andtechnology,”Johnstonsays,which
hasresulted inbackyard installations
thatgowellbeyondswimming.Tothat
end,herecently installeda full-scale
waterthemepark inthebackyardof
oneNorthTexashome, featuring18
separatespraytoysanda500-foot
meandering lazyriver. “Theproperty
isa little farout,andtheclosestwater
park isabitofadrive, sotheywantedto
createanenvironment fortheirkidsand
friendstoenjoy,”saysJohnston,noting
thatthesamepropertyalso includesa
120-foot-long rectangularpoolwith
37-foot fountainssettothefinalnoteof
amusicselection,andanunderwater
surround-soundspeakersystemthatal-
lowscrystal-clearmusic listeningwhile
doing laps. “It’snotaswimmingpool.
It’sanarchitecturalextensionof the
house,”saysJohnston,addinghowthe
fountains in frontof theBellagiohotel
inLasVegasservedas inspiration.
Landscapedesignerssay that luxury
hotels, and thepampering thatcomes
with them,have fueledmanyback-
yardmakeovers.A lotof thesepeople
(athletes, celebrities, corporateCEOs)
spend their liveson theroad, forbusi-
nessorpleasure, so theygetspoiled
stayingatplaces like theFourSeasons,
explainsRickChafey, co-ownerand
designeratArizona-basedRedRock
Pools&SpasandRedRockContractors,
acompanyspecializing inmillion-dollar
yardscapes. “When theseguyscome
home froma trip, theywant tobeable
toenjoy thesameamenitieswith their
families,”hesays. Ironically,BAMO’s
MichaelBooth,who isresponsible for
anumberof luxuryhotelproperties
including theRosewoodMansionon
TurtleCreek inDallas, says itworksboth
ways. “Thehotelsweareworkingwith
nowhave todesign theroomexperience
tobeequal toorbetterbecausemanyof
thesepeoplecome fromveryelaborate
homes, andwe’refindingourchallenge is
tomeetorexceed theirexpectations.”
Ofcourse,thepersonwhothrowsmil-
lionsofdollarsatabackyardrenovation
isnotdoingsowithresaleinmind.“It’sa
non-financiallyresponsiblewaytospend
money;you’llneverrecoupit,”saysChafey,
abuilderand“watershapedesigner”who
iscurrentlyatworkona$3million-plus
backyardrenovationthatincludesan
oversizepoolwith levitatingstonedecks,
15electronicfirefeatures,anda38-foot-
widewaterfall,amongotherexcesses.
“It’sa littlebitforshow.Butitisalsoabout
investinginwhereyou live,”heinsists.
Landscapeexcess ishardlynewto
Chafey.The40-year-olddesignergained
somenotorietyfiveyearsagowhenhe
builtoneofthenation’smostelaborate
andexpensiveresidentialswimming
pools.Themillion-dollarspace, located
in theGilbert,Arizona,backyardof
clientsMarianaandTonyKitchukov,
holds170,000gallonsofwaterand is
surroundedbyfivewaterfalls,akitchen,
a livingspacewithatoweringfireplace,
sevenfirepits,awaterslide,aputting
green,akoipond,andevenaskateparkfor
theKitchukovs’son.Theentireproject is
integratedwithPentairIntelliTouchand
Crestron,allowingcompletecontrolof
firefeatures,poolcleaners,waterfeatures,
colored lighting,underwateraudio, televi-
sions,andmistsystemsrightfromasmart
phoneortouchpanel insidethehome.
“This isoneof akind,”homeowner
MarianaKitchukov told the
Arizona
Register
when theprojectwascom-
pleted in2010. “You feel likeyou’re ina
five-starresort, butyou’re inyourown
backyard.”
ONEOFAKIND:
AT
LEFT
: Alexander Julian’sbackyardof formal gardens.
ABOVE
: InArizona,
seven firepits, aputtinggreen, anda skateparkare just someof theamenities
in theyardofMarianaandTonyKitchukov.
LEFT: JOSEPHRUMORE; TOPRIGHT: LEEANNWHITE
SUMMER
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
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