“R” Shaped Pool

 

Pool Owner: Julie and JR Richards

Pool Designer/Builder: Jonathan Gill, Richards Backyard Solutions

Location: Houston, TX

Features: 

  • Unique R shape

  • A staggering 3,000 square foot pool with over 140,000 gallons of water

  • 42-foot-long vanishing edge

  • 45’ x 6’ foot catch pool just below the main pool that is also used for swimming laps

  • Diving pool and diving area

  • 20-ton boulder diving platform  

  • Pool designed for volleyball games  

  • Center island featuring in-pool bench and massage jets

  • A cave and a waterslide

  • Lazy river around the center pool island

 

Julie and JR Richards had been in the pool and landscape business for over 20 years and did not have a pool of their own. Their company specializes in pools, landscaping and hot spring Jacuzzis so they wanted their pool to be one-of-a-kind. They chose the unique “R” shape on a whim, but were surprised as how brilliantly that shape allowed for all of the amenities they want in their pool. JR loved the idea as the shape of the pool paid homage to the initial of his last name and for his “R”-iverbank area home. The pool is an expansive 3,000 square feet and holds 140,000 gallons of water-nearly 10 times the size of a regular pool! It is essentially 3 pools in one and was carefully planned out to include features that were important to the Richards and their family. One “leg” of the pool was designed to accommodate volleyball games and those who prefer more shallow waters. The other “leg” of the pool is deep and serves as a diving pool with a diving board. The heart of the R shaped pool is home to it’s own island with it’s own in-water wraparound bench with massaging jets. The island measures 22 x 17 and has a 10-ton moss rock waterfall and rock feature. The water around the island is also a lazy river and the engineering of the water flow was no easy feat for the designers. They had to meticulously design the current so that water would properly circulate throughout the entire pool and propel the lazy river. On one edge of the R is a 42-foot vanishing edge that empties into a 45ft x 6ft catch basin that the Richards and their guests use for swimming laps! It’s almost a second pool! There are two decks featuring flagstone and pave stone. Julie and JR use their one-of-a-kind pool to bring potential clients out to see the different features that are possible for their own projects. The backyard has proved to be a fantastic selling tool to show off what the Richards Backyard Solutions team can design and execute!