Party central

Sitting around a pool with friends, a cup of coffee or glass of wine in hand, is particularly relaxing and enjoyable. If you have children, they are busy, and if not, it's equally pleasant.

The owners of this home felt they would use their outdoor areas more with better connections between the indoor and outside spaces. Prior to remodeling, the living room opened out to the pool; but with lawn and gardens in between, the flow wasn't clear and the house and pool didn't form a cohesive whole.

Architect Simon Rodrigues was asked to renovate the 1950s home and the existing pool area. The owners wanted two extra parking spaces, an art studio, and a large outdoor entertainment area that included its own kitchen and bar. The laundry room and other service areas were demolished as part of the renovation.

"The new poolhouse is in a wing attached to one end of the house. New decking connects it to the house and a staircase leads up to a glass pavilion containing the art studio on the far side of the terrace," he says.

Space has been created for a kitchen, bar and dining table, as well as casual seating around an indoor fireplace and wall-mounted television at the other end of the room.

"We have tried to create a space that has the feel of a sophisticated cafe or bar, with comfortable furniture, large lampshades and graphic ornaments," says Rodrigues.

Cedar joinery and siding and a pitched roof are features of the existing house.

"To play down the impact of the poolhouse roof on the structure we gave it a much lower pitch than the house roof," says Rodrigues.

However, cedar repeated in and around the poolhouse reinforces the connection between the two wings. Cedar wall linings, as well as polished cement plastered walls and terrazzo flooring blur the boundaries between the building and the outdoor areas.

Story by: Mary Webb