MAKING A SPLASH: INSIDE THE HOUSE 18 POOL DESIGN
There was ONE thing Ed and Alanna’s three boys wanted from their new family home.
A pool.
Fair enough, boys. And while they were probably dreaming about cannonballs, pool toys and who could make the biggest splash, we had a few other things on our minds too.
For House 18, aka Maison Soleil, the pool was never going to be something we simply popped into the backyard. It needed to become part of the architecture of the home, connecting beautifully with the kitchen, living spaces, alfresco area and garden.
Our vision for Maison Soleil was a home inspired by the warmth and elegance of a French country house, loosened up with a relaxed Australian lifestyle. The pool needed to hit that same sweet spot: elevated and beautiful, but absolutely ready for three boys to run, jump, splash and PLAY.
Working with our pool partner Concept Pools, we created a custom pool with a glass bead interior that has become so much more than somewhere to swim. It’s the centrepiece of the backyard, a huge part of the view from inside and one of the hardest-working elements of the whole House 18 design.
POSITION, POSITION, POSITION
Where you put a pool can completely change how you experience it.
House 18 has a sloping block, so we positioned the pool to capture that glorious northern light while connecting beautifully with the house and alfresco area.
The kitchen, dining, living and alfresco spaces wrap around the pool, creating gorgeous views across the water and surrounding greenery. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the pool, bamboo, palms and garden become part of the view from inside.
And because this is Maison Soleil, light gets involved too. When the sun hits the water, reflections dance across the living room ceiling, creating an ever-changing artwork. MAGIC.
The positioning is practical too, giving Ed and Alanna clear sightlines to the pool from the main living areas.
“We can watch the kids jump in the pool while we’re cooking or doing other things. That connection is really important to us,” says Ed.
And Alanna’s reaction when she first saw it?
“Oh, it’s beautiful. It’s so huge!”
Mission accomplished.
GETTING THE WATER COLOUR JUST RIGHT
Choosing the colour of a pool is about so much more than picking something blue.
The interior finish, waterline tile, surrounding materials, sunlight and even the greenery around the pool can all influence the final colour you see.
Concept Pools created a custom pool with a glass bead interior, giving the water a beautiful finish that works perfectly with the soft, natural palette surrounding it.
We then introduced a green marble-look waterline tile from TileCloud, paired with Ultracolour Plus Grout in Caribbean 137.
Why green?
Go back to our House 18 Vision Board and you’ll see a palette filled with warm neutrals, creamy whites, soft stone, natural timber, earthy browns and garden greens. Outside, we already had gorgeous mature bamboo, palms and native trees, so rather than fighting all that greenery with a bright blue tile, we leaned right into it.
The green waterline tile picks up those lush garden tones and helps the pool settle naturally into the landscape.
THE PERFECT POOLSIDE PALETTE
Around the pool, we chose TileCloud Seaforth Travertine Look Tile in Beige Matt for the coping and surrounds.
It gives us the soft, warm appearance of travertine and connects beautifully back to the neutral tones used throughout Maison Soleil.
The creamy stone tones outside speak to the warm walls, cabinetry and natural materials inside, while the green pool tiles connect to the garden beyond.
Everything belongs together, and the surrounds don’t feel too precious. This is a family pool. Wet feet, towels, kids and splashing are all very much invited.
THE DETAILS THAT MAKE IT MAISON SOLEIL
You know us. We LOVE the details.
Alongside the pool is an outdoor shower featuring the Reece Milli Inox Overhead Single Rail Shower with Bottom Rail Water Inlet in Stainless Steel. It makes rinsing off after a swim easy while adding another polished detail to the outdoor zone.
Then there’s that gorgeous Luxaflex Caribbean Fixed Metal Awning in Beige.
Practically, it offers some welcome respite from the northern sunshine around the kitchen and dining area. Aesthetically? Ooh la la.
The awning introduces a little playfulness and French-style prettiness to the exterior, helping us bring that Maison Soleil character all the way outside.
PRETTY, BUT PRACTICAL
If there’s one thing we know about family homes, it’s that pretty only gets you so far.
For the pool decking we used WoodEvo ADVANCED PVC decking in Sandstone Grooved, which gives us the warm, natural look we wanted with some serious performance credentials behind it.
It’s durable, slip-resistant and designed to stay cooler underfoot in summer, making it a great choice around a busy family pool. Plus, it comes with a 30-year residential warranty.
In other words, it can handle family life.
Just as important is the way the pool connects to the alfresco kitchen and dining area. Ed and Alanna love entertaining family and friends, so we wanted people to be able to move naturally between eating, lounging and swimming without the pool feeling disconnected from the action.
And when the boys are swimming, there are clear sightlines from multiple living areas inside the home.
Beautiful? Tick. Practical? Big tick.
A POOL THAT BELONGS TO THE HOUSE
Perhaps our favourite thing about the House 18 pool is that it doesn’t feel like an addition to Maison Soleil. It feels like it was always meant to be there.
That comes down to repeating the same design cues throughout the home: warm stone, creamy neutrals, earthy textures, garden greens and materials that feel sophisticated without becoming formal.
From inside, the water becomes part of the view. From outside, the house wraps around it. From the alfresco, it becomes part of entertaining. And for three boys who had just one big request for their new home?
Well, we have a feeling it’s going to be the scene of a LOT of cannonballs.
SO, WHAT DOES A POOL LIKE THIS ACTUALLY COST?
Ahhh, the question everyone wants answered!
We don’t reveal our homeowners’ individual project budgets, and pool costs can vary enormously depending on everything from size and site access to excavation, finishes, landscaping and those all-important extras.
But we can help you work out what you might need to budget for yours.
If a pool is on your reno wish list, dive into our Swimming Pool Cost Guide, where we break down what goes into the price of building a pool in Australia and the costs you’ll want to factor in before you make a splash.
LOVE THE LOOK?
Good news, gang. A bunch of the products we used to bring this dreamy pool zone to life are from some of our Dream Discount Card partners. Which means you can save on them for your own home. Winner winner.
Check out the Dream Discount Card to see all the brands and savings available to members.
