Stone Reimagined

The use of stone in and around pools, spas, and other bodies of water has a long and rocky history, points out Mike Farley. It’s also one of those design elements that moves in and out of fashion with surprising regularity.

By Mike Farley

I’ve been around long enough to see the rise and fall of many design trends. The use of stone in residential backyard and pool designs is one that has been like riding a slow rollercoaster, cresting, crashing, and, most recently, starting to rise again.

If you rewind about 10 to 20 years, stone was everywhere. At its peak, I’d say easily 80% of the projects we were building incorporated some form of stonework, whether it was natural boulders or sculpted artificial rock. Today, that number has shrunk dramatically, probably to less than 5% overall. Rectangular pools, clean lines, and minimal detailing have dominated the market for years, often with little or no stone at all.

Of course, there’s always a regional component. What’s popular in one part of the country might feel completely out of place somewhere else. Local materials, climate, architectural traditions, and even access to skilled craftspeople all influence whether stone feels appropriate or excessive.

Still, regardless of trends, geography, or whether we’re talking about natural stone or artificial rock, one truth remains constant: stonework can be done beautifully—or it can become an absolute visual nightmare.

Nature-Inspired

I tend to use the phrase naturally inspired when I talk about stone. To me, there’s a bright line between trying to fully mimic nature—creating something that looks like a real rock formation or a natural body of water—and acknowledging that what we’re building is architectural and man-made, but informed by natural textures, colors, and forms.

It’s similar to the way we use plants. Nobody pretends a planter is a meadow, but adding vegetation brings a living, organic element into the built environment. Stone can do the same thing when it’s handled thoughtfully. (Creating a body of water that appears as though it’s truly nature-made is a completely different discussion.)

What’s always amazed me is that you can take the exact same tonnage of rock and get wildly different results. In the wrong hands, it can be clumsy and heavy-handed, and completely out of context. In the right hands, it can be subtle, inviting, and deeply beautiful. This is one of the few aspects of pool construction that is purely artistic.

The craftsmanship of the person placing the stone, and the vision of the person directing that work, will completely determine the outcome. And, oftentimes, it’s the visual “character” of the stone itself, the size, texture, color, shape, unusual characteristic that dictate how the materials are used. 

That’s also where the real challenge lies today. Skilled stone artisans are few and far between. When I first got into the business, boulder work was common, and there were more people who knew how to do it well. Now, finding someone who truly understands how stone should flow, stack, and relate to water is increasingly difficult.

Back Toward Warmth and Complexity

For years, purely architectural designs, especially rectangles, have dominated the market. Minimalism was extremely vogue, and for good reason: those pools can be elegant, timeless, and efficient. But lately, I’m seeing a shift. More and more clients are telling me, “I don’t want a boring rectangle.”

What I’m seeing now is a renewed interest in incorporating natural materials into modern designs. This isn’t new, of course. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner were masters at blending organic materials with strong architectural forms. Landscape designers like Thomas Church understood that some aspects of a design can’t be fully resolved on paper—they unfold on site, based on the materials that arrive and the hands that shape them.

The project featured here is a perfect example of that current direction.

A Complete Reimagining

This backyard began as a complete teardown. The existing pool was drab and purely architectural, and the clients wanted something entirely different. The new design includes a terraced pool-and-spa combination, a hidden waterslide, a dramatic water feature, an elaborate outdoor kitchen, and a swim-up bar.

From the beginning, the clients were clear: they wanted natural stone and extensive plantings, all interwoven into an inviting environment for swimming, relaxing, and entertaining. The stone treatments are the first thing you notice. They’re not meant to mimic nature, but to inject natural textures and forms into a clearly designed space.

In this case, the stone is granite sourced from Aspen, Colorado, even though the project itself is in Texas. The granite has subtle pinks and grays that tie beautifully into the color of the deck, creating a cohesive palette. Ideally, we’d have used the same stone throughout, but sourcing large boulders can be unpredictable. Some pieces were so massive they required a crane, and when supply shut down for the season, we had to finish with complementary material rather than delay the project for months.

Designing in Three (and Four) Dimensions

One of the biggest challenges on this project was managing grade changes. We weren’t just dropping a pool into the ground, we were creating an entirely new topography. If you count the spa, this is effectively a three-level watershape, with a fourth level when you include the sunken kitchen and bar area.

The spa itself is terraced, with subtle changes in elevation that create different seating levels around the water. It becomes a social space more than a traditional spa, and during gatherings, it comfortably holds 20 people at various levels. (You do sacrifice some flexibility in jet placement, most jets end up mid-back rather than at the shoulders, but every client I’ve done this for has loved the result.)

Between the two pools, we’re talking about roughly 2,000 square feet of water. The upper pool is shallow and ideal for wading and hanging out at the swim-up bar. The lower pool drops to nine feet for diving. Combined, the system holds close to 90,000 gallons.

Because of grade changes and proximity to neighboring properties, everything had to be built on piers and grade beams. The upper pool alone sits on 35 piles, with another 21 under the lower pool, plus additional support beneath the slide. None of that is visible, of course, but it’s what makes the entire composition possible.

From a systems standpoint, the project is divided between two equipment pads, all running on modern variable-speed technology. Filtration is cartridge-based, supplemented with ozone, minerals, and a copper ionization system, with chlorine used as a support rather than the primary sanitizer. The interior finish is PebbleSheen in an ocean-blue tone, chosen specifically to reflect surrounding greenery and avoid the harsh reflectivity of darker finishes.

Stone, Water, and Restraint

There’s an old critique among pond builders about the “string of pearls” look, meaning too many rocks lined up in a way that feels forced. There’s one section of the lower pool where we edged a little closer to that than I would have liked, largely because the clients wanted more stone in that area. It’s always a balance.

The water feature helps tie everything together: a two-seater grotto that conceals the slide entrance and creates a visual centerpiece, especially when viewed from the sunken kitchen. It’s dramatic without being overwhelming, and it anchors the entire composition.

Listening First

At the end of the day, my approach has always been collaborative. I don’t believe in telling clients, “This is how it has to be.” My job is to listen, guide, and shape ideas into something that works, for them, for the site, and for the water.

Stone may never again dominate 80% of our projects, and that’s probably a good thing. But when it’s used thoughtfully, when it’s naturally inspired rather than forced, it has a unique ability to soften architecture, enrich experience, and reconnect people with the elemental joy of water. And right now, I’m encouraged to see it finding its way back.

Mike Farley has 30-plus years of experience creating custom pools and landscapes. He has designed more than 800 unique projects that have been built to date, winning numerous awards in both California and Texas. He is widely published and is one of the watershaping industry’s most experienced and sought-after instructors.