Whether it’s including a pool in the design and build of a new home or adding one to an existing yard, paying close attention to location and landscaping choices can make spending time in your new outdoor space both relaxing and bucolic.

“It all has to be designed properly to fit in the space,” says Tom O’Connor, owner of O’Connor Design Build, a landscape design-build firm and pool builder in Middletown. “Is there not enough shade, or too much? Is the water on your property flowing away from the pool? Look at the topography and elevations when it comes to landscape choices.”

Even homeowners with smaller yards can now sit poolside. “Plunge pools are becoming more popular for people who don’t have the room for a pool but want something more than a hot tub,” says O’Connor. Measuring only about 10’ x 15’ wide and 4’ to 7’ deep with seats built into the sides, space issues become less of a challenge, and they can be heated or not.

Old Beach

Working with Jamestown-based DiMauro Architects, this Newport project site was challenging but ended up looking amazing, says O’Connor.  “The pool was to be placed originally on the southeast side of the house, and a massive retaining wall was to be constructed. We worked with the homeowner and ended up moving this to the north side of the home, pushed out with a southern pool exposure,” he says.  The furniture was conveniently located closer to the house, which gave it natural shade.

They built an organic boulder wall which captured 12 feet of grade and elevated the pool space.

“This was a plunge pool that fit nicely in this area, when a larger pool would not have worked well due to the large grade change on this property,” he says.

They flanked the northern side of the pool with holly trees for privacy and edged with lavender. The home’s addition was contemporary, so the patio’s design followed with a large format bluestone. The gardens and boulder wall bring this space back into nature with large spruce trees surrounding the property.

“We developed a nature screen for privacy, but also to soften the space,” he says.

A tight Newport neighborhood

In this backyard, where there was not room for a standard pool, the client chose to go for a smaller plunge pool.

“They weren’t sure about having a traditional hot tub, so we installed this plunge pool they can sit in and enjoy, which has the option to be heated for a hot tub,” says O’Connor.

An outdoor living space was installed adjacent to the pool, with a grill and bar, as well as room for entertaining and dining. There were several large existing trees, including a beautiful Japanese Maple and Japanese stewartia in the yard, both more than 50 years old, and as pool construction is often rather invasive and messy, strong measures were put in place to protect these specimens.

For privacy in this busy part of town, cedar fencing and plantings were added. “The gardens were designed to create a moody space that gave accent to the trees and softened the hardscape, including lavender, catmint, and dwarf ginkgo to name a few,” he says.

Hydrangea Heaven

Space was not an issue for this 40’ pool in South Kingstown. “We basically had a blank canvas and wide-open lawn space,” says O’Connor. The client wanted a smaller patio with more lawn so, working with Keene Architecture designers, a large, three-foot bluestone coping, or edging, was installed around the pool, helping to prevent grass clippings from getting into the water. Simply designed and surrounded with limelight hydrangea using a variety called ‘Prime,’ which stays smaller than the typical limelight but still boasts magnificent white plumes, each corner of the garden was supplemented with ivory silk tree lilac.

The pool was set on axis to a bench on the opposite side of the yard and nestled next to the existing upper terrace and fireplace for a convenient walk-out to this one-of-a-kind space.

Newport rendering

A design concept for a Newport property, this plan has its goal focused on maximizing backyard space, which is not expansive. “We are trying to create a peaceful setting that focuses on incorporating water, and at the end of the pool we included a relaxing sitting space with a mature multi-stem redbud,” says O’Connor.

Matching ivory silk upright lilac trees and gardens are mirrored on either side of the pool. Designed as a reflection pool, it will be functional as well for sitting and swimming, with an auto cover and smart controls.