Michael Gesmond, Owner/Designer
Heritage Pools, North Charleston, S.C.
Ellis Creek Photography
This residential property is set in a vibrant area of downtown Charleston, S.C.
“When I think of downtown, I think of horseback and carriage rides, old architecture, military — plenty of history,” says Michael Gesmond, owner of Charleston-based Heritage Pools. “There is definitely a lot of older brick — brick roads and driveways, a lot of sidewalks are brick, a lot of old arches and buildings. And there are a lot of trees and plants.”
At night, the area displays plenty of interesting lighting.
The clients asked for a luxury pool that included multiple elements, such as a spa, small swimmable space, turf and decking. It quickly became clear that, for this backyard, a pool surrounded simply by hardscape wouldn’t fit.
Instead, Gesmond created this cross-shaped combination plunge pool/spa surrounded by turf, to fit both physically and aesthetically.
Gesmond knew that a walkway of step pads set in the lawn would be needed to carry users down the length of the yard, beginning at the opening of an existing edge.
The pool sits off to the side, its center line placed at the halfway point between the walkway and the side wall to perfectly nestle it in that corner. The vessel’s cross shape allowed the designer to evenly segment the functional zones — spa at one end, tanning ledge on the other, with the small plunge pool in between. Entry steps on one side of the plunge, and a bench on the other form the cross bar.
“The point was for everybody to be together and not feel distant,” Gesmond says. “The cross helped with that, because you can still be in the middle of the pool and people can be close by in the spa, or by the sun ledge.”
To border the water, Gesmond chose a heftier stone — 2-inch-thick silver travertine with squared edges — to add a more substantial look.
White lighted spheres behind the tanning ledge carry the vibe from the downtown night life.
