Project at a glance
| Location | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|
| Project | New pool, deck and steps |
| Setting | Large wooded lot behind a two-story home with a deep covered patio |
| Pool shape | Long rectangle with one stepped corner, set at patio height |
| Edge | Water spills over the lawn-side edge into a long catch basin below |
| Wall | Dark stacked stone with rust tones on the raised face above the basin |
| Coping | Band of smooth dark stone framing the water on every side |
| Interior | Dark finish that reads deep blue-gray |
| Deck | Large pale stone pavers running from the covered patio to the pool |
| Plinths | Two capped pedestals clad in gray tile at either end of the basin |
| Services | Pool construction · Pool design · Outdoor design |
A wooded Sacramento lot where the pool sits up at patio height and spills toward the lawn below it.
Project overview
This Winding Creek Rd home is a two-story house in blue-gray siding and stucco, with a deep covered patio across the back. Tall redwoods and broadleaf trees surround the lot, and a split-rail fence marks the far side of a wide lawn.
The ground falls from the patio down to the grass. Keeping the pool at patio height meant its lawn side would stand above the lawn, so that face had to be finished as carefully as the deck.
What the pool needed to do:
- Sit at patio height while the lawn drops away below it
- Turn the exposed lawn-side wall into something worth looking at
- Hold the water close to the deck so the edge reads clean
- Link the deck to the lawn with a wide, easy stair
- Suit the scale of a large house and tall trees
How the design answered it
Water over the edge
On the lawn side, water spills over the pool edge and collects in a long catch basin at the foot of the wall.
Stone on the exposed face
The raised wall above the basin is clad in dark stacked stone, so the side seen from the lawn carries texture instead of plain plaster.
A dark frame
A band of smooth dark stone runs around the water and stands out sharply against the pale deck pavers.
A broad stair
Wide steps in the same pale stone as the deck turn the corner and lead from the patio level down to the lawn.
Details shaped by the drop to the lawn
The pool sits at patio height, so every face that looks down onto the lawn needed a finished edge.
Catch basin
A long, narrow basin runs along the foot of the stone wall and collects the water spilling from the pool above.
Stacked stone face
Thin courses of dark stacked stone with rust and gold flecks clad the raised wall between the pool edge and the basin.
End plinths
Square pedestals with pale caps and gray tile cladding close each end of the basin and give it a defined stop.
Dark edge band
Smooth dark stone frames the water on every side, sitting between the pale deck and the dark interior.
Stepped corner
At one corner the deck steps into the pool outline, and the dark band turns with it in a clean inside corner.
Wide stair
Broad steps in the deck stone wrap the corner of the patio, each tread deep enough to stand on comfortably.
Project gallery
Each photo below was taken at this Winding Creek Rd pool and deck build in Sacramento.
The pool and stone wall from the lawn, with the covered patio behind · 1 / 6
Questions about this build
What is a catch basin on a pool?
A lower trough that collects water spilling over a pool edge. A pump sends that water back into the pool, so the spill runs as a steady loop.
What is stacked stone cladding?
Thin strips of natural stone set in tight horizontal courses on a wall face. On this Sacramento build it covers the raised wall facing the lawn.
Why use dark stone around the water?
A dark band frames the pool and keeps its outline sharp against a pale deck. It also blends with a dark interior so the water reads as one surface.
Can pool water sit level with the deck?
It can sit very close. The water is held near deck height and allowed to spill over the edge into a collection channel, so the surface lines up with the stone.
What are plinths used for beside a pool?
They give a wall or basin a defined end point. Capped and clad to match the pool, they also make a stable base for planters or lighting.
How do you link a raised pool deck to a lawn?
Broad steps in the same stone as the deck work well. Deep treads make the change in level easy to walk and keep the stair from looking cramped.
Where should a pool sit relative to a covered patio?
In clear view of the main seating, so the water is part of the outlook from the patio. Here the pool runs out from the patio across the deck.
How much sound does water over a pool edge make?
Usually a low, steady sound. More drop and more flow make it louder, and the flow rate can be adjusted to suit how the yard is used.
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