I don't think you are off to a bad start at all. I think we all, at one time or another, wander if everything we picked is going to look how we picture it in our minds. Until it all comes together, one element can look stark. I think that is when the "Oh, no, what have I done" sets in.
While the glass tile can be used in modern poolscapes, Especailly with the color you have chosen, you are adding eclectic elements to your poolscape. Everything in a woodland setting is made up of differnt textures and colors and shades.
Personally, I like the tile and think you can do lots with it in your decking and landscaping. It provides a different texture than a stone looking tile next to stone looking deck, next to stone looking coping....get my drift.
Keep on your theme and all your elements will come together.
Keep us updated with your pix and progree. To add pix direct to the forum, copy and paste the html code off photobucket

I don't think your choices are bad at all - I love the rock with the green glass tile, and your vertical, mature trees are a great counterpoint to the linear, contemporary pool layout. No one really can envision the complete final outcome, and your pool will also look different to you on different days - clouds, sun, rain, etc. Enjoy it!

I don't think you made bad choices either. I love your green tile. I have green and brown tile on my pool and I like how natural it looks with the stone and surroundings.

I posted my photos a couple of weeks ago if you want to see what my tile looks like with water in the pool (I'm a newbie too so I'm sure there is a better way to link you to my post, but I don't know what it is!)

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pools/msg0800394610848.html?7

I think it looks fine, its natural for people second guess their choices (cognitive dissonance). You would do this no matter what you chose so dont beat yourself up over it. If you absolutely hate the tile and/or the coping, ask the PB the cost to change it. It will be alot less now than later. Its hard for anyone to suggest anything since tastes are all over the board and ultimately you have to live with it. I would sit online for a few hours and search through all the pool contractors websites you can find and save pictures of pools you like and dont like ( I have a nice, nice but too big, too small, like finish, hate finish, nice deck, hate deck etc folders with the pool pictures saved). Check out community.webshots.com, flikr, photobucket etc and search for pools there as well.

Thank you all so much for your support and input--

zookeeper, I so appreciate your pointing out that at this point everything is so stark, and by adding new textures, colors, and shades, elements will come together. It really helped me to think about elements other than the coping and tile today. Thank you too for the instruction on putting pix in the post!

hargyle, Thank you for reminding me about the trees! Although there aren't many now, we plan on lots of plantings, and that's such a good point about the vertical as a counterpoint to the linear pool.

susan, Your pool is gorgeous! Your setting is exactly the look and feel I'd love to have. Although my setting will never be what yours is, I can take inspiration from it to try and get the same feeling.

subl, You're so right about second guessing no matter what choices I've made. Your post really made me think; I have all sorts of pix of pools saved that I love, but their shape and style are different than what I'm working with, and I think that's a big part of the frustration.

Your posts really helped, thank you :)

I have a couple of questions (I'm sure not the last)...
Has anyone painted an arbor or pergola green?

What tan concrete colors (integral) are neutral with no pink or peach?

I'd love to see pix if anyone has examples...

Maecat,

I think that you are off to a great start! I like the tile and coping and when the other elements are added, it will all come together. We have a lot of trees and greenery, so the blue water color really adds a nice contrast.

I like the tiles! The color is beautiful and I just love glass- it adds texture and depth to your natural setting- they will be very visually pleasing. With your ledge in the background, the future plantings, and water in the pool it's going to look stunning. I liked my tile when I picked it out- then when it was installed I started second guessing myself. Now that the pool is being filled (today...actually) I can see a whole new look to it and it looks just like I had wanted it to. It all comes together in the end. Those middle stages can be torture because all of the elements need to come together.
I am also looking for a concrete color that's not pinky or peachy- so I'll be watching this thread.

I like your setting and agree, the landscaping will make a huge difference. Couple of suggestions, DH is a hardscaping contractor and I used to sell tile and stone at an upscale store. You may want to consider grouting that tile with a tan or soft green grout, it gives the tile a more monochromatic look if you want a natural feel. I love your coping as well. Also for concrete colors, or any color choices I always tell clients to go to a home improve/big box store and pick out paint color chips in colors you DO want, about six of EACH color, not just oned of each. Look at them in sun and shade at various times of the day. Then take what you do like and compare them to the samples your contractor gives you for the concrete, makes it easy to see what you like. Hope this helps, Barb ps I;ll take your coping if you rip it out!

I just love this forum! Everyone is so supportive, and your insights are really helping me to think of the big picture.

yesapool, I just looked at your pool-- it is beautiful! Our coping looks similar, and I think your choice of the waterline tile with the accent tiles was brilliant. I love the spa with fountain, and really noticed the planters flanking it... it made me think about maybe doing a water feature (sheer descent?) at one end with plantings. If I can't get that approved :), your comment about the complimenting blue of the pool made me think of maybe finding some pale blue pots for plants, and maybe some that are olive green to compliment the tile. Thanks for the inspiration!

seascrapper, Congratulations on your pool being filled today! I couldn't find your pics, can you tell me the name of your thread?-- if you're not too busy swimming of course :). You're right, this middle stage is torture, and it seems like it justs drags on. I will definitely post pics of the concrete when it's done, and if it does turn out pink or peachy, at least you'll know which one not to choose... LOL

Barb, I so appreciate your advice on the grout. The PB was pushing white, and I knew that I didn't want that thinking it would make the linear tile pattern stand out and look even more modern. We were waffling between a khaki and a soft green, so I am thrilled to get confirmation from someone who knows! I think we're going to go with the soft green-- it's called Vinca-- are you familiar with it? Also, that is a GREAT tip on picking the concrete color... I'll go to the store tomorrow for paint chips. Thank you so much for your help. Oh, I went to the side yard where I thought they had left extra coping stones, but they were GONE-- hey, didn't we pay for those?

Thank you all again-- I'll be sure to post more pics as things progress...
Debbie

Debbie, glad to help. I agonized over tile, forgot to tell the tile guy to use colored grout. I used a cobalt bluetile in a mediterranean pattern and like it. I also have cobalt pots of annuals all around. The landscaping will make a huge difference, you have a nice stacked stone selected as well. You may want to add some boulders at one end of the deck if you can get them where you are. I didnt see the vinca on the laticrete website, but I would do a green versus a khaki for grout, as close to the tile color as possible. I'll be watching this thread, cant wait to se it done. Barb

Debbie-
I don't have a thread yet with photos but I will make one when we are more finished- even though it's filled now the slide isn't done, concrete is not colored, etc.
Also, I agree with the grout- not white. I ran outside when they were grouting to make sure it wasn't white. Our waterline tiles are a natural stone looking gray/brown and the grout is more gray but for yours I'd use one of the colors you mentioned- much more natural looking- it will give you the feel you are looking for and really accent your pretty tile. That tile is going to be gorgeous with sunlight bouncing off of it.

Thanks Barb and seascrapper--

Barb, I forgot to ask if you have a thread with pics of your pool? It sounds gorgeous with the cobalt blue, and I love a mediterranean style- it reminds me of my hometown :) I looked at the grout sample, and it's by TEC. They had 2 greens, the vinca is a little lighter than the tile, but I thought that would be better than the fern which was too dark. I love the boulder idea, and will look into it. I was also thinking of having them stub up for a future water feature at the deep end of the pool (one of the dangers of finding this forum is seeing all of the great designs everyone has!) I'll post pics as soon as something new happens-- I hope they grout the tile soon

seascrapper, I'll look forward to seeing your pool when it's done! Thank you too for the agreement on the grout color. It feels good to make a decision with input from people who have been there already. Did you see Barb's previous suggestion for picking a concrete color? We've narrowed our choices down, and have the pour scheduled for a week from Friday. I'm sure I'll be terrified until it dries and I know what color it really is, but I'll make sure to post pics, good or bad!
Debbie

Debbie I cant find the teK grout colors on line, but I agree dont go too dark on the grout either. I dont have any pix, may have to get my son to post some in his spare time : ) And definitely stub for a water feature now, will cost less in the long run. WE recently added more concrete decking and DH has pvc pipes everywhere underneath, for future additions. Cant wait to see your progress. Barb

Barb, Thanks again for all of your help-- I found the grout website on the sample, it's tecspecialty.com. I had DH dig a trench to stub up for the future water feature :) We also started painting our white pergolas green-- eeek. This may or may not work, but I figured it's just paint so might as well try it. I was wondering what your DH says about concrete samples-- do the small samples always look darker than when it's poured in a big expanse? I hope you can get your son to upload some pics!! I'd love to see them-Debbie

Can't find that website Debbie, its taking me to a stock market page. But anyway, I would just get the grout as close to the tile color as possible. Also it depends on how they are coloring the concrete, but the color should be close to the sample they show you. I think as long as you get the right color itself, it wont matter the hue, ie lighter or darker. There are a lot of variables when coloring concrete. You might ask the contractor to see some concrete color he has done in person. Hope this helps, Barb

Thanks Barb, that does help, and makes alot of sense to not worry about the hue so much as the color. We looked and looked at the samples over the weekend, and kept coming back to one color, so I hope it's the right one. We'll see on Friday when they pour! I'll try and post some pics soon...
Debbie

Did I miss it? What color did you get in the concrete? I think the pergola may look good green, to match the tile...but like you said, if you don't like it later, it's just paint.
We have a lot of trees around, we are cutting three large ones (ARGH the guy did not show up again today, we are giving him three more days) before we start our build October 6. I hope this tree part is no indicator of how our build is going to go. Originally, he was supposed to cut them down Labor Day. Yes, that was almost two weeks ago.

readyami, Sorry I forgot to say what color the concrete is--it's a Scofield Chromix color called Coachella Sand, and the antique release is by Brickform called Sandy Buff. I'll hope that your tree problem is the only one you'll have during your build! I ran into another problem today-- I bought a Colorlogic light, but when they went to install it they couldn't pull the thick cable it has through the 1/2" conduit they buried. Now I need to try and find out if there's a light like it that has a standard sized cable, ugh. I'm looking forward to seeing your build (problem-free build!) Debbie

OOOhhhh Debbie, I really love the color and pattern of the stamped with your coping for the woodland look. You are doing a great job IMO with colors and patterns. Love the pergolas too, nice color, blends very well. You are definitely underestimating yourself and your choices Once the stacked stone is in, that will be an awesome looking setting, the white bottom pool will look so refreshing. Great job so far ! Barb

Thanks Barb! I am so relieved about how the concrete came out. Thank you so much for all of your help. I'm starting to really believe what you and everyone else said about waiting to see the elements come together, and how it all works out in the end, although I'm sure I still have a few meltdowns left in me... lol. I should have known to take it from people who have been there! I'll post more pics soon, and will keep posting until every last element is in (could be years since the budget's blown already)! Debbie