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outdoor kitchen area allows the hosts to
spend less time indoors and more time
poolside with their guests, continuing to
entertain and enjoy the fresh air while
they prepare food and drinks. The pool
itself has underwater barstools on one
edge, so people don’t even have to leave
the water to eat.
A stone waterfall made for the perfect
finishing touch and is one of Murphy’s
personal favorite aspects of the design. It’s
a charming focal point of the space, and its
soothing sounds are the ideal background
noise for relaxing on the deck or laying out
on the pool’s tanning ledge.
Murphy said her clients “really wanted
something that brought the interior of
their space outward.” In coordinating
with the home builders, Designer Pools
was able to create an aesthetic that flows
seamlessly from the inside out. The house
has multiple exits to the backyard, and the
short stairway down to the pool spreads
across the entire patio, so all ways lead
to the water. The outdoor kitchen and
gathering areas of the fire pit and spa add
to the multi-functionality of the layout.
While the marriage of the indoor
and outdoor spaces was a key design
concept, Murphy also recognized the
imperative to have the yard conform to
the surrounding environment and “fit in
nicely with the rest of the neighborhood.”
Cedar Park, a northern suburb of Austin,
is at the edge of the Texas Hill Country,
so Murphy drew her inspiration and
materials directly from this region.
For the landscaping in the front and
back, she chose local, low-maintenance
vegetation requiring minimal watering.
Native stonework such as flagstone was
also heavily utilized in the construction
of the pool area.
The unique shape of the house and lot
offered up some distinct challenges in the
drafting stages. Murphy found a way to
use these constraints to her advantage by
letting the boundaries guide her overall
design and layout. The U-shape of the
space formed a natural cradle for the
free-form pool to sit right in the middle,
nestled up near the house, and everything
else just fell into place around it.
The clients were thrilled with the design
plans and fell in love with the finished
product. It’s the perfect space for their
family-oriented and fun-loving lifestyle.
More than just a backyard, it’s a true
extension of their house and a place
where memories are sure to be made for
many years to come.
"They’re a fun family,”
Murphy said, “and
they wanted the
opportunity to do a
lot of entertaining
outside all year long."
