Table of contents for No. 51 in Poolside

The owners of this property used a home building company to design and obtain the building approvals for the residence. During this process, the owners were advised it would be economical to excavate and pour a concrete shell for the swimming pool while there was still access available prior to the home being built. This meant the owners needed a separate approval for the pool in a hurry! “We were engaged by the owners of this property to help them through this process as they were time-poor and their main focus was on the design of the home itself and the selection of all appliances and finishes,” says John Storch, principal designer of A Total Concept Landscape Architects and Swimming Pool Designers. A Total Concept designed then managed the integrated…

Encompassing a pool and an adjacent entertaining area and overlooking the lush valley surrounds, Warrandyte is a retreat like no other. Its owner approached Minke Avant-Garde wanting a pool, but was unsure how to integrate it into the challenging bush landscape. Due to a significant fall in height from the rear of the home to the ground, John Negri, co-owner of Minke Avant-Garde, immediately recognised the entertaining area that the homeowner was after would be completely disjointed from the home. Or would it? “After working with the client to really understand how he planned to use the space, we conceptualised an elevated pool that would work as an extension of the home while making the most of the surrounding native environment,” says John. The pool is level with the ground…

Most pool builders would agree that a homeowner who knows exactly what they want for their new pool makes the building process a lot easier. Case in point is this young family, who had a very clear idea of what they were after: a Hamptons-style rectangular design with areas for both parents and children. It also had to be a focal point, seen from almost all areas of the house. For Josh Schwal, owner of Southern Cross Pools, the highlight of the project is definitely the pool’s ceramic tiles. “This is a great result overall but the tiles are different and created a lot of interest throughout the build,” says Josh. This was the last build of the year for Southern Cross Pools, which worked to a Christmas deadline and…

Built by Kiama Landscaping & Pools, this fully tiled rectangular pool and spa with outset beach area is the perfect design to complement the spectacular beach house on a high-set sloping block at Blairgowrie, a seaside village on the Mornington Peninsula. The owners requested a pool their whole family could enjoy when escaping the hustle and bustle of the city at their holiday house. Their coastal property’s T-shape design was constructed in an elevated position to take advantage of the enviable ocean views, and this central location provides a beautiful outlook from both inside and outside the house. The beach area is not only a great place to sit and relax; it also allows easy entry into the pool while the heated spa ensures year-round enjoyment. Full automation of heating…

Drawing inspiration from their travels through Thailand and the Maldives, the owners of this Keysborough property wanted to bring a relaxing, resort-style feel to their backyard. “We loved the feeling the tropical surroundings gave us and we wanted to reflect that as closely as possible,” says homeowner Tom. Tom and Loredana have two young sons, a seven-week-old and a 20-month-old, and were looking for a pool their children could use through different stages of their lives. Big entertainers, they also wanted an area they could enjoy with family and friends that wouldn’t take up too much of their small backyard. Tom and Loredana chose a rectangle Endless Spas and Pools Sabre plunge pool measuring 4.3m x 2.3m x 1.2m. “We liked the simplicity of its shape and we worked out…

As time marches on, a family’s needs change, as this property shows. These Brighton clients had an existing pool and garden that were starting to show their age and no longer allowed the clients to fully enjoy their outdoor space. Franklin Landscape and Design aimed to create an outdoor area that was more functional and would also enable the family’s young child to play outside on the lawn. Included in this was the renovation of the existing pool to allow a seamless transition between the outdoor entertaining area (which incorporates a custom-built barbecue, bar and outdoor fireplace), the pool and the expanse of lawn and play area. The highlight of the backyard is the new contemporary-style, 8.25m-long rectangular pool with a polished concrete L-shaped daybed cantilevered over one end of…

Applied by a professional team to the glass fencing around this pool, EnduroShield helps maintain the striking views of the pool and ocean beyond. Glass surfaces in the interior and exterior of the home have also been treated. Untreated glass is porous and absorbs contaminants, which can lead to permanent etching and discolouration. Glass near the ocean is particularly susceptible to sea spray, which quickly builds up on untreated glass and becomes difficult to remove. The EnduroShield protective coating bonds to the glass surface and shields the glass from staining and etching, enhancing the durability of the glass and minimising costly maintenance. Harsh chemicals to clean the glass are no longer needed, meaning fewer toxic chemicals draining into our beautiful waterways. And less cleaning means water is conserved, which all…

The perfect pool surrounds require almost perfect chemistry. It’s about having a beautiful look, a soft feel underfoot and a safe surface that remains slipresistant when wet. The most suitable surfaces include softer, natural stones, concrete or terracotta paving and brick, but these are also the most porous, readily absorbing liquids that can stain or damage the paving. Food and beverages are the obvious enemies. When oils are absorbed into the paving, the marks can be hard to clean, sometimes becoming permanent. Water can be an even more serious problem. Rainwater and groundwater are full of dissolved minerals that can mark, clog and even break up a porous surface. Water from saltwater pools can be especially damaging, causing salt efflorescence and rapid deterioration of softer materials if not properly treated.…

CHOOSING YOUR POOL INTERIOR HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER For more than 20 years, Quartzon has been dazzling and delighting pool owners. To celebrate the company’s enduring success and reputation for creating gorgeous pools, it has launched a brand-new online experience that will change the way you look at pool colours. Through the new Quartzon website you can view how their seven shimmering colours look under and out of water and learn how their unique StarFleck additive makes pools sparkle even in the moonlight. Quartzon is suitable for new pools as well as to rejuvenate existing pools with a fresh look. Visit the new quartzon.com.au website today to discover the amazing possibilities for creating your next beautiful pool. A SELF-CLEANING POOL A new generation of self-cleaning pools is making life easy…

SHAPE MATTERS Tiles come in and endless array of shapes and sizes, and with a contrasting grout they can really impact the look of a space. When it comes to outdoor floor tiling, most people choose a rectangle or square shape. “Rectangular tiles are by far the most commonly used tile at the moment,” says Carlos Silva of Elegance Tiles. “This is because of their versatility in making the area appear larger without actually using a large tile, which can be more expensive and sometimes harder to lay.” With a rectangular tile, there are also many more options for laying patterns than with a square or other geometric shape. Stacked, brick bond, staggered and herringbone are all popular patterns that are possible with a rectangular tile. A rectangular tile can…

With its beautiful rural setting — a sloping block on the Mornington Peninsula — this contemporary pool blends perfectly into the scenic landscape and provides an enviable country view that’s almost impossible to beat. Amazingly, it’s little more than an hour from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne’s CBD, in Red Hill, a compact micro region of sumptuous vineyards, restaurants, food stores, artisan producers and orchards, and the site of this family’s modern new home. The perfect placement of the pool suits the beautiful location and indoor/outdoor living. “Piers were required to suspend the pool above the ground on the sloping rural block,” explains Chris Jackson, managing director of Aquarius Pools. “You can look out from the house and deck to the pool and beyond to the rolling green pastures.”…

For most house and pool builds, the pool is completed after the house is constructed, but here in Sydney’s south, that wasn’t the case. These homeowners building in a prime waterside suburb envisaged their property boasting a luxurious pool that would be both stylish and a perfect fit with their new architecturally designed house. However, the 9.7m-long pool was constructed prior to the dwelling and its location was very specific due to the proposed position of the house against the pool. Surrounded by travertine paving, and with its interior tiled in a stunning combination of two Ezarri glass tile designs, the geometric pool adjoins the dwelling and its position takes into consideration the main sewer that runs diagonally across the yard. “It was extremely important to ensure the pool’s position…

This space was designed and built to provide the privacy, entertainment area and functionality the homeowners desperately required of their inner-city Enmore residence. The result of a clever design by GOODMANORS Pool + Garden, the space now boasts an impressive alfresco area, outdoor lighting and a sleek and unexpected plunge pool. The well-executed outdoor zone not only offers room for wining, dining and swimming, but also provides the practicality of hidden built-in storage for the pool equipment, dryer and bins, plus a secure parking space for the resident’s car. To maximise the tight space, it was decided the pool would sit right on the boundary, with the rendered blockwork rising out of the pool as the boundary barrier. High-level consideration at the design stage, and complexity in construction technique, ensured…

This Adelaide family with four children love the beach and water play, swimming, surfing and boating, so naturally the inclusion of a pool in their backyard was a top priority. They requested a functional pool the whole family could enjoy, with plenty of seating and areas to relax. “This is a great family pool, with swim jets for the kids and a spill-over spa for the whole family,” says pool builder Michael Robinson, owner of 360 Pools. The position of the 10m-long pool and spa was carefully considered by Michael and the homeowners. “We looked at where the new build would be and designed the pool so that the spa wasn’t next to the house,” explains Michael. “This means that when the kids are in the spa they can be…

Modular or above-ground pools offer a more affordable and convenient alternative to their concrete and fibreglass counterparts. Sterns Pools is dedicated to providing Australian pool owners with high-quality modular pools that won’t break the bank yet still make a stunning visual statement in even the most discerning landscapes. This featured product by Sterns Pools is no exception; it offers style and sophistication without the high costs that are usually associated with such a luxurious backyard addition. For homeowners who are on a budget or have difficult access sites, Sterns Pools is the company to talk to. Its affordable modular components can be easily transferred to the backyard through a side pathway and professionally installed in less than a day. These pools are low maintenance but highly durable due to superior…

What’s better than enjoying year-round alfresco living alongside a gorgeous pool that sparkles day and night? “The brief was clear: embrace the architectural lines of the home and integrate this into the pool design,” says Brett Cantwell, one of the two directors at Form Pool Designs, the Melbourne-based company that designed and built this stunning pool. Given the home has large floor-to-ceiling windows across the entire back of the ground floor, as well as expansive windows on the second storey, this pool can be seen from many rooms so it needed to be spectacular. The 5m x 4.8m slim-line pool is nestled into the space between the alfresco area and the back boundary — the best position for maximum sunlight exposure and visibility from the outdoor entertaining spaces. Being fully…

Although many Australians dream of having a pool in their backyard to enjoy with family and friends, it can be expensive and may not be a viable option for everyone. A modular pool is a fantastic cost-effective alternative to a fibreglass or concrete pool, making the dream of a backyard poolscape a possibility for many home owners. Clark Rubber has been a part of the Australian community for more than 70 years and offers a wide variety of modular Clark pools, with shapes and sizes to suit your backyard and budget. Designs include round, oval and square-end pools that can be installed completely in-ground, partially in-ground or above ground. Some models can even include a deep end. Complete pool packages are available including pumps, filters, chlorinators, liners and ladders —…

Thanks to its sparkling interior by Blue Glass Pebble Company, this pool dazzles and shimmers brilliantly in the bright Australian sun. Blue Glass Pebble Company is one of Australia’s premier suppliers of glass pool finishes for concrete pools. The product, made from glass pebbles and New Zealand pebbles, is smooth, fade-resistant, easy to care for and easy to install. Fully premixed to ensure batch consistency and to maintain the company’s famous highquality control standards, there are no risks taken with sending out raw material for application onsite. Available in 11 stunning and vibrant base colours, which can be mixed and matched to give you thousands of design options, this colourfast product is unrivalled in the pool industry and guaranteed by an industry-leading 10-year warranty that cannot be matched. The non-slip…

A luxurious poolscape is created when a beautiful pool is surrounded by an equally outstanding landscape. It can be difficult to determine exactly what is needed to perfect your poolside, but often the decking can be the most striking element. With decking and timber features that are well cared for and tastefully designed, a polished and elegant finish is the likely outcome. Versatile enough to be used for decks, pergolas, prominent features or furniture, timber continues to play a vital role in the modern landscape. The effect can be as subtle as incorporating an element of polish into a more rustic space, or as bold as using timber to give your landscape a special lift. A practical but elegant decking area, large striking woodwork and intricate timber designs are just…

In the late 1940s, Melbourne steel fabricator Lionel Duffin travelled to the USA for a holiday. During a visit to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (today known as NASA) in Langley, Virginia, Lionel was inspired by images of pilots training for weightlessness on a canvas stretched over a raised frame, with elastic rope to enable movement of the canvas. Lionel returned to his manufacturing works in Carnegie, Victoria, where he built trailers for ski boats and ramps and jumps for the famous Moomba Carnival. In 1947 he was still inspired by what he saw on his travels, so he undertook the construction of a simple frame with a canvas stretched by elastic rope for his family’s enjoyment. In 1949, Lionel made a few more “suspended beds” for his friends…

This family of four in Melbourne’s Pascoe Vale love spending time together and entertaining, and wanted their new pool to blend with and complement their period-style house. They approached Shawn Townsend of Ashtown Landscapes and Pools, who designed and built the entire space to their exact requirements with spectacular results. “The brief from the family was to integrate the pool and landscaping and to create a pool that looked timeless, not new,” explains Shawn. “The glass mosaic-tiled pool surrounded by bluestone pavers and coping naturally blends with the period-style house.” Due to the tight 1300mm access, Shawn and his team faced challenges creating the 6m-long family pool with custom 2.2sqm spa. The spa is raised for easy access and swim jets allow the family to swim laps. The entire project…

When clients come back time and time again for similar pools in their new houses, you know you’re onto a good thing. Peter and Natasha, a young couple in their 30s with two young children, had installed a pool with Pool Installations Australia in their previous home. They were happy with the pool and the service they received so when they bought their dream block of land at Martha Cove on the Mornington Peninsula, they contacted Wayne Gibson of Pool Installations Australia to build the exact same pool again. Their new block of land sloped down towards a canal and had wide, uninterrupted views of the water and boats passing by. Peter and Natasha knew they wanted their new pool to overlook the canal and make the most of this…

For this young professional family with children who were building a new house, a pool and outdoor area that complemented the home were essential to complete their new property. “They wanted a pool area that the children and adults could both enjoy year-round, with heating and a spa,” explains Zeb Rodrigues, owner of Artesian Pools. The generous-sized, flat block in Sandringham, a bayside suburb in Sydney’s south, features an exquisite geometric design — a rectangular 8.7m-long pool with a Spanish glass mosaic-tiled spa in one corner. Water from the spa spills over two walls into the pool. “This pool has a large area for the children, a spa for the parents to relax in, and it looks amazing,” says Zeb. “However, it was difficult to construct as the level of…

This exceptional pool is situated on a coveted block, adjacent to parkland in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The home, landscape and pool were all designed by the homeowners’ architect to best utilise the property’s available space and to make the most of the leafy views of the park. East Coast Pools worked with home builders Arundel Constructions Vic P/L to bring the pool concept to life, and both the pool and house were built simultaneously. “The house is very interesting to look at and is made of glass, steel, concrete, stone and rendered finishes,” says Colin Sloggett of East Coast Pools. “They completed the ground-floor slab, then called us in to build the swimming pool. We put the structure in place while they were building the walls of the home around…

This impressive pool is reminiscent of the opulent baths of the Roman Empire. Everything about it oozes elegance, from the clean structured lines to the luxurious daybeds and strong pillars. The pool was designed by the homeowner in conjunction with Michael Suttor Architects, and built by Pride Pools. Its generous proportions and balanced design create a unique space that resonates with a feeling of grandeur. The pool tiles are a very pale shade with pink tones, giving it a subtle and soft blue hue. A wide internal step leads to an expansive leisure ledge, which continues down the length of the pool. Although reminiscent of another era due to its classic styling, the pool is packed with 21st-century technology. A PCC 2000 in-floor cleaning system is programmed for every contour,…

When trusted with the task of bringing a designer’s and homeowner’s vision to life, a good tradesman should always look for the best solution to create a low-maintenance, high-quality pool or spa for the homeowners to enjoy for many years to come. For this project, tiler Sam Gardener not only used state-of-the-art LATICRETE products, but also drew on the expertise of LATICRETE professionals to ensure this project would stand the test of time. The newly built private residence in Indooroopilly, Qld, consisted of approximately 1200sqm of construction including a pool, spa and water feature. Skilled designer Owen Rentoul helped in the creation of the project design and Tim Stewart Architects was engaged to assist with the project drawings. Large-format 1200mm x 600mm marble from SNB Stone and 40mm x 40mm…

If relaxing with family and friends and enjoying your backyard oasis is your priority, make life easy by talking to your pool builder about a self-cleaning pool. Your pool will also be more efficient to operate and more enjoyable to swim in because of the increased circulation benefits. Owning a pool has never been this easy. Not all self-cleaning pools are the same. The QuikClean range of in-floor cleaning systems feature advanced technology, have been developed for Australian conditions and are proven in even the most demanding circumstances. The focus of a QuikClean system is you. Three superior systems, all with unique features and advantages, are designed to suit your unique pool and lifestyle requirements. Whether you have a heavy debris site, want the latest look or value genuine energy…

The MULTI PLUS LED pool light features four multi-colour modes to suit all occasions, and seven static colours that are more intense than ever before. This technologically advanced light has seen the introduction of an RGB+White LED that provides beautifully clean white illumination and stunning colour shows. According to Spa Electrics, the ability of MULTI PLUS to integrate with pool automation systems, the all-new Spa Electrics iRIS lighting controller or just a standard wall switch makes it the most versatile underwater multi-coloured light on the market. When it is coupled with the all-new iRIS remote, you can experience instant control of colours, shows and brightness all via the remote handset. Its two channels give you the ability to control your pool and spa separately or sync them together to create…