Author Jonathan Lethem once said: “what exactly is postmodernism, except modernism without the anxiety?”
Lethem was being witty about his writing style, but his premise about avoiding the stress of rigid conformity accounts for the triumph of this eclectic backyard haven, which is at once classic and elegant — and, yet, oh so modernly sleek.
Kean Landscaping, who brought Haven Pools to the project, designed the overall backyard resort in keeping with the home’s handsome architecture. The finished setting includes an outdoor living room — open on three sides with a fireplace and seating — that is adorned with a stylish embellished roof. For the patios, straight, Zen-like lines of various shades of bluestone offer an ideal balance.
In creating the pool and spa, we also incorporated sleek modern lines, and not rigidly so. Natural stone walls and cutouts on the spa side of the lap-pool suggest a timeless classic feel — just across from, and perpendicular to, more streamlined pool edging.
Another stand-out is the sleek stone-walk bridge. It spans the L-shaped pool where its 60-foot lap section meets the main pool. Steps at either end of the bridge hint at the cutouts we etched along the spa-side of the pool wall.
“The bridge is not only artful,” says Craig Bonawandt, co-owner of Haven Pools, “it’s highly functional. It eliminates the need to walk around the pool by connecting the house-side to the higher elevation area where the outdoor living room and spa are.”
In addition to all this, Haven installed the pool and spa so that they can operate together but also separately. This allows the family to use the spa independently, and extend the outdoor season.
“Our family has been building pools for 47 years,” says Bonawandt. “So whatever the style preferences of our clients, we bring three generations of experience to the job.”
The simplicity of the stone bridge is in harmony with the pool’s elegant geometric design. Inlaid with flagstone, it offers a natural non-slip surface making it an ideal choice where feet are frequently wet. The homeowners did not opt for a diving board; nonetheless, we increased the depth of water where the pool goes under the bridge, so it would be safe should anyone should jump off there.
The spa-side section of the pool has been faced in Connecticut field stone. The masonry team used a combination of three different stones, blended together.
The spa-side bench running the length of the pool wall, in between the piers, allows for sitting anywhere on the pool’s far side, where one can enjoy a nice view back toward the house.
From the covered outdoor living area at the back of the house, peaceful views of the pool’s sapphire blue water and the patios give no indication of the challenge these were to construct. “Aligning the piers and benches down the length of the pool, for example, had to be done precisely,” says Bonawandt. “We are happy that our efforts paid off and garnered us two Gold Medals — one regional and one international.