Pride of Place

The pool was already in place, just a short distance from the house. Now the owners wanted to complete their backyard with a pool house that would tie everything together and provide an outdoor room for enjoying Austin, Texas' mild climate. But one big obstacle stood in their way. A septic field occupied the best location for the new structure. It took architect Stewart Davis some time—and a bit of wrangling—to convince the owners that the only good option was a costly one: move the septic field. And move it they finally did, giving Davis the scope to design a fully enjoyable backyard.

The new pool house/garage bridges the main house and pool, creates needed storage, and shelters outdoor living areas under a wide, low-slung roof. “In Texas you want shade,” Davis says, and the roof provides a big umbrella over a multifunction terrace.

The terrace is oriented to the south and protected from north winds by the pool house. The structure also walls off the outdoor room and pool from the neighbor's property, giving shape and privacy to the backyard.

A stone fireplace sits at the center of the terrace, providing a focus for the sitting area and a warm place to enjoy chilly evenings. Davis chose a Rumford fireplace for its pleasing proportions and efficient heat generation, and because the shallow firebox required little of the terrace floor area. The terrace comprises a series of zones in addition to the seating area. To the west there's a dining area and an adjacent outdoor kitchen. The kitchen sports a big, built-in gas grill, as well as a burner unit that's recessed into the stone counter. This cooking well is designed to lower the height of the owners' giant shrimp-boiling pot, making it easier to access. A second stone counter lines the rear of the outdoor kitchen, and holds a galvanized wash tub that is plumbed as a sink.

Davis positioned the outdoor shower and bathroom on the east end of the terrace. The shower shares space with a circulation path that leads to the back of the building. Its river rock base covers a recessed slab that collects drainage and diverts it to the new septic system. Beneath the shower, a wall spout serves as a dog-washing station.

The changing room/bath sits just off the shower and inside the pool house, but its 6-foot-8-inch-high walls stop short of the pool house roof. The wall height provides privacy, while the top opening keeps the space fresh and airy. “It's not a dank little closet with cobwebs and bugs,” Davis says. The rest of the building consists of a small garage designed to hold the owners' 4x4, mower, and pool equipment. There's also a potting bench and a loft that's reached by a ship's ladder.

Materials and details used in the pool house replicate those of the existing house and pool. The flagstone pool deck segues seamlessly into the terrace deck. The house's stone veneer columns are echoed by the stone fireplace. And both structures are illuminated by matching wall sconces. The result is a backyard that seems to have been “done all at once,” Davis say. “It all just flows together.”