The client wanted a pool in their backyard, a very big pool. However, the pool would fill most of the backyard and leave very little space for entertaining. The yard was also significantly lower than the house, which would make the pool look sunken. An additional requirement was that the pool needed to look as historic as the house. This required the use of lots of tile and materials to create a fountain and reflecting pool feeling to the swimming pool. A slightly above ground pool was suggested, but the homeowner couldn’t visualize how it would look or work. A series of concept sketches from different angles were created to help the client visualize the design. 
Bishop Garden Design - Portfolio
Showing posts with label Spanish Tile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spanish Tile. Show all posts
Pool Concept Drawings
The client wanted a pool in their backyard, a very big pool. However, the pool would fill most of the backyard and leave very little space for entertaining. The yard was also significantly lower than the house, which would make the pool look sunken. An additional requirement was that the pool needed to look as historic as the house. This required the use of lots of tile and materials to create a fountain and reflecting pool feeling to the swimming pool. A slightly above ground pool was suggested, but the homeowner couldn’t visualize how it would look or work. A series of concept sketches from different angles were created to help the client visualize the design.
Spanish Revival Garden
A 1920's Spanish Revival garden was restored to it's former glory.The house trim had been painted pink and the garden had been neglected for years. Stairways and patios needed fixing. Spanish tile accents where added to the walls of both the house and garden. The house was repainted in more traditional colors. Lighting was added and updated, but with fixtures that looked like original and added to the charm of the home. The fountain in the front courtyard had an ugly plastic liner and no long worked. It was replaced with a new octagonal fountain, with pots in the middle that rested on ceramic turtles. The gentle sound of water blocked out noise from the street above. The house number was painted on the front wall in a Santa Barbara style. Overgrown plants were removed and replaced with new low water easy to maintain plantings. New patios with seating walls were added to the side garden with a mixture of old and new materials. Pots were added soften walls and add permanent color to the garden.
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Pool to Cool
In 2002, we filled in our 1970 era swimming pool and created a walled garden. The pool was poorly constructed, far from the house and needed constant maintenance. The pool was replaced by fountains, a casita and stair tower. This created several garden rooms filed with everything from tropicals to roses to succulents. New entrances were created to the garden and winding pathways below the pool. The Asian block wall on the veranda level near the house was replaced by wrought iron and pilasters more appropriate for the style of the house. New seating walls create additional entertaining space and raised beds for planting. Lots of yellow and blue Spanish tile was used to create a colorful and very Mediterranean feel to the garden. Today, even though they are the newest part of the garden and casita look like they were always part of the house.