We love when clients come to us not only for landscape lighting but the entire experience that professionally designed lighting can bring to any space. That’s how it started with the owners of this Hardyston, New Jersey timber framed pool house. They were not only looking for their own weekend escape but wanted to bring family, friends, employees and clients to a place that felt like an exotic resort.
We have designed and implemented several lighting projects, both landscape and interior applications with this great couple, so involving the lighting guy early in the planning process was natural. The architect’s plans for the pool house did not include lighting inside or outside the structure, giving us a blank slate to work with.
There were a few objectives and guidelines to follow. First, this was a true timber frame structure. Heavy Douglas fir timbers were individually sawn and assembled without the use of nails. Mortise and tenon joints are pinned with oak dowels by Bob Brohm of Cedar Creek Timber Frames. We worked closely with Bob to ensure that provisions for wiring were planned in advance, as there were several ‘tricky areas” to reach.
Bill Dusche of Crystal Spring Builders was general contractor. Bill was excellent in ensuring we had all the answers needed to make this design come together.
The lighting design for this space needed to accent the massive architectural details, illuminate the space for after-dark entertaining and add the sparkle that only lighting can bring. All the fixtures needed to be rated for outdoor use and able to hold up to humidity, as the pool house is not air conditioned or heated.
Our clients are drawn to warm colors of a darker tint, natural wood finishes and 
antiques – lots of antiques! After reviewing just a couple of choices for decorative fixtures, we decided copper was the material of choice and ‘vintage industrial’ was the look we sought.
The cedar tongue & groove ceiling was grazed with uplights and walls washed with downlights. All are fitted with LED lamps offering long life, energy efficiency and warm comfortable illumination. Hanging pendants and matching wall sconces use clear glass carbon filament bulbs for an authentic look.
One of my favorite features is the cast concrete bar counter top made to look like aged wood – it truly is a work of art. With pendants hanging directly over the bar, its surface is well-lit, so we attached custom built LED strip lighting to its underside to accent the cedar-clad knee wall. Lighting is dimmable and dialed in to just the right level.
The front patio is an often-used gathering place and is the transition area between the inside space and the surrounding landscape. An oversized hanging pendant is suspended from the main ridge beam, where the illumination is combined with that of nearby wall sconces and recessed uplights that accent the two heavy timber braces. From this patio, guest look out over a pond and stream feature and beyond to the swimming pool and surrounding landscape.
We hope to bring you more photos as the landscape continues to develop and the rest of the story unfolds. I am always thankful to my clients who provide us with these challenging and satisfying projects. For help in turning your pool house or patio into your own little resort, call us for a lighting consultation at 908 647 8004 or complete this form. Photo creds © Jeff Goldberg / Esto
