Natural Beauty
John Anderson has a knack for designing pools that fit naturally into their surroundings, thanks to smart use of stonework, waterfalls and landscaping. A major flood plain, though, caused some design headaches for the designer. The property sits just a few yards from Stone River, and to get a permit, Anderson had to raise the equipment area above the 100-year flood level. A 6-foot-tall wall neatly obscures the equipment from view. Like Mother Nature around it, this backyard continues to change each season.
Effortless Design
To create a backyard that was more rustic than ritzy, Anderson and his team started with a 19-by-40-foot fiberglass shell. The interior is painted a custom chocolate-brown color Anderson calls “Mystic River,” which creates the soft jade look of a natural body of water. “There was a lot of skepticism about the color before we put the water in,” Anderson says.
Tennessee quartzite forms the large deck around the pool and nearby spa, with the perimeter accented by locally produced brick. While two small, natural-rock waterfalls hug either end of the pool, the back side is treated only with coping for an unobstructed view of the river and wildlife. Numerous plantings tie the pool area into the natural setting.
