rectangular pool

Our Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Design

I am so excited to share our pool and outdoor kitchen design with you all.  We added on an outdoor kitchen and living area nine years ago and decided to finally complete our backyard with a pool.  We spent months going over designs, colors and asking friends for tips to create the most perfect space for us.  In March 2020 our design was complete and we couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.

Outdoor Kitchen and Pool

POOL CONSTRUCTION

pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a backyard with grass, wooden picnic table, and wooden fence.

This picture was taken in January 2020. We had an L shaped grass area and wanted to maximize as much space as possible while still leaving grass for the kids and dog to run around.

POOL FAVORITES

 

 

 

pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people digging a pool in the backyard.

pool build | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people building a pool in a backyard.

 

POOL DESIGN AND DETAILS

Initially we wanted a free form pool but quickly realized that was going to take up a lot of our grass area.  We also wanted something timeless and sleek but not overly modern.  Our pool company Carnahan Landscape and Pools was beyond patient with us.  I loved the ideas they added to our design to complete our vision.  Pools are EXPENSIVE.  Make sure the design is exactly what you want with what you have to work with.

pool details | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of pool tile samples.

DETAILS

POOL SIZE: 31×16

DECK COLOR: Accessible Grey

PEBBLE SHEEN: Blue Granite (more on this subject below)

COPING: Ivory Travertine, Straight Edge, not bullnose

WALL: White Limestone rectangular tiles

GRAVEL: Black Star Gravel

*WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PEBBLE SHEEN* is probably one of my most asked questions.  Picking a color is HARD! Here are my two cents on the matter but it all depends on the aesthetic you are going for and your personal preference.  We have friends with really dark pebble sheen.  My cons with this are you cannot see kids in the water and the pool gets hot.

*Watch out for undertones.  Some pull green which looks swampy.  We chose blue granite because it wasn’t too dark, had gray undertones but still gave the water a pretty blue color.

pebble sheen | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of triangle pool tiles.

pool rendering | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a backyard digital blue print.

 The contractor thought the pitch from our fence to house was too sloped and we would have to add a 6″ mini retaining wall along the fence side of our pool.  Carnahan was able to change the slope and we eliminated the wall for a more streamlined look.  This also allowed us to have more symmetry.

We also decided we didn’t want any grass around the pool. It would be awkward to try and mow a small patch of grass. We made the cement squares bigger and added landscaping to take up that space.

pool design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a digital pool design.

pool design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people building a pool in the backyard.

gunnite | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people building a pool.

Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people building a pool in the backyard.

Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of people building a pool in the backyard.

pool build | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of two kids sitting on the edge of an unfinished pool.

Pool Time Favorites

 

pool decking | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of pool decking.

pool design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of pool decking.

Our outdoor kitchen flooring was previously stamped concrete.  It was very slippery and the previous stain color had an orange undertone so we had it sanded down and covered with the new sundek.

pool design | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of spaced cement square slabs.

SIDE YARD:  This area did not get sun so it was always muddy and full of weeds.  We had these cement slabs poured and the spaces filled in with gravel.  This is now our storage area.

pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a pool getting filled with water.

pool deck| pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a pool deck.

Finished Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Design

rectangular pool. | pool dig | pool before and after | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a rectangle pool with a hot tub and basketball hoop.

To cut cement costs, we opted for these large rectangular slabs with black star gravel between them.   I love the interest it adds to the pool and how it ties in with the side of the house.

pool design | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a rectangle pool with a hot tub and basketball hoop.

pool chaise lounge | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of two chaise lounge chairs with cream cushions and blue and white stripe towels.

 

outdoor kitchen | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a black outdoor table and chairs.

outdoor living area | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a wicker patio set with white cushions, blue and white area rug, round white coffee table, and outdoor plants.

coffee table | Outdoor Kitchen by popular Houston life and style blog, Haute and Humid: image of a wicker patio set with white cushions, blue and white area rug, round white coffee table, and outdoor plants.

 

 

Do you have an outdoor kitchen or pool?  Let me know in a comment below!

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