Cool and calm

Pools can be as much a part of your home's design as the interior: the more you can use the same or similar materials and design styles, the more integrated the link to the rest of your home will be.

In this case, the homeowners already had a well-used outdoor living area, but no pool. They were looking for a design that would include an integrated spa and an uncluttered, easy-maintenance garden that would enhance the sea views. They also wanted the pool to be on the same level as the living area.

"This was so we wouldn't have to walk down any steps to the pool, or look down on it," says one of the homeowners.

Accordingly, the 12m-long pool forms a seamless part of the outdoor dining area, a feature that is accentuated by infinity edges on three sides of the pool.

Large stone tiles used for the living, dining and kitchen floors are carried through to the outdoor area and pool surround. Dark basalt tiles, selected for the pool and spa edges, complement the brown detailing on the home's soffits.

These design elements, particularly the three infinity edges, strengthen the links between the house and pool, says Neil Runciman of Frontier Pools.

"These three edges were technically challenging, as we had to ensure they were all exactly level. This is a substantial pool that needed foundation piles, as the cliff is nearby," he says.

The interior of the pool is covered with an exposed aggregate plaster, Quartzon, in a light blue colour. This material contains speckles of highly reflective quartz. "These quartz speckles make the water shimmer and sparkle in the sun," he says.

The pool has an integrated spa, which continues the seamless look of the outdoor living area from the house and the lawn, the spa is not visible. An AquaLink system controls the heating, floor jets and lights.

As well as a place to swim, the pool functions as a water feature. This is especially effective at night, when blue halogen lights shine up on the basalt wall.

Planting is designed to complement the limited material palette of the home, says landscape designer Trudy Crerar.

"Previously, the garden was cluttered, and the client was keen to simplify it. I also drew on the wide views of the sea and islands, creating little pockets of feature plants, such as the group of king palms," she says. "The landscape now has a lot of clarity, with a simple layout."

A group of queen palms at the end of the pool provides the privacy normally created by a pool wall. The large lawn was a particular priority for the homeowners, and was replanted at the end of the project.

Story by: Alison Wall

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick