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
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 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.
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.
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 Time Favorites
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.
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.
Finished Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Design
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.
Do you have an outdoor kitchen or pool? Let me know in a comment below!