The Pool House

The Vision

Every great home deserves a sanctuary — a place where the boundary between indoors and outdoors dissolves, where the rhythm of daily life slows to something more intentional. The Pool House was conceived as exactly that kind of retreat: a dedicated entertaining and wellness pavilion that extends the main residence into a world of water, warmth, and effortless hospitality.

Our clients came to us with a clear vision. They wanted an indoor pool area that felt neither clinical nor purely functional, but rather a space that carried the same warmth and materiality as the finest room in their home. They imagined stepping from the house into a space where swimming, socialising, and quiet relaxation could happen simultaneously — where children could play in the water while adults gathered at the bar, where morning laps could transition seamlessly into afternoon entertaining.

The brief was deceptively simple: create an indoor pool house that feels like a luxury resort, but with the intimacy and personality of a private home. What made this project particularly challenging was the need to manage humidity, ventilation, and acoustic performance while maintaining the aesthetic warmth that our clients demanded. Too many indoor pool areas feel institutional — all hard surfaces and echoing acoustics. We were determined to create something different.

Working closely with Adams Building Design, we developed an approach that prioritises natural materials and careful spatial planning. The building sits as a complementary pavilion to the main residence, connected but distinct, with its own character and atmosphere. The orientation was carefully considered to maximise natural light penetration throughout the day, reducing the need for artificial lighting and creating constantly shifting patterns across the water surface.

Design & Materiality

The material palette for The Pool House was selected with extraordinary care, balancing aesthetic ambition against the demanding environmental conditions of an indoor aquatic space. Every surface needed to withstand sustained humidity exposure while contributing to the warm, resort-like atmosphere our clients envisioned.

The ceiling became the defining element of the entire space. Dressed in western red cedar battens, it transforms what could have been a utilitarian enclosure into something genuinely beautiful. The installation of these battens required exceptional precision — each one individually fitted, with consistent spacing maintained across the entire ceiling plane. Western red cedar was chosen not only for its rich, honeyed colour and aromatic properties, but for its natural resistance to moisture and dimensional stability in humid conditions. Over time, these battens will develop a gentle silver patina if left unsealed, though in this application they've been treated to maintain their warm, golden tone.

The walls feature concrete-look Cemintel cladding — a material choice that serves multiple purposes. Practically, it provides excellent moisture resistance and durability in the pool environment. Aesthetically, its raw, industrial texture creates a sophisticated counterpoint to the warmth of the cedar above. The resulting interplay between warm timber and cool concrete gives the space a contemporary edge without sacrificing comfort.

Underfoot, the tiled flooring extends seamlessly from the pool surround through to the bar and lounging areas. The tile selection prioritised slip resistance without compromising on appearance — a critical safety consideration in any aquatic environment. The colour palette was kept deliberately restrained, allowing the cedar ceiling and water surface to be the room's visual heroes.

The Bar & Entertaining

At the heart of The Pool House's social function is the bar — a fully appointed entertaining station positioned with deliberate intention just steps from the water's edge. This isn't an afterthought or a makeshift drinks station; it's a purpose-built hospitality zone that rivals many commercial bar fit-outs in its specification and finish.

The bar's position within the space was carefully choreographed. From the main seating area, guests can engage with the person behind the bar while maintaining visual connection to the pool. Children swimming are always in view. The bar creates a natural gathering point — a social anchor that draws people together without forcing them away from the water.

The fit-out includes integrated refrigeration, ample storage for glassware and spirits, a sink with running water, and generous counter space for food preparation and service. The benchtop material was selected to complement the broader material palette while being impervious to water splashes and the inevitable condensation that forms on cold drinks in a warm, humid environment.

Beyond the bar itself, the lounging areas have been arranged to create multiple social configurations. Guests can recline poolside in intimate conversation, gather around the bar for more animated socialising, or find quieter corners for reading or contemplation. The acoustic treatment — aided significantly by the cedar batten ceiling, which breaks up sound reflection — ensures that conversation remains comfortable even when the pool is in active use.

The pool itself, supplied and installed by Pauls Pools & Spas, features a hideaway cover system that serves both practical and aesthetic functions. When the pool is not in use, the cover reduces heat loss and evaporation, maintaining water temperature and reducing humidity levels in the building. When retracted, it disappears entirely from view, preserving the clean lines and uncluttered aesthetic of the space.

Living Experience

The Pool House has fundamentally transformed how our clients use their property. What was once a conventional backyard has become an extension of their living space — a year-round retreat that functions equally well for morning exercise, afternoon play, and evening entertaining.

In summer, the large openable sections of the building connect the pool space to the garden beyond, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor experience that feels genuinely resort-like. In winter, the building cocoons its occupants in cedar-scented warmth, the heated pool steaming gently in the cool air, creating an atmosphere of pure luxury.

The attention to ventilation and humidity management has proven critical to the building's long-term success. Natural ventilation pathways were designed to work in concert with mechanical systems, maintaining comfortable humidity levels without creating uncomfortable draughts across the water surface. The result is a space that feels fresh and comfortable year-round, without the oppressive humidity that plagues many indoor pool environments.

What strikes visitors most about The Pool House is how it feels — not like a pool enclosure, but like a genuinely beautiful room that happens to contain a pool. The warmth of the cedar ceiling, the sophistication of the bar area, the quality of light filtering through the glazing — these elements combine to create something that transcends its functional purpose and becomes, simply, one of the most enjoyable spaces in the home.

For Davies, The Pool House represents an important aspect of our philosophy: that every building, regardless of its function, deserves the same care, craftsmanship, and design intelligence that we bring to our finest residential projects. A pool house could be purely utilitarian. This one is art.