The big picture
This Canadian backyard was designed to be a crowd-pleaser. “The homeowner likes to throw big parties,” says Gene Brown, president of Valley Pool & Spa in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, a Genesis 3 Gold member. “And this is a vacation home, so it’s all about creating the feel of a luxury getaway.”
That’s partly why he and designer Skip Phillips, president of Questar Pools and Spas in Escondido, Calif., and Genesis 3 Design Group co-founder, wanted to capture a contemporary, high-end look for the spa that would fit in at an exclusive resort.
One concern was that multiple destinations in the backyard each have separate identities, with plenty of flow between them to prevent a claustrophobic feel. To accomplish this, Phillips and Brown placed the spa inside the angle formed between the pool and house, creating a distinct, sizable space that doesn’t crowd the project’s other features. Additionally, the spa sits directly across the pool from the barbecue area, which also helps to balance the visual weight and create symmetry.
