A looker: This striking vinyl-liner pool overlooks Temecula Valley, Calif., famous for its vineyards and golf courses. Larry Webber, founder/owner of Aqua Splash, calls the 16-by-32-foot vessel a play pool, but says it also could be considered a reflection pool. Regardless, it’s shallow on the sides (3.5 feet) and deeper in the middle (6 feet), sitting on property of more than an acre. The family, which includes teenagers, finds outdoor entertaining is easy, thanks to a gazebo filled with comfy chairs at one end of the pool, and a large concrete deck that can handle a number of tables, chairs and chaise lounges.
Ever evolving: Accents such as a whimsical frog statue perched on one corner of the pool, bright flowers strategically placed and a portable, six-person spa round out the aquascape. The owners’ approach to this pool area has evolved over time. The original plan was to build the vinyl vessel with the understanding that someday it would be replaced by a gunite pool. But as time went by, that idea fell by the wayside — of course, it didn’t hurt that its price tag was considerably less than that of a gunite. One change did occur: After the pool was built, the gardener planted palm trees nearby, and the roots spread underneath the vessel. Webber says he is going to have to dig them out and reline the pool.
