After reading Audrey’s blog post “The swimming pool – a forgotten area of interior design”, our clients in Barnet got in touch for advice on how to approach the design of their indoor pool. Being on the lower ground floor, natural light was limited, therefore surface materials and lighting were crucial in creating a dynamic yet calm space to swim and entertain in.
The swimming pool floor is split into 3 main parts – the swimming pool and jacuzzi occupy the majority of the space. A few steps down is an informal living space which our clients call the “Conversation Pit” as they wanted it be an area for relaxing and chatting after a swim. The lightwell leading from the upstairs garden is a source of natural light and also provides direct access to the swimming pool from the exterior of the house.
Our brief was to create an exciting indoor swimming pool area – our clients envisaged this space as a calming retreat but also wanted to be able to transform it into a lively party space.
When presenting our design ideas, colours and materials, our clients were drawn to bold copper colours, yellow and orange tones. We’ve seen too many stark, cold swimming pool environments where aqua tones and bright whites dominate the colour palette so we were keen to introduce warmer tones into our design. We contrasted this with an 'ombre' effect swimming pool - where the mosaic transitions gradually from mainly white tiles at the shallow end to mainly indigo at the deep end, emphasising the varying water depths of the pool.
We saw the ceiling over the swimming pool and jacuzzi as an opportunity to play with pattern and lighting as a way to change the atmosphere of the space. A night time swim under a starry night feels completely differently to a swim under a bright blue sky – this is something we wanted to simulate in the space. Therefore, we designed the ceiling as a structure which could house a controllable lighting feature comprising of LED strips concealed within a stretched ceiling. Via a remote control, the light cast by the LEDs can be changed. As the lighting feature covers a huge expanse of the ceiling, the effects can be dramatic or subtle with many colour options and settings to choose from.
In the lounge area, we brought in copper and yellow colours on the walls and patterned tiles in the middle of the floor to create a 'rug' effect. This complements the contemporary gas fire feature, resulting in a warm and inviting area to relax after an energetic swim.
Samples of surface materials, finishes and colours
Floorplan of swimming pool area floor
Moodboard 1 showing ideas for furniture, colours and architectural features
Moodboard 2 - alternative ideas for furniture, colours and architectural features
3D visuals
3D visuals
3D visuals
Drawing showing ceiling detail
Conversation pit prior to painting
The swimming pool and jacuzzi area prior to any surface finishes
Mosaic tiling just completed
Testing out the colour options on the LED strip lighting in the ceiling
Testing out the colour options on the LED strip lighting in the ceiling
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