CLIENT CASE STUDY

Modern backyard with a rectangular pool, white lounge chairs, a stone patio, and colorful spherical sculptures along a landscaped area with trees.

THE BLACK MIRROR:

How an avid art collector created his own Zen space — an outdoor living environment that is his own private work of art.

The Before

In purchasing a new home in the Ridges with plans to relocate from Asia, Ed was excited for his new chapter.

However, had his work cut out for him with a huge, uniquely-shaped outdoor canvas to fill.

For many clients, these pie-shaped lots are often left with weird slices of yard space and awkward, unused gaps that have no rhyme or reason.

Ed ran into the same experience going through the traditional contractor “shotgun” approach. Having admired the world-famous rooftop skyline pools from his time in Singapore, he had high expectations (pun intended!) for his new home.

A construction site with a gravel ground, blue chalk hopscotch outlines, a brick wall, and multiple houses under construction in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Ed’s homebuilder had referred him to me to help with this awkward canvas. Despite many designers being daunted by these extremely challenging lots, I thoroughly enjoy them.

Lots such as these create unique design opportunities that wouldn’t make sense otherwise — if you know how to go with the flow (which is exactly what I do). 

Modern backyard swimming pool with black tile border, surrounded by light concrete patio and gravel. Three colorful decorative spheres with pop art designs and trees along a gray wall in the background.
Modern backyard with a rectangular swimming pool, decorative painted balls on gravel, white lounge chairs, trees, and contemporary houses in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

The Desires

  • Ed wanted the poolscape to be functional for lap swimming while still looking unique

  • To have the yard feel like a relaxing zen-space to unwind from a hectic day 

  • To strike a balance between being visually striking, eminently functional, and tranquilly serene.

  • A yard that reflects his personality and passion for art and architecture 

  • Methodically address the angles in the lot so that the overall environment has flow

  • Ensure the plantings are low-maintenance to preserve the clean aesthetic. 

  • Customized edges on the poolscape reminiscent of the Singapore pools he was fond of in his travels

Original Hesitations

As an engineer with a refined eye for art, photography, and architecture, Ed had clear non-negotiables: precision, proportion, and thoughtful composition.

In conversations with traditional pool contractors, he kept running into a creative ceiling — especially when it came to addressing the nuances of his lot and executing the specialized details his vision required.

Like many discerning clients, he found it surprisingly difficult to identify someone who paired true construction knowledge with inspired design thinking — someone he could trust to bring a highly specific poolscape to life. (That is, until he met me.)

The Process

  • Step 1: Site & Lifestyle Analysis


    In meeting Ed for the first time after being referred by his home builder, we walked through all the natural flowpaths and viewpoints from inside his home to sense how we could use the architecture to our advantage and properly tailor the project for his specific home.

    We then conducted the same process outdoors so we were on the same page of what felt natural and comfortable to us.

  • Step 2: Tailored Design Direction


    After gathering a strong understanding of Ed’s daily living flow, we dove into the most important (but often overlooked) details for a project of this scale; how we want the yard to feel and what experience we want to create for his everyday enjoyment, including from inside his home.

    I learned quickly that Ed wanted to focus on the feeling of tranquillity and peace, along with preserving his inspiration of the famous Singapore pools he experienced. With that strong foundation, all I needed to do was figure out the pie-shaped lot puzzle.

  • Step 3: Streamline Design™ Development


    After extensive experimentation through hand sketches and 3D rendering, like cutting diamonds, I arrived at an out-of-the-box shape that honored both the home’s architecture and angled lot, with tranquillity in mind.

    To assist Ed, I created a variation on the design so he could choose what version spoke to him. Although I take the design and coordination lead, the best results come from my clients connecting with the design personally, rather than just myself.

  • Step 4: Streamline™ Design (The Secret Sauce)


    To Streamline Ed’s project, I had the detailed master-plan reviewed by the network of vetted craftsmen who specialize in zero-edge perimeter overflow poolscapes.

    I provided him with detailed, pre-negotiated pricing so Ed could make a comfortable, informed decision — without $30,000 “surprises”. (It happens more than you think.)

  • Step 5: Making The Vision Real


    Once we broke ground, with all the effort and methodical thinking put into Ed’s masterplan, I made it a point to be Ed’s on-site advocate to review crucial phases personally.

    This ensured every design detail was honoured precisely — and prevent any potential “contractor convenience changes.”

  • Step 6: Directing Through Completion


    Once Ed’s pool was complete, I aligned him with a technician specializing in zero-edge poolscapes to ensure the necessary fine-tuning of the hydraulics and equipment was dialled in.

    This ensured his work of art zen-space looked and functioned as intended — providing Ed the zen he worked so hard for in his next chapter in life.

The Renderings

Modern backyard with a narrow swimming pool, lounge chairs, trees, a patio with a dining area, decorative spherical planters, and a house with large glass doors.
Modern backyard with a swimming pool, three white lounge chairs, gravel and stone pathway, a two-story house with a covered patio, decorative planters, and mountain scenery in the background.
A modern backyard with a rectangular pool surrounded by gravel and paved walkways. There are four white lounge chairs on the right side, decorative spherical objects with a geometric pattern on the left side, and lush trees and bushes along the fence. The background features rolling green hills under a partly cloudy sky.

The Reality

  • A one-of-one poolscape reflecting Ed’s love for artful, mindful design—evoking the tranquillity and quiet zen inspired by his time in Singapore

  • A sensory experience defined by soft, cascading water sounds, enjoyed effortlessly from the patio and interior living spaces

  • An elegant yet highly functional design that supports daily lap swimming without compromising visual serenity

  • A low-maintenance landscape and poolscape that preserves the aesthetic integrity of the design while remaining effortless to live with

Ed now has a carefully curated outdoor environment that harmonizes a challenging lot geometry with the home’s interior and exterior architecture — and a poolscape that reflects (literally and figuratively) his love for art.

Modern backyard with a rectangular reflecting pool, surrounded by smooth stones, two white lounge chairs, sparse trees, and a contemporary house in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

The Results

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Key Takeaways

Ed knew his zero-edge, perimeter-overflow pool left no margin for error. Achieving the seamless “flush black mirror” effect required exacting hydraulic engineering, flawless elevations, and absolute precision — from tile alignment to water levels.

Designers with both deep technical mastery and a refined design eye are rare, and Ed understood the stakes.

Before moving forward, I walked him through the methodology behind building a true zero-edge pool — not asking for blind trust, but ensuring he fully understood how the vision would be achieved.

Throughout the design refinement process, I explained the reasoning behind every decision. Not simply what looked beautiful, but what worked — structurally, experientially, and in harmony with Ed’s daily life. The result was a shared understanding of the outcome long before construction began.

With that clarity in place, execution became a matter of following the master plan—allowing each element to fall into place with intention and precision.

Ed’s inspiration was rooted in his experiences in Singapore: tranquil, reflective spaces that felt both architectural and serene. That vision gave us a powerful foundation to recreate those memories in a way that felt authentic to his home and lifestyle.

By approaching the process with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to think beyond convention, the collaboration became not only successful — but genuinely enjoyable.

Together, we created a deeply personal environment that reflects Ed’s love for art, precision, and calm—a living work of art he now experiences every day.

Objects and trees reflected in a narrow reflective pool on a sunny day, with a modern concrete and metal sculpture wall in the background.
Outdoor scene featuring a reflective pool with colorful painted spheres and trees, against a blue sky with clouds.
A modern outdoor pool with dark tile edges, surrounded by a concrete patio and decorative gray rocks. In the background, there are three spherical sculptures with colorful graffiti art and a row of trees along a gray wall.
Modern backyard with a black rectangular pool, white lounge chairs, decorative painted spheres, rocks, trees, and contemporary houses in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern backyard with a rectangular reflecting pool, three white lounge chairs, decorative colorful balls, trees, rocks, and mountains in the background.
Modern backyard with a reflective black pool, surrounded by smooth gray stones, featuring two white lounge chairs and landscaped with trees and rocks, against a backdrop of a contemporary house and a partly cloudy sky.
Modern outdoor backyard with small rectangular reflecting pool, decorative spheres with pop art and abstract designs, several small trees, rocky landscaping, and distant mountain view under blue sky with clouds.
Modern backyard with in-ground rectangular pool, decorative pool balls with pop art designs along the border, trees, grass, and a concrete patio, with houses and mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern backyard with a sleek pool, decorative spherical art pieces, lounge chairs, trees, and landscaped garden with grass and plants, under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern backyard with rectangular reflecting pool, white lounge chairs, trees, decorative painted spheres, and patterned stone pathway
Modern backyard with a pool, colorful decorative balls, white lounge chairs, and a house in the background.
Contemporary backyard with a black-edged rectangular pool, a woman sitting at a white table with chairs, trees and modern houses in the background, and colorful spherical art sculptures along the gravel border.
A modern backyard with a rectangular swimming pool, decorative sphere art pieces along one side, a white lounge chair, and trees against a mountain landscape background under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern house with a reflective pool in the snowy backyard, snow-covered trees, and outdoor lounge chairs.
Modern backyard with rectangular reflecting pool, white lounge chairs, colorful artist-painted decorative spheres, concrete stepping stones, and a contemporary house with large glass doors and a covered patio.

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