Staying Cool: Pools, Pool Houses, and Cabanas.
As we enter the heat of the summer, we’re all fantasizing about spending more of our days poolside with a warm breeze and a cold drink. Get your fix with a roundup of some of our favorite Workshop/APD-designed swimming pools, optimized for relaxation.
At every site, we locate the pool early on the job, considering things like sun exposure, privacy, safety, and zoning regulations. Once construction begins, we work with the landscaper to decide exactly how the pool will fit into the site as part of the hardscaping. We think about how people will engage with outdoor space: how are they living around the pool? Where will they spend most of their time – in chaises, grilling, sitting under shade?
From there, the final details are decided: the depth of the pool, the color and style of coping, whether it will have an infinity edge or not, the color of the bottom and the tile at the top. Each of the following pools shows a slightly different – but equally dreamy – approach.
THE COURTYARD HOUSE
This extra special Nantucket compound uses the inner courtyard as the view, framing it on all sides. The home’s main living space opens out to a multilevel patio consisting of several seating zones, all of which face the pool. Native plantings fill in all the gaps for a vibrant indoor-outdoor experience.
Designed to make the most of a tight site, the pool sits close to the house and extends toward the cabana and screened porch. Its placement creates a private, relaxed setting while keeping the harbor view in full sight.
Upper Harbor Compound
Surrounded by open lawn, native plantings, and places to gather, the pool feels integrated into the landscape. Its clean, understated design keeps the focus on spending time outdoors.
EAST HAMPTON MODERN
Immediately upon arriving at this Hamptons home, a view-through opens up to the pool and meadow out back. The landscape was a primary focus for this project, so the pool had to be strategically nestled into the tall grasses and wildflowers.
Lighthouse Vistas
Set along one of the property’s main view corridors, the pool opens toward Sesachacha Pond and Quidnet Beach. Its placement makes it feel like a natural extension of the landscape
Beyond the Pool
Pool houses and cabanas extend the experience beyond the water, creating shaded places to gather, lounge, and entertain. Designed as natural companions to the pool, they bring comfort and flexibility to outdoor living.
Set within the central courtyard, this shaded lounge creates a relaxed place to unwind.
These spaces are designed for the hours between swims quiet mornings in the shade, long lunches, and evenings that stretch on. Whether open-air or enclosed, each pool house or cabana offers a comfortable place to pause while staying connected to the water and landscape.