As if straight from an English garden dream, the backyard of this Fox Chapel, PA, residence has been reimagined into a lush four-season retreat with modern amenities and timeless charm. Anchoring the outdoor living spaces, and complete with a wood framed bifold door, the pool house doubles as a focal point and entertaining hub within its natural landscape.
Led by PSW, a design-build firm specializing in luxury pools and outdoor living spaces, the project blends the property’s original character with a contemporary vision for year-round enjoyment—both inside and out.
Creating the Ideal Retreat: A Pool, A Cabana, and a Wood Framed Bifold Door
A Dream Backyard Space Reimagined
The existing backyard, with an outdated pool and storage shed, lacked key spaces for entertaining. In collaboration with the homeowners, PSW designed a new pool and contemporary pool house while maintaining the natural charm and beauty of the existing landscaping. Starting with a comprehensive 3D design process, the vision developed into a carefully curated work of art in balance.
“Our design-build philosophy is that good design balances aesthetics, function, budget, and feasibility on-site,” says PSW. “Every design aspect is to scale using our 3D LIDAR scanner to maintain feasibility, and BIM helps us with additional data attached to our models to preserve function and budget.”
Preserving Key Elements to Elevate the Landscape
The old shed with a gravel floor was torn down and replaced with a contemporary pool house complete with a kitchen and lots of windows. “The homeowners wanted to preserve the planter box and creeping juniper plant located to the side of the previous pool,” says PSW. “They wanted the sandstone to match the decking stone, which we sourced from a quarry in Maryland."
The placement of the pool house was specified to maximize the views of the pool, the planter box, and the landscaping. That’s where the idea of NanaWall came in. To fully achieve this transparency and create a seamless flow from the pool into the pool house, the homeowners were determined to incorporate a wood framed bifold door into the design.
Contemporary Pool House Design Takes Center Stage
From the outside, the pool house feels like an extension of the main home. Its roofline was designed to match the main house, creating a sense of connection between the two structures. Skylights were added to the roof to bring in even more daylight, something the homeowners specifically wanted. Wrapped in warm natural wood, the exterior blends beautifully with the garden, creating an inviting indoor-outdoor retreat for everyday use.
“The pool house was designed to add additional entertainment space to the outdoor living space,” says PSW. “We incorporated a bar, shuffleboard, and seating areas, allowing the homeowner to maximize the space for friends and family.”
A Disappearing, Functional Window to the Outside
The homeowners didn’t want the pool house if it didn’t include the NanaWall wood framed bifold door. “The door accomplished the goals of having windows, natural light, and an open flow between the pool house and the pool,” says PSW. “Additionally, the NanaWall system’s ability to open and fold allows for optimal traffic flow from the pool into the pool house.”
When the 7-foot-tall panels are open, a 16-foot-wide opening allows for quick access to the interior amenities. With interiors by madDESIGNS, the pool house features a fully stocked kitchen and wet bar, a dining table, a comfortable lounge area, and a pool table for added enjoyment. A large screen TV entertains even when splashing around in the pool, thanks to the unobstructed opening.
The Fully Customizable Wood Framed Bifold Door
The six-panel NanaWall NW Wood 540 was customized with elegant Pine wood frames to perfectly complement the exterior envelope and interior design features. This wood framed bifold door elevates the contemporary pool house feel of the space with thin, minimal frames and a barefoot-friendly Low Profile Saddle sill.
For optimal year-round function, the system was specified with a convenient swing door to provide quick indoor-outdoor access when the panels are closed. As a Generation 4 folding glass door, the system is designed to offer the smoothest operation, allowing the homeowners to easily open or close the pool house based on the needs of the day.
From Summer to Winter: Year-Round Indoor-Outdoor Living
To create a true four-season retreat, the wood framed bifold door was specified with double-glazed panels. This would ensure optimal thermal comfort by keeping the contemporary pool house space warm in winter without breaking the visual connection to the outdoors. The system’s quadruple laminated wood adds another layer of energy efficiency and strength against seasonal weather.
“The homeowners love the flow between the pool house and pool area,” says PSW. “Even when it snows, the homeowners talked about how nice it would be to be in the pool house and enjoy the beauty of snowfall from inside with amazing views provided by the NanaWall.”
Final Thoughts
This Fox Chapel backyard perfectly embodies the very essence of indoor-outdoor living. What was once an outdated pool and shed has been reimagined into a contemporary pool house and outdoor entertaining area that sits in harmony with its natural surroundings. Seamlessly connected through the NanaWall wood framed bifold door, the indoor-outdoor spaces merge into one, creating a luxurious backyard retreat for laid-back living and memorable gatherings.
“The homeowners are absolutely in love with the finished project. This has made their outdoor living experience so much more enjoyable,” says PSW. “Everyone involved with the project exceeded expectations, and PSW is honored to be a part of bringing this dream to reality.”
Discover how other indoor-outdoor spaces leverage NanaWall wood framed bifold doors in our inspiring project library!
