nick williams & associates€¦ · lighting. you can transform a pool remodel into something...

DO YOU WANT TO REMODEL YOUR POOL

OR

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO REMODEL

YOUR POOL

A NICK WILLIAMS BEFORE & AFTER SERIES

Nick Williams & Associates

NICK WILLIAMS POOL REMODEL

DO YOU WANT TO REMODEL YOUR POOL OR DO YOU REALLY WANT TO REMODEL YOUR POOL???

A Before and After Series Great Ideas to take you pool remodel project to a magical new place! Before and After… Bring some real creative magic to your planned pool remodel! When people generally think of remodeling their pool they usually think of doing things like changing the tile, perhaps building in an adjacent spa, or even changing the shape. But there is so much more you can do in a pool update you just apply a little creative imagination and the magic of Nick Williams and Associates!


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For years Nick Williams has specialized in the integration of natural elements into all of his landscaping and outdoor envi-ronmental designs. By building in nature, to the design the pool, through the use of boulders and stones, sandy beaches, gravel work, fountains, waterfalls, and creative lighting. you can transform a pool remodel into something quite magical. Nick Williams is often fond of saying that the outdoors is ‘the biggest room you have’ in your home. Your pool is a part of that great outdoor room but the key idea here is to design to integrate it with the environment.

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(LAN) DESIGN (POOL 1) This pool remodel is a modified shape with some interesting adjacent stone work. One end of the pool is actually a small sandbar where four solid pieces of flagstone were positioned at the edge of the water to act as makeshift seating areas. One can wade into this shallower zone, which is offset from the main pool by an underwater gathering of rocks and small stones that fashion a kind of wall. The wading area is very shallow, with thick sand at the bottom. Nick uses a special type of sand with a certain texture to it, just right for creating a wonderful feeling on feet and toes when you walk in the cool water. Large boulders are seated at the edge of this area to give it a wonderful natural appearance and placed to make it seem that the pool was built around the boulders. The idea is to make it appear as if this was a completely natural setting.

The pool then winds into the deep end where two enormous boul-ders flank a tiled wall offsetting an adjacent spa elevated above the main pool area, which can be viewed while you lounge in the spa itself. This elevation also overlooks the new “infinity” edge built into one side of the pool where the water line comes right up to the top of the setting and makes it seem as though the water just disap-pears into infinity. An opening at the edge of the spa allows water to cascade down the stone wall into the pool and form a waterfall effect. The stonework fringing the edge of this pool is accessorized by wispy blades of grass accented by various plantings and lit in the evening by elegant NW Outdoor Lighting. The close proximity of greenery and large rock formations at the edge of this pool make it seem that you have stumbled upon a natural pond in a forest some-where. All in all, this pool and spa was simply transformed into a natural wonder!

BEFORE

AFTER

(PER) DESIGN (POOL 2) This pool started with one of most basic pool designs imaginable, a simple rectangle fringed by basic brick trim and concrete walk area. Originally a long narrow pool and Nick shortened the pool to create room for a great outdoor room, then he immediately went after that basic rectangle to change the shape and introduce more natural lines and curves. One thing to remember is that you are never stuck with the shape of your pool. It can always be changed. When Nick was finished with it the pool became something else altogether, and amazing integration of fire and water where the use of reflective light cast magical hues over the whole setting. Nick began by breaking up the rectangular space with the addition of natural boulders at the corners and sides. A combination stone fire pit and fountain was added along one side, and a new custom-designed spot at one end was fed by a free-flowing fountain that spilled down from styled natural rock.

Making the regular irregular by breaking up the straight lines of the rectangular pool immediately called mother nature to the scene. Now the flaring warmth of an open flame from the fire pit reflects and shimmers over the waters of the pool and spa, and the shelving rocks extending into the pool itself became waterfall fountains, adding life and sound to the whole scene. An open beam outdoor room that extended from the back patio of the house out toward the pool served to link the two settings and integrate them one with another. - This was the key element that really made the pool part of that great outdoor room which is the biggest room you have Nick also added outdoor fireplace and an outdoor TV that is recessed and hidden behind a paint-ing when not in use. These featured complimented the remod-eled BBQ area and gave it a more functional and appealing de-sign by moving it from the wall to create a counter area in as a kind of island- a much nicer use of the space.

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(SHA) DESIGN (POOL 3 ) This pool design was another simple rectangular pool where the water sat right level with the flat stone patio around it. Nick's first move here was to break up the monotony of this un-varying elevation by building a new stone wall around the borders of the pool and then to build in corner features such as natural stone faux boulders. He built off the new exterior stone wall along one side to flow out into the pool and create a separate spa area fringed by natural rock with a small water feature that spills into the main pool. There were 10 feet between the house and the pool area, 5 feet of pool decking that stepped down 18 " to 5 feet of pathway. The deck was reduced to 2 ft to expand the lower level to 8 feet and open that space up for other applications.

The plain brick wall at the far side of the pool was refinished with stucco in a warm Mediterranean wash that created the perfect backdrop for new hanging vines and various plantings. This theme was carried to the new stonework surrounding the pool itself by removing some of the flagstone tiles near the wall and adding small plants and flowers. The overall effect was one of the earthy natural presence as supposed to the stark brick and rectangular pool that was there before. This is creative magic, bringing nature into the home, while the same time bringing the home into nature! Add in some warm cus-tom exterior lighting for the evening hours and you have a won-derful transformation here. The regularity of the old red brick wall was gone, and in its place was a much more natural Amber and honey styled stonework that created enormous warmth and gave the setting a real natural homey feel.

(REI) DESIGN (POOL 4) This remodel began as another rectangle with those hard cor-ners and edges and ended up with a great oval shaped pool where the sides and ends were given unique treatments to create small vignettes that make this pool unique. Nick often strives to banish hard 90 degree angles from his designs and favors softer, more organic shapes. This pool also incorporated an infinity edge with an 18 inch drop where the water spills over one lip and gets recalculated. To achieve this Nick had to remove a deck that was blocking this stunning view, but he incorporated a lower patio beneath the infinity edge in compensation. One end of the new oval design was offset from the main pool with a stone wall where an opening allows the waters of a spa area to flow freely into the main pool itself in a small waterfall. An-other side of the pool was accessorized by shelving stone boul-ders and a recessed planter area, while the opposite side saw the curved stone tile border angled slightly downward to create an infinity edge. This opening is framed by two low boulders, and it looks out on a flagstone tiled area where the green lawn emerges from the edges of each flagstone.

Two Fire features were added: a fire pit adjacent to the spa, and fire torches to compliment the outdoor Urn lighting from the Nick Williams Lighting Collection create a wonderful ambi-ence around this pool in the evenings, and the sunsets here are spectacular. Also adjacent to the pool is a wonderful seating area with four rattan chairs and outdoor gazebo where vines climb elegantly up toward the roof along one of the four weight bearing posts. When the evening sky is mirrored in the calm waters of the pool, particularly near the infinity edge, the setting here is simply miraculous!

The Nick Williams Pool Design Process: The Nick Williams Pool Design Process is a new method developed by Nick that harmonizes very well with Pebble Tec finishing. “Pebble Tec”® where sides and bottom surfaces of the pool are finished with pebbles or small stones. The process delivers more natural elegance while retaining durability that com-bines beauty with exceptional value. Nick Williams has added his own proc-ess, his own flair, to the standard Pebble Tec design. In this process he mixes different types of stone with concrete, in various sizes, to create diverse surface textures, sometimes to simulate a shoreline, where some larger stones or small boulders will be added in, or on other occasions to simulate a stream bed or forest pond. Sometimes a shelving design staircases from the shallow to deeper ends of the pool, and these tiers are styled with more natural stone to create a number of effects. In designing these areas, Nick also considers how light interacts with the water, to create the illusion of deep depths in certain areas of the pool. The transition from light warm stone to darker, cooler colors creates the illusion of depth. Particular attention is paid to areas that will have some inflowing water, such as a natural waterfall design or fountain. Often in corner areas, these design see the inclusion of much larger boulders to round off the area and make it appear more natural. Often artistically crafted faux boulders will be combined with Nature's own. Nick often uses a “shoreline” idea, adding in some stone work that appeared to have tumbled from the edge of the pool to its new resting place in the design. Working back away from the pool with beds of gravel, water plants and other scatters of mixed stone and gravel make the whole scene look completely natu-ral, as if this pristine pond was there all along, and the home was simply built around it! This type of styling is also ideal for offsetting a spa adjacent to the main pool, and serves to create a seamless blending of the two water features. For more images and for further information regarding the Nick Williams Pool Design Process go to our website: WWW.NWADesigns.com

BEFORE

AFTER


Some highlights of Nick Williams Pools and Remodels

• Using Pebble Tec and other features explain from the above. • Creating coral reef areas in pools. • For real natural looks, creating and using real and faux boulders

around the pool to make it seem as though the pool was created around the existing boulder, and not the other way around.

• Incorporation of sandy beach areas using a special type of sand that has a nice texture and feel for your feet.

• Creating organic curves to pools instead of sharp edges and hard 90 degree angles.

• Nick often shortens the pool to incorporate other features like spas and waterfalls, and he also often relocates the pool to a more suit-able area, being aware of the view as well as areas for other outdoor features.

• Nick does not recommend pool covers. They are often ugly and only hide the magic. He recommends the beauty of your design be in view all year around, especially here in California with its year round temperate climate. All these designs incorporate Nick’s phi-losophy that a pool cover is simply not needed. He designs each pool to be used and appreciated all the time, not covered up.

• He will often make fewer deep areas and build in more wading ar-eas- this means you use less water, and fewer chemicals to maintain the pool.

• He usually recommends removing diving boards, which are one of the most dangerous features of any pool. Instead he creates more shallow areas play areas designed to invite you gently into the wa-ter. For those that like to make their entrance with a big splash, Nick can also take that urge into consideration in any design.

NW Process may also include adding tiles- a variety of colors can be used.

NW Process also mixes different sizes and colors of

pebbles with concrete

Pebble Tec

NW Shoreline Process

Above- NW Shoreline plus various sized rocks & boulders

(LAN)DESIGN (POOL 1)

BEFORE AFTER

NICK WILLIAMS NATURAL STYLE POOL REMODEL

(PER) DESIGN (POOL 2) BEFORE AFTER

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NICK WILLIAMS NATURAL STYLE POOL REMODEL JA Photography

(SHA) DESIGN (POOL 3) BEFORE AFTER

(REI) DESIGN (POOL 4)

BEFORE AFTER

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NICK WILLIAMS INFINITY NATURAL STYLE POOL REMODEL

All images on this page: JA Photography


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All images on this page: JA Photography

23013 Ventura Blvd Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Phone: 818/222-7477 Fax: 818/222-7478 Email: [email protected] Website: WWW.NWADesigns.com


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nick williams & associates€¦ · lighting. you can transform a pool remodel into something...

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