Pool House Paradise
Increasing numbers of homeowners are exploring the possibilities of adding a pool house, garden house, cabana or gazebo to their backyard. Three couples share their stories of how these amenities truly enhanced their quality of poolside living and created memories for years to come.
Summer Garden Wedding
Don and Sandy Lee, Centerville, AL
Don was introduced to water exercise at the couple's seasonal home in Key West, FL. They planned to build a pool at their Alabama home, and the idea of a pool house had surfaced in their discussions. A momentous occasion, however, would be the final inspiration.
"We have a Federal style home with a balustrade framing the front and rear," says Sandy. "It sits on top of a hill where we can view our 70 acres of property. We wanted a pool house, and during our research we found the Coventry Pool & Garden House Plans book, which gave us a number of ideas."
"We had always dreamed of having a summer garden wedding for our daughter," Sandy shares. "We chose the Windham pool house model because it is spacious and offers two bathrooms. It also has a balustrade, which caught our immediate attention. We ended up having spindles turned out of Pennsylvania maple to match the ones on our home."
The Lees' contractor poured the stamped and dyed concrete decking and pool house sub-flooring at the same time, saving additional construction. The contractor also added a little depth to the structure to allow for what Sandy calls the beachy décor. One side of the spacious room holds two wicker rockers and a round table on a sisal rug. The other has a wicker chaise and table and some personal touches. Both areas are haloed with matching ceiling fans. Handpainted Mexican sinks in the bathrooms have novelty frog and fish motifs.
"The project was completed one day before our daughter's wedding," says Sandy. "It was a dream come true-a perfect setting for the ceremony, and it paid for itself in what we would have spent had we rented space elsewhere."
Nearly 800 people attended the wedding. Caterers served beverages on the pool house porch, and the large deck allowed plenty of room for guests to move around the area.
"Since then, it has become a wonderful gathering place for family and friends," adds Sandy. "Don and I really enjoy it for relaxing on Sunday mornings. It is like the period at the end of a sentence-our pool would have been incomplete without our pool house."
Backyard Dining & Family Time
Bill and Mary Ann Riggs, Friedens, PA
The Riggs family is always bustling. Their rural Pennsylvania working farm has 600 cows, ostriches, a llama, miniature horses, a donkey and several other barnyard animals meandering about.
"My husband grew up in this home," says Mary Ann. "His parents added to the structure over the years. We built a pool and pool house about three years ago."
The couple came across their pool house plans book on the Internet, ultimately choosing a colonial design that coordinates with the red brick of their home. They incorporated some special details for a Victorian flair, supporting Mary Ann's hobby of antique collecting and giving her additional space to display her treasures.
"We selected this style because of its large front porch," notes Mary Ann. "We made the structure a little larger than the plans called for, and we raised the ceiling in the main room to enhance the openness. The focal point is an antique cherry dresser with a stunning marble top-a real eye-catcher. The pool house also has a small dining table where we eat and where our grandchildren play games."
A changing room sits to the right of the main space. The building was listed as a garden house, but it worked well for the family's needs as a poolside structure.
Mary Ann swims every day, and the couple is active with their church. The pool house is frequently used for meetings and gatherings.
"Our three grandchildren love to play in it, and Bill enjoys sitting in one of the rockers on the porch when he reads," Mary Ann says. "We relax there. We know we will always spend a lot of time there with family and friends."
Guest Cottage for Colonial Style Home
Warren and Andrea Alexander, Swansea, MA
The Alexanders happened upon the Coventry Pool & Garden House Plans book when they were browsing in a home improvement store. They quickly decided on the Rockford model, which reflected the style of their home.
"The first thing we did when we bought our house two years ago was to start planning to add a pool," says Andrea. "That led to the idea of a pool house and new landscaping. We decided to do it all at the same time."
The Alexanders' home is contemporary, but with some unique colonial touches. One contractor handled the pool, while another oversaw the decking, landscape and pool house. Conceptually, they made some design changes to the original plan and also made it larger.
"We use the pool house as a guest cottage, too," Andrea states. "It is furnished with a pullout sofa that converts to a bed. We also upped the ante by adding hardwood floors, granite countertops and other touches that coordinate with the inside of our home." They had a circular granite bar built for entertaining and included heating and air-conditioning so the pool house could be used year-round.
"We have had some fabulous parties," Andrea recalls, "and we regularly enjoy using the pool house ourselves. Warren travels a lot for business, so it is nice to have a lovely spot to retreat to when we are home together. Overnight guests love the privacy and comfort it offers."
The Alexanders agree that having good communication with your contractor is key to a successful outcome.
"I appreciated the times when we were reviewing details and I realized that we had the same vision as the contractor," she says. "This resulted in creating a special place where we feel like we are vacationing miles away, but are only a few steps from our backdoor."