“The client came to us with the intent to build a pool house in their backyard that tied into their existing house and looked like part of the original structure. They brought the idea of a greenhouse/conservatory theme, which ended up being the biggest driver of our overall design. Using that as a jumping-off point, we focused on natural materials that are simple, refined, low maintenance, and kid-friendly. The pool dictates a lot of the program space because it’s quite large, so the circulation around it was engineered to minimize the footprint while maximizing the available space. There’s plenty of room for plants, a small sitting area, and space for the grandkids to play.  

“In our initial hand sketches, we introduced structural timber frame trusses and roof dormers, with a fun truss design that we don’t usually get to do for most of our residential projects. The trusses were built in Vermont and shipped to Maine, and the natural wood finish adds warmth to the pool house. We kept a darker color scheme with the gunnite, so the pool has more of a pond vibe. The client didn’t want a nautical theme—and we agreed—so there are no pool ladders. Instead, there are low steps and a simple handrail going down into the water. 

“The idea of keeping a connection to the outdoors motivated us to include bigger windows and double doors that open to the semi-wooded yard. The tree line is close to the structure, so we were initially concerned that it might be too shaded. Luckily, the roof dormers bring in plenty of natural light and allow the clients to use the space year-round without worrying about the weather. We upgraded to triple-pane windows to create a more insulated building envelope that maintains a comfortable, consistent temperature. The windows match the house on the exterior, but on the interior, we painted them a cool gray tone that we pulled from the natural coloring of the water. They allow a clearer view of the yard and call back to the conservatory feeling we were trying to emulate. 

“The builder, McClellan Renovations, and the pool design-install team, Aquatic Development by Tapley, were big players in bringing all the elements together.  Aquatic Development helped with sourcing the stone decking and coping around the pool. They were a great resource and helped us determine what made the most sense when designing a custom pool. McClellan was able to match the existing exterior finishes perfectly and brought our vision to life. Their combined expertise was invaluable.” 

—Rebecca Sargent, project manager at Kevin Browne Architecture