Do most of us have the kinds of pools and back yards pictured in this month’s magazine? Of course not. But just because we don’t have anything like this in our back yard doesn’t mean we wouldn’t mind taking a peek over our neighbor’s fence. So we looked all over to find the most extraordinary pools our neighborhood has to offer. And we found out that behind just about every pool, there’s a good story and an awful lot of nice people.
HOMEOWNERS: Steve and Judy Cole, neighborhood residents since 1975 (Judy grew up in Lake Highlands)
YEAR POOL COMPLETED: 1981, by Fountainhead Pools
COST: $30,000; the Coles says building such an extraordinary pool was a “quality of life issue.” It’s a good place for their children – Haley, 13, and Allison, 9 – “to hang out and have friends over. The house becomes kind of a centerpiece for activities and events…it has cut down on our TV watching substantially,” he laughs.
WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE: The pool was built to fit into its natural surroundings, with milsap stone used for the retaining wall and coping. “The pool almost looks like it belongs here the way it’s cut into the hilly terrain. Our back yard is almost totally secluded,” Steve Cole says. “Back here, we never hear a car start, never hear a car door slam.”
HOMEOWNERS: Lyndon James, neighborhood resident for two years
YEAR POOL COMPLETED: 1999, by Summerhill Pools
COST: $40,000; James bought the house in 2000 with the pool. He at first thought it was “rinky-dink” because of its size, but he now calls it “ideal.” He adds that his grandson, 4-year-old Lawson, “loves this pool; he thinks it’s his.”
WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE: The pool is installed on a deck 15 feet above the ground, and many large trees surround it. “It’s like having a swimming pool in a tree house,” James says. Also, nighttime visitors are treated to fiber optic lighting reflected through color wheels. “Sometimes I go to bed with those lights on and listen to the fountains,” James says.
HOMEOWNERS: George and Martha Hendon, Lake Highlands residents since 2000
YEAR POOL COMPLETED: 2002, by Aladdin Pools
COST: $45,000; after living in the cold winters of St. Louis for many years prior to coming to Dallas, George Hendon says he and his wife were “really ready to spend some time outdoors” when they moved into the neighborhood. “The drabness of winter lasts much longer up there. We wanted more than just a back yard, we were looking for an experience.”
WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE: The modern-looking pool has fountains and spillways galore, but the most impressive feature may be the focal point on the opposite side of the spa, where Terry Petersen of Aladdin built a retaining wall that holds landscaping and a dramatic sculpture.
