There’s something about mid-century homes that feels timeless. Maybe it’s the clean lines, minimalist elegance, large windows or the seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. My last home was a good example, but it needed updates to pay homage to the design while bringing it into the present. The pool area was a great renovation target as it already had so much potential - an existing concrete pool, a great layout and lush palms. We wanted to keep the mid-century charm intact but add a modern twist, so I got to work making a design plan for the project.

Doing the demo

This home already had great bones: clean lines, a flat roof, and those large windows that make mid-century architecture special. But the pool area while having lovely existing planting, was in need of a little love and wasn’t exactly screaming Palm Springs glam. The aim was to create more space for activities additional to swimming, lighten the palette so it appeared open and spacious, and theme the aesthetic to suit the house. Steve and I attempted the demo ourselves (well mainly Steve), removing the existing paving, different types of fencing, and a big garden with a scoria wall taking up valuable space. After a month of tiring weekend work, one tonne of debris and several skip bins later we had our base area cleared and ready for action.

Previously a garden, a tonned of dirt and rock was removed to lower this area and create an extension to the pool and outdoor space.

Creating a foundation

First up we needed to create one expanse of flooring that looked seamless and let your eye focus on the pool. Often old paving has darkened and has alot of grout lines, creating an expanse that is visually cluttered. We decided to do a concrete pour to replace the old, cracked tiles with a neutral, modern paver that complements the home's original colour palette. To do this the ground needed to be graded, flattened, prepped with new drainage, and layers of gravel and sand. The pool also had to have timber framing built around the top, so the concrete had a shape and edge to fill once it was poured. Concrete doesn’t have to be grey, it can be tinted in many colours. I decided on a lovely sandy colour from the Peter Fell Neutrals range. The concrete is mixed with the colour pigment offsite, then bought in on a big concrete mixer truck. We had a very steep, shared driveway so this was the point I had to look away! The concrete is piped in while a team quickly smooth it out before it starts to dry. A week or so later (depending on weather) the team come back to cut pressure lines into the concrete - these are routered out lines every couple of metres to avoid cracks forming in the surface.

Utilising unused space

There was a skinny garden down the back side of the house that had lot of nice planting and a pathway, but it didn’t get much sun and we never used it. We have two boys so any outdoor space is precious. We removed the planting and levelled the slope off into two flatter parts with steps in between. These flat, large platforms allowed us to put astro turf down - once complete the boys loved using this area to play.

We painted the grey concrete pool in white epoxy pool paint, so that the water appears a lighter blue.

The King Cove outdoor lounge setting from King Living is low-slung and simple, perfect for the space.

Adding a focal point

We wanted to bring back that breezy, open feel while creating a focal point that gave the area a fresh, architectural touch. We decided to incorporate a breeze block feature wall the whole way across the back of the pool area, creating a focal point while adding visual interest. The patterned blocks form an eyecatching contrast against the blue pool water and surrounding greenery. We chose a classic white block with a geometric cut-out design, echoing the mid-century modern aesthetic while keeping it crisp and clean. The openness of the blocks allows for cool breezes to flow through (hence the name!), making it the perfect spot to sit back with a book or cocktail on a warm day. I drew up a design and we enlisted the help of a blocklayer to built it. The base is solid blocks (you’re not allowed breeze blocks to the ground around a pool as they can be climbed), with feature areas of breeze block above . Then the grout lines get plastered over to create a smooth surface, and it’s time to paint. Crisp, cool Resene Alabaster was the perfect choice for the wall - we used a paint spray gun as breeze blocks are painstaking to paint.

Upgrading the sidelines

We already had gorgeous established palms that inspired the theme, but added more potted palms around the area to create lush layers and a relaxed, holiday feel. The old fences were removed and Steve built one style of fence down the side of the property to create a more unified look. I gave him a brief of horizontal slatted cedar lengths with slight gaps in between, and off he went!

This long, skinny area at the back of the house was a garden which we removed and levelled out to create extra play space for our boys.

The extra space we created at the side could be used either as a dining or living setting depending on what we were doing.

Adding finishing touches

The wall also creates a perfect backdrop for the new lounge chairs and outdoor furniture we chose for the area. We kept the furnishings sleek, light and low-profile to match the mid-century vibe, with brass towel hooks in the shape of palms on the wall for a fun touch.

Brass palm towel hooks from Folklore store pay homage to the Palm Springs style.

While doing the pool reno we painted the outside of the house in Resene Alabaster, added a white concrete wall around the front garden, and swapped out the planting for desert-inspired succulents, rocks and white limestone chip from Central Landscape Supplies.

This renovation was all about finding that balance between paying homage to mid-century design and embracing modern updates. The breeze block feature wall brought texture, light, and an architectural touch to the space that not only transforms the pool area but also enhances the overall style of the home. The pool area now feels like an oasis that celebrates the home’s mid-century roots while being a great family hangout area and outdoor entertaining zone!