Staycation Style

After 34 years at their Oahu home, the members of this family were eager to reimagine their backyard with recreation and relaxation in mind. They enlisted the help of Clifton Crawford and the team at Pacific Pool & Spa to modernize their existing swimming pool and transform their large backyard space into a dreamy resort-style respite.  

The home’s spacious backyard and 20-by-40-foot pool had plenty of potential. Drawing inspiration from the homeowners’ former vacation home in Las Vegas, the family hoped to add a sizable Jacuzzi to the pool and update the outdoor deck for a better overall backyard experience and more family-focused fun.

The family’s favorite activities, including volleyball, were taken into consideration when additional features and water depths were planned for the project.

“The idea was to give it more of a resort feel,” explains Crawford. “We updated the landscaping, resurfaced the deck from plain concrete, and added tiki torches and a fire pit so the family could come out and toast marshmallows.”  

The existing pool was expansive but far too deep to accommodate all ages and activities. Knowing the homeowners are part of a growing family with children and grandchildren who love to swim and play sports, Crawford redesigned the pool with a range of depths. “The kids played volleyball in the pool and one end was always too deep, so we wanted to make it a play pool. We changed a 9-to-10-foot [-deep] pool so that it was shallow on one end at 3.5 feet, made it 4.5 feet on the other, and then deep in the middle at 6 feet,” he shares. 

The spa sits 18 inches higher than the pool and stands out with elegant blue-green tile.

The addition of an extensive Bali ledge entry on the shallow end allows adults to cool off on lounge chairs while the children safely play with the feature’s free-form fountain bubblers. Incorporating their love for the sport, Crawford also added an S.R. Smith stainless steel volleyball net across the center of the pool that can be easily raised and removed as needed. 

The spa, which features dynamic and elegant design details, is a particular point of pride for Crawford. “I like ambience and water in transit — I think every pool should have them,” he says. “So even when you’re not using it, the water in transit should be visible. At night you should be able to sit on the patio and see water spilling over and lights coming on, so it gives that enhanced attraction.” 

A close-up of the spa’s spillover effect, which adds style and soothing fountain sounds.

Sitting 18 inches higher than the pool in vibrant blue-green tile, the spa includes a spillover effect that adds style and soothing fountain sounds. Throughout the pool, spa and Bali ledge, Crawford also added colored underwater lights that illuminate the white plaster and can change the color of the water to red, white, blue, green or pink. Contrasted with the garden’s white landscape lights, the artful style of the pool and dreamy evening lighting are distinctly resort-like in design.

The overall backyard setup has a relaxing resort feel with a fire pit, flowing water and lush landscaping.

Since the completion of the project, the homeowners and their extended family have relished their staycation space and praise Crawford for his expertise and the thoughtful details he included. For many, one of the greatest joys of owning a home is witnessing its evolution as it grows with the family inside. And for members of this family, it’s all about having fun and building memories right in their
own backyard.