Betz Pools Limited

Home Improvement Professionals , Swimming Pool Builders
7 Reviews
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Betz Pools Limited
7 Reviews

A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining

Project Year: 2021
Country: Canada
The owners of this modern home in Etobicoke had Betz do a complete outdoor makeover. The emphasis was on backyard entertaining. The entire backyard was overgrown and so heavily shaded by trees and shrubs that grass wouldn’t grow. To allow more daylight, the first step was to do extensive clearing.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The level of the backyard is a full floor higher than the front of the home. Thus, the sliding glass doors of the backyard walkout are exactly at ground level. The terrain drops suddenly at the back corner of the home (seen on the left) where stairs and a landing lead down to the walkway to the...
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The original steep slope beside the stairs to the backyard was hard to maintain so the owners suggested retaining walls and planters. Betz presented a design using large blocks of strata limestone with natural sides and sawn tops. The low maintenance plantings help to soften the hardscapes.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The focal point of the backyard is the spacious 8’ x 10’ cocktail pool/spa. During hot weather it’s the perfect place to lay back and lounge in the cooling waters. At spa temperature, it’s perfect for stress relief and muscle relaxation. The eight powerful spa jets can enhance the experience at any...
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The pool/spa’s interior finish of light grey Armourcoat plaster looks elegant against the off-white coping and deck of Porcea ‘Amalfi’ stone manufactured in Italy. The stone, with random light grey veining, has a sandblasted texture and is stain resistant plus maintenance free.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
Adjacent to the pool/spa is a lounge area which is close enough for non-bathers to enjoy conversation with people relaxing in the water. This view shows the matching Porcea porcelain tile used around the pool/spa’s waterline. The tile is very durable and frost resistant making it ideal for northern...
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The backyard is essentially low maintenance with much of the area covered by patio. The planting beds around the border are covered with black mulch plus a smattering of easy-care perennials. An outdoor kitchen has been designed and will be installed to the left of the lounge area at a later date.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The entire backyard is wedge-shaped with the property line on the left running at an angle. The row of tall mature columnar cedars will fill in to provide total privacy along that side. The back and right-hand side of the yard have a tall chain link fence covered by a full height black mesh screen.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
At the back of the yard matching structures are attractively clad in grey composite wood. They are respectively, a 9’ x 9’ storage room and a 6’ x 9’ pool/spa equipment room. The “S”-shaped evergreen topiary adds visual interest plus a touch of whimsy.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
For guests arriving in the evening, the stairs leading up to the backyard are illuminated by the soffit lights of the home above. In addition, the LED garden lights attractively highlight the interesting vegetation that populates the planting beds.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
The view of the backyard is especially attractive in the evening when viewed through the large windows that span the back of the home. The generous use of uplighting helps to define the shapes and textures of the attractive backyard elements.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining
In addition to the garden lights, the lights on the storage and pool/spa equipment rooms add interest to the backyard view. The lights of the pool/spa lend the final touch of drama since they can be set to a single colour or a changing rainbow of colours.
A Contemporary Backyard for Entertaining