Gallery Explore the Details
Key Features
The Difference Before & After
01 — The Challenge A Beautiful Setting with Nothing to Show for It
The homeowners had a charming white farmhouse on a wooded lot in Narvon — mature trees, rolling hillside, quiet rural setting — but the backyard wasn't doing any of it justice. A small paver pad was the extent of the outdoor living space. They knew the property had potential and wanted something that felt like it belonged in the landscape: not a conventional pool and patio, but a naturalistic swimming experience with the sound of running water, outdoor dining, and a hot tub for year-round use — all in materials that complemented the farmhouse character. Their primary concerns: a natural pool needs to function as well as it looks, and they wanted materials and plantings that would age well rather than date quickly.
02 — Our Approach Designing a Backyard That Looks Like Nature Built It
The space was designed to look naturalistic and match the beautiful wooded hillside setting. Rather than a geometric pool shape, the team built an organic, freeform pool edged with natural stone coping and surrounded by river gravel — a beach-like transition that reinforces the naturalistic feel. The boulder waterfall was excavated into the hillside and cascades through multiple levels into the pool. A bluestone patio near the house provides the dining and lounge zone, a cedar pergola provides shade for meals, and a hot tub is integrated for year-round use. Planting beds with Japanese maples, boxwood, and mixed shrubs will fill in over time, softening the boulder edges as the landscape matures.
03 — The Transformation A Woodland Retreat Designed to Feel Like a Weekend Getaway
The result was a space that feels like a vacation steps from the back door. The naturalistic pool and boulder waterfall invite the kind of long, slow afternoon you don't associate with a backyard pool — gravel beach, cascading waterfall, lounge chairs on the stone. The bluestone patio provides the perfect space for outdoor dining, unwinding after a long day, or enjoying morning coffee, with the sound of water in the background; and the hot tub keeps the space useful well into the colder months.