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Life On Virginia Street

Life On Virginia Street

DIY . Home Decor . Travel . Style . Life

A Pool + Backyard Update

Landscaping and Outdoor Spaces

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It’s been a long time since I gave an official pool update (you can read the last one here), but we’re getting a lot closer to finalizing everything and I wanted to share some updates (since we may be breaking ground really soon)! The funny thing is, I keep calling it the “pool project”, when in reality, the pool is the easy part. It’s the landscaping decisions that are requiring the most time and focus!

Okay, so below is the closest we have to finalized plans. I think I’ve showed you this one before but I’ve turned it so the orientation makes more sense for the photos below. After our meeting on Saturday, and after a wall specialist coming on site, we think we actually need to go with two rows of retaining walls to hold the hill. This isn’t shown in the plans below so you’ll have to use your imagination.

Pool Plans

So, here is the new plans with the second wall idea, handrawn by me on my computer. Green = retaining wall placement. Red text = labels for orientation. Super fancy.

Pool Plans with second wall

I tried to “draw” out the spray paint lines so you can see them in the photos below. White = wall, blue = water 🙂 Very crude “drawings” but I think it will ultimately help you envision the areas I’m referencing. The first photo shows a wider angle of most of the entire area, and then the last two are like a panoramic photo cut in half looking from left to right. The weird thing in the center represents the placement of the water feature and bump-out wall (the water feature does not land in the pool – there will be a 3-4 foot walking path in front of it).

Pool & Backyard Update - Pool Wall Placement with Water

Pool Wall Placement Left

Pool Wall Placement

Bottom line. The hill is a lot steeper than we ever remember and quite a bit further back from our house than it ever feels like. When we saw just the lines for the four foot wall, it seriously looked like it was about two feet tall against the remainder of the hill. I totally get that such a deep yard is not a bad problem at all to have, but it certainly complicates the plans a bit (and ups the required budget). We just want to make sure that we aren’t kicking ourselves down the line if we can’t manage the grass/weeds/landscaping if it’s too steep to navigate with only the one wall. You can see this old picture of our backyard below, when I was standing at the top corner of our lot line.

Back Hill

The two tiers will allow for tiered landscaping (which will be much easier than trying to work on the slope) and should help prevent mulch and plants/trees from basically washing down the slope of the hill. I think visually it is going to look a lot more finished in the end, as well. We still need final pricing confirmation for the second wall, but it sounds like it should be doable.

We found an affordable veneer (shown below) that we’ll likely be using to face the concrete retaining wall. After talking it through with our designer (Justin at Kloos Kutters in Omaha) and the stone company, it sounds like a DIY project we may try to tackle on our own :/ A little scary, but it sounds like it is really easy to install and will save us almost $7k+ in labor, so it seems like a no-brainer. But, did I mention the lower wall is 4ft tall and 145 ft long?!? Not to mention the new upper wall?!? Let’s hope it’s really, really easy or we may be installing the next three summers! In person, the veneer looks a lot like limestone.

IMG_0443

Even with the items we still have to finalize, we’re still hoping to get the wall started in March. Possibly even in the next two weeks!

The next big decision we ultimately haven’t finalized is the paver situation. We want something light, in the largest pieces possible.

Right now, we’re contemplating the Unilock Umbriano Pavers in the Summer Wheat color. It has a non-slip surface and is completely stain resistant (even to red wine and acid – because everyone spills acid on their pool deck 😉 ). Here’s an example of how the pavers would look:

Umbriano Patio Closeup via Unilock
Umbriano Patio Closeup via Unilock

The one thing I’m not 100% sold on is the pattern (you can only buy it in the grouping shown above). I’m a much bigger fan of the following look (same paver, just larger). But it sounds like it would add quite a bit to labor costs because of how many cuts we’d have with the rounded pool if we just went with the larger blocks that are sold invidually.

Umbriano Pool via Unilock
Umbriano Pool via Unilock

You may remember, the original “stone” we were looking at is a concrete product that looks like travertine, called antique travertine. It by far is still our favorite, but it is pricey. But I do love that it doesn’t have to be laid in a specific pattern like the other product so it is still a contender. The look of the retaining wall holding the grass below would be very similar to the look of ours when everything is done.

Antique Travertine via Rochester Concrete Products
Antique Travertine via Rochester Concrete Products
Antique Travertine Pavers
Antique Travertine Pavers via Rochester Concrete Products

I realize from far away, they don’t look significantly different, but up close, you can see there is so much more texture to the look:

Antique Travetine Concrete Close-up via Rochester Concrete Products
Antique Travetine Concrete Close-up via Rochester Concrete Products

See what I mean? It looks like actual stone, but with the durability of concrete. Again, this one is our number one option, but labor costs go up quite a bit with it. The sample we currently have in our backyard is the older version, so we’re waiting for a new one to arrive to make sure we still like it.

Other than that, the pool itself is easy. We’re hoping once the wall gets complete, the pool company can start shortly after with the pool excavation. Ultimately, we’d like to have everything wrapped up by Memorial Day, weather permitting, and by mid-June at the latest.

I’ve really tried to limit my “design” plans for the space outside of the basic architecture of the pool, landscaping, hill, etc. But, I have managed to look at some pool furniture. It is likely we’ll have to add it all in stages (it’s so expensive!) but our number one priority at this point are the chaise lounges, as we know they’ll get use immediately. Following are a few looks I have in mind, but it’s so hard to decide on a route to go! Please note that I’m only looking at the shape and color of the chair itself – not necessarily the pillow/accessory colors they are styled with.

Of course the chairs I love most are also the most expensive. As far as the overall look goes, I think ultimately I’ll go with blues and greens (shockers) in addition to neutral cushions. Do you have any other chaise recommendations? They are all so expensive, but I also want to ensure they can hold up to the Nebraska elements!

Wow! That was a long post. I guess I shouldn’t have gone quite so long in between updates 😉 I’ll continue to keep you posted as the project progresses. Like I said, the wall excavation may be starting really soon – and I can’t wait!

If you would like to follow along on more of my home decor, DIY, lifestyle, travel and other posts, I’d love to have you follow me on any of the following:

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disclosure: some affiliate links used

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February 23, 2016 · 18 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says

    February 23, 2016 at 8:36 am

    Hi! Love the look. We did a major “pool project” several years ago and there are SO MANY decisions to make. Regarding the furniture, I loved the look of Pottery Barn chaises and we got them. TERRIBLE quality. They are already completely weathered and broken (I actually took them all apart and am salvaging some of the wood for other artsy projects). Just wanted to let you know!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      February 23, 2016 at 8:39 am

      That is SO good to know! I love the look of the Pottery Barn ones and assumed the quality would be higher. The price was already steering me away but now I definitely stay away. Thank you!!

      Reply
  2. Darlene says

    February 23, 2016 at 8:52 am

    Exciting!! We designed a pool & backyard for our new build home a few years ago and enjoy it so much. Yours looks to be coming along great and I like your retaining wall selection. I’m not sure if Nebraska has a Costco but they sell chaise lounges that are similar to your pictures. I have always had good experiences with the quality of their products.
    Darlene
    http://www.BundleMeBaby.etsy.com

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      February 23, 2016 at 9:09 am

      Great suggestion! I’ll definitely have to check out Costco!

      Reply
  3. Maria Lofftus says

    February 23, 2016 at 9:05 am

    Don’t get all weather wicker furniture! We invested in a all weather wicker patio set – we loved it, that is until 18 months later when all of the furniture exposed to the sun (we’re in Southern California) began disintegrating. I was shocked – I mean isn’t this stuff made of recycled Coke bottles or something!?! Anyway, when we had the “We Are Junk” guys come to haul it away, they said that they see it all the time. And the kicker is that you can’t get it repaired because the material to do the repairs isn’t available to either the trade or the consumer. We’ve now gone with a Restoration Hardware line of outdoor furniture made of powder coated aluminum guaranteed to last a life time (and at their prices, it should be!), but at least I won’t be calling the junk man again to haul away my outdoor furniture!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      February 23, 2016 at 9:11 am

      I love the Restoration Hardware lines SO much! Their prices terrify me though 🙂 But, that is really interesting on the wicker furniture. I may have to steer clear of that as well based on your feedback. I’ve heard teak does well too, but wood makes me a bit nervous with our crazy humidity here. I may have to look a little more into the RH lines knowing that we won’t have to replace it in a few years. Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  4. joni says

    February 23, 2016 at 9:39 am

    I love a pool. Im excited to see the progress

    Reply
  5. Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says

    February 23, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Bite the bullet and go for the larger paver stones that would need more cuts… if that’s what you really want, you’ll regret it if you don’t! 😉

    Reply
  6. megan says

    February 23, 2016 at 10:57 am

    i think you’ll be happier in the end if you go with one of the larger paver options! the design looks really great.

    Reply
  7. JAIMEG says

    February 23, 2016 at 1:11 pm

    Love your pool design!! I love the Antique Travertine as well, but if costs were significant enough I’d definitely go with the Umbriano Patio, as I feel it’s just as beautiful and will look amazing. I actually really like the design pattern it comes in. I’ve heard the same horrible reviews of the wicker furniture from RH. I do have a sideboard from them and it’s my favorite piece and very well made but I’d stay away from their wicker furniture. I have the Chatham outdoor sectional from PB and love it. I’ve had it for 2 years now and it still looks brand new, though they did inform me to cover it in the winter to protect the wood from splitting and eventually the wood will need to be refinished over the years, but I don’t mind, as it’s wood! Good luck on everything!!! It will be gorgeous no matter what you choose. Can’t wait to see it!!

    Reply
  8. Sabrina says

    February 23, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    This pool design looks great! My parents live in Omaha (where I’m from) and had a pool until they moved into their new house. You will make a lot of new friends with a pool. 😉

    Reply
  9. Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says

    February 23, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    Your pool is going to be gorgeous!

    Reply
  10. Erin says

    February 24, 2016 at 2:44 pm

    I live in the desert and bought our outdoor furniture from Costco about 8 years ago and it still looks great. It’s exposed to sun almost everyday of the year and hasn’t faded at all.

    Reply
    • Katrina Z says

      May 21, 2016 at 5:31 am

      Wow! Thanks for sharing about your furniture in the desert!!

      Reply
  11. Laura Revelli says

    February 26, 2016 at 4:24 pm

    We got our patio furniture at Cost Plus World Market (the St. Martin collection) and I LOVE the chaise lounges. They are armless which is a necessity for me but they have slide out tables attached so you can place all your goodies. The prices are super reasonable, especially if you wait for a sell and/or hoard your WorldMarketExplorer coupons.
    I am happy to report we have had them for a full year now (Northern California), they have held up beautifully, but we were very diligent about covering them in the rain.

    Can’t wait to see the finished product.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      March 3, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Thanks for the info! I’ll definitely check those out!

      Reply
  12. Karen says

    March 5, 2016 at 8:58 pm

    The PB outdoor furniture is indeed awful. I would recommend the high end teak group from Sam’s. Seal it with Cabot’s fence stain. You will never look back. Can’t tell if you’re joking about the acid, but if you get a salt water pool, you will (or your pool people will) be pouring acid in your pool 1-2 times a week depending on your weather. Just saying. The red wine is good to know :-).

    Reply
  13. Louise Castaldi says

    March 25, 2016 at 8:21 am

    We have Frontgate outdoor furniture. It’s pricey but worth it. The Balencia lounges are very comfortable and sturdy. Much better than Pottery Barn.

    Reply

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