Project at a glance
| Location | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|
| Project | New pool, spa and water features |
| Setting | Flat-roofed single-story home with wings on three sides of the water |
| Pool shape | Long rectangle that turns a corner and runs between two wings |
| Spa | Square spa set into the pool corner, rim flush with the water |
| Crossing | Three poured concrete pads spanning the narrow leg of the pool |
| Interior | Dark blue-green aggregate that mirrors the house after dark |
| Second water feature | A shallow reflecting channel along the entry walk |
| Fire | Long cast concrete fire table with a black pebble bed |
| Lighting | Color-changing pool lights, uplighting under the fire table, path and tree lighting |
| Services | Pool construction · Spa construction · Pool design · Outdoor design · Fire features · Outdoor lighting |
A Sacramento home built around its water, with a pool running between two wings and a crossing straight through the middle of it.
Project overview
This Crocker Rd home is a single-story modern build with flat roofs, deep overhangs and glass across most of the back elevation. The wings step out at angles, leaving a sheltered space in the middle that is closer to a courtyard than a backyard.
Glass that wide changes what a pool has to do. The water is in view from the kitchen, the living room and a bedroom, during the day and at night, whether anyone is swimming or not.
What the pool needed to do:
- Sit inside a courtyard formed by three sides of the house
- Hold up as a view from inside, not just a place to swim
- Keep a route across the yard without walking the long way around
- Carry the straight lines of the architecture rather than soften them
- Work at night, when the glass turns the water into the main thing you see
See it in motion
Take a look at this Crocker Rd pool in Sacramento, from the fire table across to the entry water feature.
How the design answered it
Water between the wings
The pool runs the length of one wing, turns the corner and continues between two more, so the house looks onto it from three sides.
A crossing, not a detour
Three poured concrete pads span the narrow leg of the water, giving a direct route between the two halves of the yard.
A plinth in the water
A low concrete plinth sits just above the surface with uplights set either side of it, built to carry a sculpture out in the middle of the pool.
Still water at the entry
A second shallow channel runs along the entry walk, held at a constant level so it reads as a mirror rather than a pool.
Details shaped by the architecture
Finish, stone and fire chosen so the water reads as part of the building.
Stepping pads
Three thick concrete slabs cross the water on hidden supports, each sitting a fraction above the surface so a shadow line runs underneath.
Sculpture plinth
A low concrete pad sits clear of the water with a light at each front corner, carrying a tall red folded-steel piece.
Flush spa
A square spa set into the pool with its rim level with the waterline. It reads as a change in depth, not a structure.
Fire table
A long cast concrete table with a recessed bed of black pebbles. Concealed lighting under the base makes it float off the deck.
Ring on the entry water
A second pad in the entry channel holds a brushed steel ring, lit inside. Its reflection closes the circle on still water.
Seating around the water
Lounge chairs run the long deck edge, with a covered patio at one end and teak seating around the fire table at the other.
Project gallery
Each photo below was taken at this Crocker Rd pool and water feature build in Sacramento.
The pool running between two wings of the house · 1 / 10
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Questions about this build
What is a courtyard pool?
A pool set inside a space the house wraps around. Here three wings of the building face the water, so the pool is in view from several rooms at once.
Can you walk across a pool?
Yes. Stepping pads can span a narrow section of water on concealed supports. On this Sacramento build three pads cross the pool and save walking the long way around.
Can you put a sculpture in a pool?
Yes, on a plinth built into the structure at the design stage. It has to be planned early so the base, the supports and the lighting go in before the shell is finished.
What is a reflecting pool?
Shallow water held at a constant level, built to mirror rather than to swim in. The channel along this entry walk is a few inches deep and sits separate from the main pool.
What is an aggregate pool interior?
A finish with small stone suspended in it rather than plain plaster. It gives the surface texture and depth, and it lasts considerably longer than a standard plaster finish.
What is a linear fire table?
A long, low table with a recessed burner running down the middle, usually filled with lava rock or pebble. It gives a seating area a center without taking up the room a full fireplace needs.
Why use color-changing pool lights?
They let one pool read differently depending on the evening. The same water here goes green, blue or violet, which matters more in a yard where the pool is the main view from inside.
How do you design a pool to suit modern architecture?
Follow the building. Straight runs, flush edges and matching deck modules keep the water reading as part of the plan rather than an object dropped into the yard.
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