Water Way

As soon as architect Gary Orr laid eyes on the clients’ undeveloped backyard, he saw great potential. The U-shaped house suggested a fiercely geometric plan softened by an occasional curve and lots of plants. “I immediately expressed to them the opportunities for what could happen with the powerful sight lines and forms created by the house,” says Orr. “I wanted to compel people to explore every nook.”

Orr created several distinct outdoor rooms to give the 10,000-square-foot yard variety, utility, and delight. The outdoor rooms are linked by water and by a strong, linear organization that unifies the backyard and provides a few surprises along the way. Water dominates from the covered terrace between the living and family rooms, where six pairs of glass doors open to a view of an astonishing raised reflecting pool. Copper chains dangling from a steel trellis direct trickling water into a rusted steel trough filled with smooth beach pebbles. The water feature morphs smoothly into a teak dining table. Its highly polished black granite inlay extends the illusion of a glassy liquid surface.

The vanishing-edge swimming pool picks up the trail of water, and leads to a spa with a telescopic fountain. The spa is set flush into a concrete surround 2 feet lower than the terrace. This provides whoever might be relaxing in the spa the privacy of being hidden from almost every interior vista. An adjacent stucco wall flanks a wood-burning fireplace and visually caps the long expanse. Gradual terracing down to the spa alcove breaks down the elongated sight line and provides informal seating.

From mid-pool, bathers can swim to a low wall on one side to reach the sunken outdoor kitchen, which connects directly to its indoor counterpart. The snack bar abuts the pool edge so that drinks and snacks are within easy reach. On the other side of the pool, a concealed sitting area extends the master bedroom into the outdoor space. “The adjacencies and proximities to indoor areas allow these outdoor rooms to function seamlessly with their interior counterparts,” says Orr.

He adds that the large area was thoughtfully planned to enhance the clients’ lifestyle without burdening them with high maintenance. To that end, powder-coated stainless steel forms the geometric trellises around the perimeter. The custom sunshades, dining chairs, and bench cushions are made from coated fiberglass woven into a tight mesh. The colored and waxed concrete tiles were poured in place to create a continuous flooring pattern throughout interior and exterior rooms.

General contractor: James Cameron Construction, Sacramento, Calif.; Architect/Landscape architect: Orr Design Office, Sacramento; Pool builder: Living Water Pools, Sacramento; Metal fabricator: Kent Thompson Metal Fabrication, Sacramento