This Ko Olina Backyard is Transformed into a Family’s Playground

A grassy backyard is revamped by Pacific Pool & Spa into lagoon 5.

While playing the championship Ko Olina golf course, the Bizily family couldn’t help but notice a spectacular pool in the backyard of one of the residences. At their own Ko Olina property, the grass in the backyard extended from the house straight onto the golf course. Seeing their neighbor’s pool helped inspire them to track down the contractor – Clifton Crawford of the award-winning Pacific Pool & Spa – to get started on their backyard transformation.

They instantly connected with one another. The family reviewed Crawford’s portfolio, with each member selecting at least one feature they’d like for their backyard. The result? A fantastic compilation of water, fire, an outdoor kitchen and recreational areas. They call it “Lagoon 5.”

“It’s pretty amazing,” says homeowner Jim Bizily. “He put a lot of thought and effort into designing it so everything could fit exactly how we wanted it.”

Pacific Pool & Spa designed and built a playground of sorts that provides the Bizilys with endless hours of entertainment and the feeling they never need to leave home – something that’s been priceless through the stay-at-home order of the last several months.

The main attraction is the swimming pool, which is loaded with features. It’s 8 feet deep at the deep end, giving the 11- and 15-year-old Bizily brothers the option of making a splash by jumping in from the custom waterfall or 8-foot custom spring board. Crawford installed dual gas-powered tiki torches from Beachside Lighting for either side of the waterfall, providing a gorgeous ambience during the evening. Three laminar jets with 1-inch columns of water and fiber optic colored lights add to the evening show.

“I’m an advocate for water in transit,” Crawford says, noting that when different water features are turned on or off, it sets a specific mood. “Water is my passion.”

When the Badu SwimJet is on, the family can swim against it for exercise. “I love turning on the waterfall and Badu jet at the same time. It makes somewhat of a lazy river, circulating around and around and around,” 
Bizily says.

A shallow-entry Bali ledge with lighted bubblers is a relaxing place to sit in the water without getting your hair wet. The spa, also on this side, is another peaceful spot to unwind.

Crawford used a white plaster material with blue quartz aggregate to give the pool its reflective qualities. Seven turtles of various sizes painted by ceramic artist Susanne Ball decorate the bottom of the pool, as though they’re swimming along with the family.

Outside of the water, the family has many recreational spots to enjoy and play in all day. They practice their short game at the putting green and have some fun with a bocce ball court, made with different blade heights of artificial turf. Crawford retained Exterior Development for the landscaping, which includes red wax palms, gardenia and hybrid hibiscus.

They barbecue dinner outside most evenings, often with friends from the neighborhood. Pacific Pool & Spa built the outdoor kitchen, which includes a Wolf barbecue, Sub-Zero refrigerator, Sub-Zero ice maker, granite countertops and a vessel sink.

All outdoor areas have lighting for the evening hours. The family lights up the fire pit and tiki torches, sparking a serene tone for their backyard getaway. They are thrilled with the transformation.

“I can’t really say enough about Clifton and his team and what a great job they did. They really took the vision we were trying to create and made it come to life and made it a reality,” Bizily says. “It has brought our stress level down considerably and even during these hard or challenging times, you still feel at peace and super calm. It’s the perfect place to hang out and absolutely relax and realize how lucky you are in life.”