For their second home, the homeowners of this beautiful house enjoy having a place to escape the city life and relax by the pool with friends and family.

The existing landscape posed a challenge for designer John Cowen as he planned the renovation which was to include a pool and still "maintain the right sense of proportion with the overall space and abide by the local property setback restrictions and homeowner association restrictions."

The new backyard landscape features a rectangular in-ground pool that boasts clean lines and a simple, traditional layout, a key design element that allows the surrounding nature to shine through.

Cedar shake siding is a gorgeous textural feature of the home which is reflected in the straight lines of the rectangular pool and square pavers in this classic backyard landscape.