BUILDER | Valley Pool & Spa Kelowna & Vancouver, B.C. www.valleypoolandspa.com Tel: 250-868-6500 (Kelowna) 604-353-6500 (Vancouver) Mirrored PERFECTION A A scenic backdrop sets the stage for this backyard A homeowner with lakeside property in Kelowna, B.C., wanted a vanishingedge pool that would not only echo the impressive waterfront in the background, but also the unique architectural features of their home. To achieve the desired look, Valley Pool & Spa, also in Kelowna, along with design partner Questar Pools, designed and built a 5.2- x 11.5-m (17- x 38-ft) concrete swimming pool and 3-m (10-ft) spa, which include several design elements that seamlessly tie in with the home and surrounding environment. For instance, the pool’s outside edge was designed to mirror the contour of the homeowner’s roof and finished with the same rock used on the home’s exterior, while the concave pool wall resembles a large staircase inside the home. The triangular-shaped spa was built to match the home’s front exterior architecture, while the surrounding pool deck furthers the project’s continuity, as design elements used inside the home were also used to complete the outside seating and entertaining areas. The 1.2-m (4-ft) deep boomerang-shaped pool features a vanishing-edge design on the outer wall, which allows water to flow over the edge and seemingly into the lake beyond to create a dramatic visual effect. The pool’s interior is finished in Indian slate tile and has a deck-level gutter system design on the pool walls closest to the house. For this unique feature, the design had to be precise, as water does not flow over the pool’s coping or edge; rather, it falls into a 13-mm (0.5-in.) diagonal slot on the copings’ inside edge, at deck height, to create a picture-perfect, mirage-like effect. Adding to the pool’s Zen-inspired design are four, deck-level stepping stones surrounded by water at the pool’s entrance, which leads to a 152-mm (6-in.) deep tanning ledge and in-pool bench, while a swim up wet/dry bar was included on one side of the pool. The spa, which is also finished in Indian slate tile, overflows on two sides into a shallow reflecting pool surrounding the spa. Similar to the pool entrance, a stepping stone located in the reflecting pool provides the homeowner access to the spa. Pools, Spas & Patios ■ www.poolsspaspatios.com 29 PSP_Annual_2011(1).indd 29 3/16/11 12:09:39 AM 3/7/11 8:44:00 PM