How did you come to the idea in the first place? You must have seen it somewhere and thought it workable. And why wouldn't it be? But as will all hardscape projects, the devil will be in the details. It's just something you plan as much as you can and work out all the way into the installation process getting & mocking up samples. When it comes to flagstone of any type, I prefer tight, uniform joints, which are more refined & less rustic.

If you pursue farther, include a picture of the overall space with good lighting instead of a close-up of an object with the sun washing out the camera.

Just wondering why it has to be irregular cut...or the pool white.

When I read your inspiration idea, I immediately thought of the Raffles Hotel, so...cut bluestone. And our pool is white and I would personally want a bit of a deeper turquoise look...

Thanks guys -
The bluestone flagstone constraint came from what we want to do in our indoor/outdoor sunroom (with a slightly Don Draper vibe) and continue it outside. The backyard is also irregularly shaped and the pool is a large oval, so the irregular shape seemed to make the most sense with the many dimensions happening at once.

My designer wanted a white pool, and I don't think it works with more traditional materials like bluestone flagstone. But I am totally open to being proven wrong, hence the plea to the group for some evidence of this working.

Re: Raffles, can you send a link? There seem to be many hotels (or I'm not as worldly as I'd like to think, and there's only one "true" Raffles LOL)

It's the Raffles in Singapore (where the Singapore Sling originated! )..Of course I doubt there was a pool originally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffles_Hotel

We have white in our pool and, frankly, it's a bit wishy washy...

A gray pool gives a beautiful slate blue color to the water. I think it would look beautiful with bluestone.

More backyard photos

We generally use colors to compliment each other as it relates to the tile, coping and the patio surface.

We don't suggest a white plaster when using natural stone whether it's bluestone, limestone or any type of natural flagstone. The plaster choices are in the gray color scheme or sometimes black. The tile is usually tans, browns, grays in either in standard tile or glass.

The white based plasters will give a blue color at certain times during the day but it's not rich in color like gray based finishes which can give a deep blue appearance.

You should look at your PB's previous jobs with different finishes to see it in person.

The choice, of course, is up to our clients and we will honor that. We've had clients choose some really awful plaster and tile combinations in the past but.. we don't have to see it everyday.

If this were my space, I would not do an irregular stone. Your space won't come across the way you want (which is freaking fabulous btw and exactly what I would do if it was mine). Your sunroom will look better with a symmetrical pattern also...it's more British Colonial. The tropical part can be brought in with potted palms and tropical-looking plants that will work in your zone.

As an aside, pre-plan for umbrellas around the pool by having them put sleeves in. Looks so much better than clunky bases...

Thank you so much Mystic Pools and PennyDesign!! I think I need to stick with my instincts on this one. The only way I might see white plaster and bluestone coexisting is if there were white coping and the pool was sort of a mod, outlined thing. But the house is a Paul Williams Georgian colonial from the ‘30s, and even though the sunroom was added in the ‘50s, the overall look should harmonize.

We live in coastal Southern California so I’m planning to go heavy on the palms and giant bird of paradise. :) we are considering planting some specimen palms and smaller palms and plants around the pool to give it a bit of a lagoon feel while still maintaining the classic oval shape.

PennyDesign, what stone shape would you consider if not irregular? The backyard is triangular, pool is oval, and the hardscape area will be a multifaceted shape with a few meandering paths.

And thank you for your kind words!! The house is a fun project.

This color combo looks off to me.

I can't tell you what color plaster to use, but I would do irregular bluestone in a heartbeat. (Maybe because I did irregular flagstone in my own backyard.)

The pool looks turquoise while the surrounding stone is purple.

Hi Groveraxle, nice to hear from you!!! You are awesome - this is a super helpful rendering. I kinda really dig what I'm seeing!

What are your thoughts about this bluestone with a white (aka turquoise) pool? I am having a hard time getting my mind around it for the very good reasons the other posters have highlighted, but my designer feels strongly about this combo so I want to try to see it through his eyes.

For everyone - we also have the spa face to deal with too - I am kind of loving the idea of making it a statement tile feature of the pool, vs. stacked bluestone (which maybe might be a tad dated?). Any thoughts?

Diana, also want to thank you for your gray suggestion - that could be gorgeous!

If you want to change your vision, I think the irregular is fine. You're just removing the British Colonial bit...

But to me, the symmetry of the oval pool requires different. See the above fabulous hotel :)

Due respect to your designer, but he/she probably goes with the tried and true.

Formal pools - ie geometric, symmetrical shapes - look wonderful with white plaster (turquoise water) that screams POOL. I imagine a space where the pool is the dominant feature, usually surrounded by lawn. If your pool is going more for a natural look, as yours is, then any shade of gray from medium to charcoal will blend into the landscape much better. I think your struggle is with the formal nature of your house and the informal nature of your pool. That’s why you’re leaning towards irregular stone patters; they will in fact go better with the natural shape of your pool. Geometric pool = geometric paving. Natural pool = irregular paving. So instead of trying to incorporate the formal theme into that part of your yard, which you’ve already abandoned by going free-form with the pool, designate that area as natural, lush, jungle with a subdued pool as part of it, not the show stealer.

Clearly, grover is pushing for what she likes :) I don't really like it. But neither of us will be living there!

Whatever you decide to do and whatever direction you decide to take, I'm sure it will be just gorgeous! I bet you can't wait. And that sunroom overlooking...wow!

We all have pools here in the hot Texas sun and on our street they're all different. Some were successful with their design, some...not so much.

Just be careful with pool surface finishes--the color depends on SO many factors. In general, though white shows dirt more and definitely gives a very light turquoise color. Black or dark gray looks like a natural pond or lagoon. You can't see to the bottom, which is not something I would want. Tan gives a blue/green, or aqua color. Medium gray is my favorite--you get the slate blue color. The worst color in my opinion are the bright blue vinyl liner pools--the water color looks like the Ty-D-Bol toilet water!

This is a great youtube video explaining all the variables that go into what your pool water will look like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mntkenhJSE

For what it's worth, I think straight angle cut bluestone in different sizes gives a nice balance between totally formal (straight cut in the same size) and very natural (totally irregular).

Hi new pool design friends! So, an update: we are now thinking of blue-blue rectangle and square bluestone placed in a more formal pattern. I think it's called Aschler. Someone recommended "French Gray" as a pool color. I'm pondering... :)

What do you think would look good as "statement tile" on the face of the spa? I dislike the "stacked stone" look and the spa curves a lot so we are limited to narrow or small stones.

Some options I was considering were gray porcelain mini-subway tiles placed in a vertical brick pattern or other geometric pattern, a carrera marble-look porcelain mosaic or a dimensional white arabesque porcelain tile.

In my heart I want to do something dramatic yet classic on the face of the spa that jibes with Hollywood Regency, but I am nervous I might wind up hating it later.

OH THE STAKES! Such a first-world problem.

Discuss... :)

Glass tile on the spa face is very dramatic. Some glass tile choices will provide different colors during the day.

A comment about Ty-d-bol blue...on a sail in the channel between Maui and Lanai, we swam in that color blue water. So beautiful, in the eyes of this beholder. I would probably be more concerned with dark paving vs. hot sun vs. little bare feet.