Poolside

By Jason Miller

PhotograPher ed Gohlich

Field editor andrea cauGhey

PleasuresLaid-back living spaces anda pool with water jets entice anactive young family to play outside.

Laid-back living spaces anda pool with water jets entice anactive young family to play outside. Julie White adjusts the fabric

canopy over the dining area’s zinc

table. a mirror is mounted into the

gazebo’s metal framework.

all-weather dining The dining structure

includes a retractable cover

made from long-lasting outdoor

fabric. The cloth is attached to

cables that keep it positioned on

a framework of powder-coated

steel. “We can adjust it to

wherever we want,” Matt White

says of the cover, which lets the

family enjoy meals in virtually

any kind of weather.

86 Spring 2009 deck, Patio & Pool

great ballsof fire in the fire pit, large

orbs made of a dense material

similar to concrete hold and

maintain the fire’s heat. as the

natural gas flames surround

them, these “fireballs” create

mesmerizing movements. “The

flames come up through the balls

like plant tendrils, dancing in

different directions,” Matt White

says. While the balls absorb heat

and radiate it even after the fire is

extinguished, they’re also an

aesthetic focus for what has

become the family’s favorite

gathering spot.

ust grass and a swing set,” homeowner and home builder Matt White says, describing his Newport Beach, California, backyard prior to renovation.

“JHe and his wife, Julie, wanted

a more engaging place for their three young chil-

dren to play, as well as an outdoor extension of

the family’s home.

The new backyard, designed by Molly Wood of

Molly Wood Garden Design and installed by

Matt’s company, W Custom Homes, Inc., delivers

family-friendly opportunities for conversation,

eating, and plenty of fun. Casual seating areas

have a decidedly relaxed personality, a fitting

complement to the home’s Shingle-style archi-

tecture. That’s exactly what the Whites wanted:

a serene nod to classic American design and a

reason to stay outside.

Jet-propelled funMake that “reasons”—starting with a pool. “That

pool was a necessity,” Matt says of the project’s

focal point, a rectangular beauty that accom-

modates an automatic cover and an “old-

school, white-plaster look, which gives it that

timeless appeal that will last forever and

look great.”

With decking of East Coast bluestone,

the pool includes a whirlpool area and a

shallow underwater shelf around its

perimeter—an ideal perch for feet or

fannies. A series of pumps drives water jets with

enough power to keep the Whites’ three small

children up on their bodyboards or pushed to the

end of the pool if they’re on surfboards. Not sur-

prisingly, the word of a bodyboard-worthy pool

has leaked out: “This pool is a magnet for the

entire neighborhood,” Julie says.

Accented with brick, sheets of bluestone can

be found underfoot throughout the backyard

gathering areas, including the alfresco dining

room. Here, a barbecue on a honed concrete

countertop streamlines food preparation and

minimizes time to table. An open steel gazebo

rises over the zinc dining table and supports a

above: a landscape plan shows

the Whites’ neighborhood-

friendly front porch and

backyard pool. left: a potted

felt plant (Kalanchoe

beharensis) displays silvery,

succulent leaves. opposite:

Framed by an angular couch,

the fire pit is a popular

destination for meals,

conversation, and naps.

Fire Pit

PoolDining Gazebo

Courtyard

Garage

House

Whirlpool

88 Spring 2009 deck, Patio & Pool

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Ste

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.

canopy of weather-resistant fabric that

is drawn along cables to keep it properly

positioned. A mirror mounted into the

gazebo’s trellis-like framework expands

the space visually.

Gather ’round the FireAlmost omitted during the construction

phase, the fire pit with its comfortable

seating has become a hugely popular

place for the family. “The fire pit is the

best part of the yard now,” Matt says.

“We have dinner around it; it serves as

an overflow spot for the dining area; it’s

simply become a wonderful gathering

spot for friends and family.”

Matt has had his company employees

over, and they ended up talking into the

night around the fire pit. And he often

takes naps there during summer. “The

kids and Julie and I hang out there to

regroup and laugh and tell stories and

find out how their days went,” he says.

“It’s a getaway, a great place to unwind

and decompress.”

see Matt and

Julie White’s

amazing front-

yard makeover in

the current issue

of Exteriors™

magazine, on

newsstands

through June 23.

low-maintenance plants Garden designer

Molly Wood pursued a number of

strategies when choosing plants

for the Whites’ low-maintenance

gardens. First, all plants are

perennials—no need to replant

each spring. Many varieties were

chosen for their slow growth habits

and compact forms, lessening the

need for pruning and shaping. and

even though not all the plants are

native to the region, all are suited

to the local climate, so they need

little additional water or care.

this photo: a 3-foot band of bluestone frames the pool and

whirlpool. succulent Aeonium, boxwoods, and variegated

Japanese rush mingle in a low-maintenance garden

alongside the paved pool deck. opposite: chaise lounges

offer front-row seating for pool activities. Various

opportunities for recreation and relaxation greet the

Whites each time they step into their transformed

backyard, which measures about 4,000 square feet.

deck, Patio & Pool Spring 2009 91

left: an inner courtyard tucked

into one edge of the backyard

features a fountain, comfortable

seating, and French doors to the

home’s interior. “it’s a pleasant

space where we can sit and watch

the kids play on the swings,” Matt

says. below: Pebbles and shells are

the beach-worthy mulch for the

courtyard’s potted boxwoods.

opposite: an amped-up array of

pumps powers jets that form

strong currents in the Whites’

pool, bringing the family together

for water-boarding fun.

resistance for recreationResistance jets in the swimming pool provide

fun for the whole family. Matt White ramped

up the system from the beginning by

installing five jets, with a 3-horsepower pump

for each jet (a typical system would have

three jets with two pumps). The extra oomph

gives the Whites’ kids the powerful circulation

they need for their favorite water sports.

“They get up on Boogie boards and

surfboards and they play for hours,” Matt

says. “Sometimes they’ll get pushed down to

the end of the pool and then they walk back

and do it again.” The powerful pumps can be

turned down if Matt and Julie want to swim

laps against the current.

FOR RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 116.

Powerful water jets create waves for wakeboarding or a current for swimming laps.

deck, Patio & Pool Spring 2009 93