The design for this installation in Dripping Springs, Texas, started out with a Pleasure Island pool/spa combo shell from San Juan Fiberglass Pools with a custom tanning ledge. But once the excavation began, the homeowner felt that the footprint was going to be too small. So Bret Shallenberger, owner/president of Nxt Gen Fiberglass Pools & Spas in New Braunfels, Texas, headed back to the drawing board, and the pair ultimately settled on this three-piece hot tub/pool/tanning ledge set design.
The homeowner decided on a salt water pool because it works well with the fiberglass application and is relatively low maintenance. Very dense finish materials were used around the project to eliminate any hardscape issues.
For a more customized look, Shallenberger had San Juan create bar stools for the tanning ledge. Finished with the same small mosaic tiles used to veneer the spa spillway and the pool's waterline, the stools provide a place for hot- and cold-water revelers to converse. The fire bar adds some warmth and drama.
Steps were also installed on the backside of the spa to accommodate the finished height. “At the end of the day it all came together very well,” says Shallenberger.
