Lighting elements including the outdoor fireplace and ledge lights stretch how late into the evening your outside time can last. Photos: Michael Dockham Photography
Plymouth landscape-design-build company details how to build a backyard paradise.
Going into this pool design project for the Artisan Homes Tour, Mark Hauri says the client had a vision in mind and the furniture already picked out. What was needed next was someone to help put all the pieces together. “It was a collaborative effort, so that made it fun,” the principal designer at Plymouth’s MH3 Design Group says. “We could really make things fit perfectly, which gave us more planting room to create the different spaces.”
The Artisan Homes project exudes a love of plants through its well-appointed planters and curated stone gardens. “[Mark] loves to hear ideas,” says Teresa Hauri, Mark’s wife and the head of marketing and client relations at MH3. “If there’s something important to [the client], he’s awesome at bringing it into the process.”
Diving Into Design
MH3 Design Group specializes in bringing its luxury landscape design-build services directly to homeowners. A client who dreamed of a 100-foot slide from the top of his house down to the pool got his wish. (“He’s pleased as punch!” Teresa says.)
The team looks to emulate whatever personal paradise the homeowner has in mind, whether that means matching the pool’s water to Caribbean teal or deep Lake Superior blue. “The more we talk, the more cups of coffee we have, the better I’ll be able to build this just for you and nobody else,” Mark says.
The most important step for Mark is getting to know the client. “I want to talk about the plan for an hour and then talk about life for two hours,” Mark says.
Is the client a retired couple looking for something small to take an occasional dip in? Is it a large family with borderline amphibious kids? “Understanding the use and function are two of the big ones I need to figure out with them,” he says.
Then there are also the logistical considerations. How large of a pool do your city ordinances allow? “One of the big numbers is that 25 to 30 percent of the lot can have impervious surfaces,” Mark says. Impervious surfaces include driveways, rooftops, patios and—pools.
Mark also cautions against going too large with the pool project. “I would say you want to be between 20 to 30 percent of the value of the house for the pool and the landscape around it,” he says. This isn’t simply for the hole in the ground. Remember to include the components—concrete (or vinyl), electrical, fencing, pavers, pool deck, etc.
Water jets add an interactive element to lounging poolside.
Speaking of concrete or vinyl, “They’re very comparable,” Mark says. “We can basically build any vinyl-lined pool to look like a concrete pool. Twenty years ago, if you wanted something crazy, you’d have to go concrete. But now, we can build virtually anything with vinyl.”
The first big difference is the construction process. The 8-to 10-inch thick concrete walls take months to cure, compared to vinyl’s weeks worth of construction.
The second main difference is the cost in the long term. “They say concrete pools are forever pools, and that’s somewhat true if done right,” Mark says. “Every 10 years, you need to refinish the inside of them. For a vinyl pool, you’re probably getting a new liner every seven to 10 years. Over 10 years, a vinyl pool will cost a little more in maintenance.”
As for day-to-day pool maintenance, saltwater systems have drastically reduced the time and effort it takes to keep your pool clean. “It uses far fewer chemicals, and the electronics now are unbelievable, so maintenance-wise they’re a lot less effort because it’s basically table salt,” Mark says. “Blond hair won’t turn green, suits won’t get bleached out. You’re basically swimming in softened water,” he says.
MH3 Design Group doesn’t stay in the shallow end when it comes to customization. Depth jets, foam bubblers, live edges, waterfalls and water spouts not only change the aesthetics of the pool, they impact the swimming experience. “Mark’s pools are all different,” Teresa says. “He takes the time to go over all of the options with the clients because he wants it to match the look of the house and the landscape around it.”
“With us, the biggest thing is our creativity and working with you,” Mark says. “We want to develop yards that are yours.”
MH3 Design Group
4205 Lancaster Lane N. Suite 101; 763.400.3944
Facebook: MH3 Design Group
Instagram: @mh3designgroup
