The Pierce Family of Queen Creek, AZ partnered with Presidential Pools & Spas to build their new backyard pool.
Below is a short interview about their experience
Author: prespools
Pool Design Spotlight: A Total Backyard Resort
“I think people will see that contemporary designed pools can have some curves and custom features rather than only having straight lines like most.”
If you’re looking for pool design inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. This backyard design packs a ton of ideas into one incredible resort-style layout. Trevor Brents, the prolific Presidential Pools & Spas designer, has created what looks like five pools in one. There’s a sunken swim-up bar, an in-pool table, sheer descents, a pergola rain sheer, a built-in spa, and there’s plenty of room to play. Below is a conversation with Trevor about this design and what those currently designing
their backyards might learn from it.
What was the family’s goal with this pool? How did this influence the design?
Trevor Brents: This family wanted a full backyard design concept that featured the ambiance of walking out the patio doors into a resort style pool. The pergola rain sheer and the sunken bar were the big features that made this possible. Together, they create the feeling that you’re walking into the pool area of a 5-star resort. I believe we created something truly unique with this design.
This pool almost looks like five pools in one. Can you talk about the different areas and how you thought about the design for each?
When we originally met and discussed the pool design the home owner had a different idea in mind. It would have been a great looking pool but it lacked the flare and uniqueness of this design. I love when the customer is willing to let us design something to wow them. As I put this design together I wanted to create some radius parts of the pool that made for elevations in the design. Each station provides the feeling of being in separate “rooms”. We have the sitting area with the table for talking and enjoying a beverage. We have the awesome Baja step entry to lounge and soak in the sun. We have the curved deep end with the water sheers creating an almost hidden cave feel for the swimmer. And, to enjoy the Arizona fall and winter nights gazing at the clear skies, we have the beautiful raised spa (notice the custom tile work on the spillway).
What inspiration can people take from this?
This pool is going to appeal to the modern design appetite. I think people will see that contemporary designed pools can have some curves and custom features rather than only having straight lines like most. People will see how incorporating the feel of the yard and the overall concept will allow them to truly create a custom pool to enjoy for years to come.
Do you have any favorite elements from this backyard? What are they and why?
I love the raised curved water wall connecting to the spa and the sunken bar. This, along with the rain sheer and custom fire pit in the back, make this design a fully usable backyard experience.
Was there anything new about this design that you had never done before?
Can you tell us about it?
The client was great to work with and open to a lot of innovative ideas. I have never designed a Baja shelf with a custom pergola rain sheer. This is going to be a fun pool for sure!
There are a lot of lighting elements and water features in this design. Can
you talk about some of these features and how they change the environment,
both visually and audibly?
When I meet with my customers I often tell them that creating design depth is important. Being able to elevate objects and create water features at different heights allows for the whole finished product to really come alive. This design allows for a variety of settings. For example, the spa can be used by itself to create a quiet, relaxing mood.
Or you can be grilling at the bar and watching the game and have the rain sheer on for that visual appeal. Or you can light the fire pit and have all the colored LED pool and spa lights running to create that beautiful backyard everyone will want to look at. This design provides countless options for setting the mood.
What can people starting the pool design process learn from this family?
This customer was really fun to work with. I would love to encourage our customers to enjoy the pool design process allowing yourself to be flexible. Remember, we’re creating long lasting dreams and this should be fun for everyone!
Interested in talking with Trevor or other incredible pool designer?
We offer free, no-strings-attached design consultations and would love to help you design the swimming pool and backyard of your dreams! If you’d like to chat, you can fill out this form, give us a call at 480.967.9467, or visit any one of our Phoenix valley and Tucson Metro area showrooms!
Looking for more pool designs? Check out OUR GALLERIES!
Pool Build Highlight: The Phillips Family of San Tan Valley, AZ
The Phillips Family of San Tan Valley, AZ partnered with Presidential Pools & Spas to build their new backyard pool. Shelby Phillips was nice enough to share her experience with us here.
Bonus: Their dog might love the pool more than anyone!
Why is having a pool important to you and your family?
Getting a pool allowed my family and friends to have a place to get together and enjoy each other’s company.
Which features were most important to you in designing your pool?
The Baja deck. It’s a great place for our dogs to enjoy the water!
What advice would you offer to those just starting the pool building process?
Communication is key. Make sure that you go over everything with your sales team before signing any papers.
Why did you choose Presidential Pools & Spas as your pool builder?
My family knew Tim Murphy, he has done my family’s pools before.
What do you like most about your pool now?
Everything! It turned out amazing!
Ready to start designing your new backyard? Call us at 480-967-9467, visit any of our locations, or click here.
An Interview with Tim Murphy
Our founder, Tim Murphy, gave a great interview at Voyage Phoenix. He tells about how he started cleaning pools at 14, how the company handled 2008, what’s next, and much more!
You can get the whole interview here. Enjoy our highlights!
Tim, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a lucky guy. It’s crazy to reflect on how each step led to the next.
When I was 14, I started cleaning the waterline tile on a handful of neighborhood pools to earn money. Pretty soon, I had so many pools to clean that I needed to hire high school friends to help.
Through cleaning pools, I realized that people wanted weekly maintenance on their pools, so I started doing that.
Through maintenance, I learned how to repair pools, and I started doing that in my early 20s.
Through repairing pools I learned all sorts of mistakes that pool builders make and where things can go wrong when building a pool. This turned out to be a really valuable education a few years later when I started building pools.
When I was 27, I got a lucky break. A friend of mine bought a home at an early age and asked me to help him build a pool. I jumped on the opportunity and had an absolute blast building it.
After that, I knew I wanted to focus on building pools. A few people I knew socially hired me after they learned I had entered the pool construction business. Then I started running small ads in the papers.
I was building pools by day and designing and selling them at night. It was a wild time!
I still remember the numbers for the early years. 5 pools in the first year, 27 in the second, 51 in the third, 101 in the fourth, and we just kept growing. Our peak year was in 2006 when we built over 2000 pools in Arizona.
Fast forward to today, and our awesome team of over 100 people build over 1000 pools per year with offices in Gilbert, Surprise and Tucson.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t know if business is ever smooth! Taking care of customers and employees can be difficult, especially in times of change.
We’ve had to constantly change our business. Even when times were great we had to innovate in order to keep going. In the peak building years we couldn’t find enough sub-contractors so we created companies to do the work internally. This meant hiring a ton of people, buying equipment, etc.
Then 2008 hit, which was a huge struggle for just about everybody in the Phoenix Valley and Tucson metro areas. We had to downsize and adjust our business model. The market became really competitive, requiring us to continue innovating. Between 2009 and 2011, we started two companies to help improve.
We started Pebble Radiance, which offers beautiful interior finishes, to meet consumer design preferences and demands. We also founded Blue Square Manufacturing to offer better quality, more energy-efficient pool hardware, including drains, in-floor cleaning systems and pool lights. The struggles led us to valuable opportunities!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Presidential Pools & Spas – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
It’s all right there in the name: “Presidential Pools & Spas”. We specialize in designing and creating incredible custom pools, spas, and outdoor environments for Arizona families. We’re known for quality design, engineering, craftsmanship, and customer service.
Our success stems from always placing a huge focus on customer satisfaction. My parents were in the insurance business, and I learned from an early age the importance of ensuring each client is happy. A lot of people say this, but our customers will back me up–we actually do it! Over decades, this follow-through has created a strong brand that people trust to transform their backyards.
I’m incredibly proud of the thousands of lives our pools have changed over the years. In Arizona, pools are a big deal, so I’m honored that Presidential Pools has been trusted by so many people over the years.
I’m also proud of Blue Square and the patents and products we have there that can help pool owners as well as pool builders. I really enjoy being a manufacturer and getting to meet and learn from other pool builders.