summer trying to keep the grass in your back yard from turning brown, maybe it’s time to replace it with your own bit of paradise in the form of a pool. Not the pool of your childhood — but the pool of your dreams.
Many South Texas homeowners build pools in the fall and winter, when memories of sizzling summer are still fresh. And today’s homeowners want it all — not just a square of water with a cement border, but a real outdoor living environment that both blends with the Texas landscape and has all the fantasy features of bringing the Bellagio home. But before you jump into the deep end, it’s important to get your feet wet with thorough planning and preparation. Here are some important things to keep in mind before you take the plunge!
Choose your builder carefully. Talk to those listed as references, visit pools the company has built, and check into how long they’ve been in the business. Real state-of-the-art pools require real state-of-the-art builders.
Be prepared for the construction process: we’re talking backhoes and possibly hydraulic ramhoes, people traipsing around your back yard for weeks, plumb-ers, rebars and concrete — all this before it ever starts to look like anything you’d imagined. And don’t plan a pool party for the day after the pool is supposed to be finished: Weather and equipment issues can easily make these projects run past deadline, even with the best builders.
Think about the whole environment, not just the pool. Pools these days are resorts for complete outdoor living environments. They include water features, hot tubs, pool houses, landscaping, lighting, sound systems, windsails for shade, arbors, video systems, shade features, spray misters, fire pits, complete outdoor kitchens and deck furniture. “I think what’s important is the way you integrate the summer kitchen with the house and the pool and the landscaping,” says Keith Zars of Keith Zars Pools. “It’s more the whole feel of the back yard and how it’s all brought together into a
single package.”
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