West Meets East
When Jamie and Timothy Frank built their Northern Baltimore County home six years ago, they knew exactly what they wanted. When it came time to construct a pool house, however, they needed more creative guidance, so they hired Patrick Jarosinski of PDJ Associates after seeing another pool house he had designed. “The original scope began as an open pavilion, and transformed into a fully conditioned living space,” says Jarosinski. The pool house has an open plan with a cathedral ceiling, a fireplace, banquette and bar fully equipped for entertaining, a bathroom, laundry facilities, an outdoor shower, air conditioning and radiant heat.
The pool house blends with the main house with its Butler stone foundation, board-and-batten siding and metal roof, but stands on its own by virtue of its rustic, cozy interior. “We spend time in Deer Valley, Utah and love the architecture there, so this is our mini-Western home in Maryland,” says Jamie. From mid-April to mid-October, Jamie moves her office into the pool house so she can look out over the pool and onto the beautiful vistas while she works on home projects. Throughout the year, the family loves to entertain guests poolside. “We’ve had a few parties, but the most memorable by far was a sit-down dinner for 22 that we had last spring— the fireplaces were going, and lots of candles. It was a beautiful evening!” —Lauren Hooper
Architect: Patrick D. Jarosinski & Associates, Inc., 410-527-3750; Landscape architect: Bob Jackson Landscapes, Inc., 410-356-1620; Pool contractor: Lothorian Pools, 410-667-7665; Interior design: Hall & Co., 410-296-8499.
Grecian Influence
As the owner explains, when she and her husband decided to build a pool house, they wanted something that looked like it could’ve always belonged on the property. “I needed it to have a formal feel,” she says, to match the style of the family’s Greek Revival-style home in Roland Park. So they hired architect Patrick Jarosinski, and forged a year-long partnership which resulted in what Jarosinski calls “a beautiful collaboration.”
Inside the pool house’s main chamber, a black, wrought-iron chandelier hangs from the sky-blue, white-paned barrel-vaulted ceiling. White, custom marble tiles line the floor, trimmed with a black, Greek key border. Arched doorways lead to wings on the left and right. Centered on the back wall is a black granite fireplace, flanked by cabinets that conceal a wine rack and storage areas.
Furniture includes a black sleeper sofa and comfy, upholstered chairs in greys and polka dots. Four ottomans add punch, clad in rich red, green, blue and orange leathers. “The furniture is very architectural, and very comfortable,” says Jarosinsk. Bright, contemporary artworks portraying parts of historic Baltimore (all by artist and neighbor Greg Otto) decorate the walls.
Two separate bathroom/changing rooms flank the main living space in the poolhouse, and through another doorway next to the bathroom on the right is a kitchenette equipped with a large sink, overhead cabinets, dishwasher, stainless steel warming drawer and washer/dryer.
The family and their four children all use the pool house year-round, even through the winter. “We escape to the pool house,” says the owner. “We come out here to laugh.” Jarosinski, who’s designed his share of poolhouses, observes, “It’s different than a normal pool house. This is a special place.” —Greg Howard
Architect: Patrick D. Jarosinski & Associates, Inc., 410-527-3750; Landscape design: Foxborough Nursery, 410-879-4995; Stone mason: Primo Doria, 410-667-1616; Contractor: Ilex Construction & Development, 410-243-6796
Outdoor Living
When Nancy Getter and her husband, Keith, decided to re-do the pool area behind their Guilford home in 2006, they wanted something that the entire family could use throughout the entire year, and decided that just a pool house wouldn’t cut it. So they transformed the area into a liveable space with specific areas for different activities. “We wanted something beautiful to look at,” Nancy explains. “And we wanted it to be very open.” Laura Thomas of Melville Thomas Architects was brought in to design the new pool area. After the initial construction was completed, the Getters enlisted designer Dan Proctor of Kirk Designs to add some panache to the outdoor space.
The pool house itself occupies a corner at the rear of the pool. Built of stone and sturdy cedar, it contains a bathroom, storage area and a small locker room for guests to change clothes. Outside, a white porch roof supported by pillars extends a few feet into the courtyard, providing shade for the seating area. Wisteria vines snake down the cedar wall, and music speakers dangle from the roof. “My husband’s out there almost every night in nice weather,” says Nancy of the area where one can relax, read, listen to music or follow a baseball game.
Tucked into another corner of the pool patio under a pergola is a dining area complete with a fireplace wall. “The fireplace is the greatest thing,” says Nancy, remarking that the family made s’mores in the fireplace during the Blizzard of 2010. “We use the fireplace all year long,” she says. A wrought-iron fan spins lazily overhead, while a couch, two chairs and a glass table sit in the center of the space.
In another corner of the pool area is an outdoor kitchen. A stainless steel grill is set within a stone wall, flanked on one side by a stainless-steel fridge, and on the other, by a stainless-steel beer tap.
About the pool area, completed in 2007, Getter says with a smile: “It changed the way we live, and we’re always ready to entertain guests.” she says. “It’s an easy way to bring people together.” —Greg Howard
Architect: Melville Thomas Architects, 410-443-4400; Interior design: Kirk Designs, 410-468-0798; General contractor: Victor Boehm Building Co., 410-561-0700; Landscape architect: Mark Willard & Associates, 410-666-2872; Pool contractor: Lothorian Pools, 410-667-7665.
