Beautiful and Elegant Fiberglass Pool Wins Master Of Design Award

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This article is the first in a two-part series I’ve done interviewing the winners of the prestigious Masters of Design Award given out by the pool industry’s leading magazine, Pool and Spa News. As you can see from the photo, this 16’x40’ model by Leisure Pools is no ordinary fiberglass pool, and major props to Signature Pools of Chicago Illinois for bringing this project to fruition. If you’re considering the purchase of a fiberglass swimming pool, this article is a prime example of a company doing things in the fiberglass pool industry the right way. Signature’s leading designer, Todd Emmerson, is the voice in the following interview:

 Question: The homeowner could have chosen any type of pool for this project, what made them choose fiberglass?

“…..  Vinyl was never an option for them because they realized it was a look that wouldn’t match the house as far as quality is concerned and they also realized vinyl wasn’t a good option with all of the trees on the property (twigs falling into the pool and tearing the liner).  So it came down to deciding between fiberglass and concrete.  Because of easements on the property they couldn’t fit a pool wider than 16’ so they weren’t opposed to the size of fiberglass pools.  The client loved some of the pictures on our website and could see that we did quality pools so that helped me get my foot in the door.  After we met and I explained the value of a fiberglass pool as being a life-long investment that would never need acid washed or re-plastered, and would also use less chemicals they were convinced. “

Question:  Often time consumers worry that rectangles will look plain. Was that a concern here and how were you able to overcome that?

“The home is a very grand and formal home and from a design perspective it just made sense to go with a rectangle.  From our first meeting I knew they wanted an auto cover to extend the swimming season and being a heavily wooded lot they wanted to keep as many leaves out of the pool as possible.  I knew from seeing the house they would like nice clean lines and that an under guide auto cover was the only option to suggest.

We did three things to overcome the plain looking rectangle pool stigma:

1. We used only high quality materials throughout the project including a natural stone deck around the pool.
2. We softened up the rectangle look by adding a slight curve to a couple of the retaining walls and small portions of the patio.
3. The job also had several different patio elevations with steps coming down from the back of the homes garage area as well as an existing patio off of the rear of the house.  The large steps that we designed separating the main pool deck from the lower outdoor living area with the outdoor fireplace also helped make a rectangle pool look spectacular and elegant.”

Question:  What was the most difficult element of design with this project?

“Two elements of the design were difficult with this project:

The yard had lots of slope to it and also had a few elements that we couldn’t change.  The windows on the walkout basement room were at an elevation where we were forced to lower the patio height in certain areas as to create a beautiful view looking out the lower level house windows.  On the far side of the property we needed to raise the pool as much as possible to create proper drainage around the pool.  Where these two areas intersect we created the large expansive steps.  So the large change in elevation between the two areas was necessary due to the elevation of the property and we were able to design them in a way where the large steps and different elevations added to the overall design.  Good design is always going to take into consideration both good engineering and water flow drainage as well as the desire for a beautiful aesthetically looking project.  As a designer you need to take into account the challenges of the property and then often times some of the design challenges on a project can be turned around and become a benefit to creating a stunning looking backyard. (Although the challenges can make the design look nicer it typically means higher costs to the client)

The other element of the design that was difficult was working within a heavily wooded lot.  We knew we were going to have to lose some trees, but we wanted to save as many as possible to retain the natural looking setting.”

Question: Now that the project is complete, what are some comments you've received from the homeowner? Are they enjoying the pool? Do they like salt? Have they received comments from friends?

“The wife has hosted several events at the house including a large wedding rehearsal dinner as it is a great entertaining area.  Her friends commented that they felt like they were at a Four Seasons Resort Swimming Pool.  The pool has also been used for an end of school party for the family’s son.

Because of this job I am in the process of designing a pool for a neighbor of our client who has owned a concrete pool for the past 20 years.  The neighbor is moving to a new property and would like a pool that requires less maintenance.  The neighbor was excited to learn of the benefits of a fiberglass pool and should have her new pool installed this fall.  All leads we receive are very valuable, but the most valuable leads we receive are personal referrals from our past clients and I’m sure in the years to come we will receive many other leads because of this job.”

****Watch a video of the project here:

Todd’s Bio:

Todd Emmerson is a nationally recognized pool designer who has been featured in many of today’s top pool design publications.  His work has also been featured in advertisement materials for companies such as Leisure Pools, Fiberstars, Garden Prairie Pool Enclosures, Blue Haven Pools, and Composite Pools.  Todd’s straight forward and honest sales approach has helped over 300 Chicagoland clients achieve their own signature pool. Todd is a native of Tucson, AZ and currently lives in Geneva, IL with his wife Sara and son Lincoln.  (One more child on the way )

Tom’s Bio(owner):

Tom McNelis has been installing fiberglass pools for almost 15 years in the Chicagoland area. As a working owner he has personally installed well over 300 fiberglass pools and has also won a Masters of Design award. Tom lives with his wife and two children in Yorkville, IL. The McNelis family enjoys spending time together in their own signature pool – an Elegance 33 model from Leisure Pools.