Photography: Margaret Wright and Nick Cann
After months and months of construction, the “Mod Pod Pool Pad” is finally finished! Back in 2019, we purchased our home; we renovated the inside of the house and had aspirations to put in a pool somewhere down the line. Since Hugh’s dad is a retired architect, we were able to convince him to design one last project - The Mod Pod Pool Pad.
Our goals for this project were to create an extremely unique space that is also exceptionally functional - including a fireplace, projection TV, dining nook, seating area, outdoor speakers, overhead lighting, outdoor heating, a storage room, and much more. The perfect space for hosting and family fun! In this blog post you will find information about all design decisions and sources for all products.
The Arnett Construction team worked for several months to bring our plans to life. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to making this dream happen.
Just outside our screened-in porch area we incorporated an outdoor dining space which will be utilized in the warmer months. Our Belmont Dining Table surrounded by the Grover Outdoor Stackable Dining Armchairs gives the perfect nod to the modern decor which will later be seen inside the pool house. The centerpiece is our classic Webbed Oblong Bowl, which is long enough to fill a wide dining table and looks great styled with a variety of different items.
Belgard provided all of the outdoor porcelain pavers as well as the flooring in the pool house. Belgard was the standout choice for selecting premium products that withstand the test of time. The Quarziti 2.0 pavers around our outdoor dining area mimic the look of quarried quartz.
We chose to install turf due to the lower maintenance requirements and its year-long lushness - sourced by Belgard to compliment their pavers. The tree swing was a must - since we don’t have a swing set we wanted to include a fun element for the girls.
One of our favorite organic furniture selections is the Odyssey Lounge Chair we used as a set facing the pool - giving the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine outside as the sun goes down and the cooler weather sneaks in. Styled with our Lola End Table, we accessorized the space with custom-made pillows and a vase from our shop.
Just across the way are 4 Wave Outdoor Chaise Lounge Chairs to be used for soaking up the sun on a weekend pool day. If it gets too hot, we selected the Outdoor Venice Square Umbrella to offer 7’6” of sun protection. Each lounge chair is accompanied by a white cushion and a lumbar pillow for extra comfort.
The walls of the structure are covered in a white stucco material which we painted Megan Molten White by Sherwin Williams. The ceilings, outdoor shower, and storage closet door are made with a fluted wood design and painted Mod Pod Black by Sherwin Williams. We developed the wood design on the ceiling to conceal the electric wiring, pipes, and junction boxes. Belgard’s Porcelain Pavers were chosen as the flooring of the pool house due to their durability and color preservation.
In the storage closet, you can find countless poolside supplies all labeled in acrylic bins, a refrigerator, and a kegerator. We wanted our space to be stocked so as to prevent needing to go back to the house to grab anything - we have everything we need right by the pool!
Just outside the storage closet are our favorite set of planters from Blue Ocean Traders. In a dusty gray color, these two planters in varying heights are the perfect way to add some greenery and height to your space.
Inside the pool house, our banquette and coffee table came from Sunpan, with the other furniture sourced from Azurro Living. We kept the furniture very clean and neutral to allow for more bright and bold pillows and accessories. One more fun element are the hanging chairs, which can be turned to face any which way and our girls just love!
Due to the tendency of warm summers in Charleston, a ceiling fan was essential - sourced from Minka Group. Outdoor heaters made this space functional year-round as well as a fireplace. We also included an outdoor projector so that we could watch movies outside when the sun goes down - it makes for such special family moments with the girls.
All decor was inspired by Belgard’s 2023 colors of the year - “Tidepool” and “Seagrass”. These outdoor-inspired colors can be seen throughout our custom pillows. On the wall, we sourced a custom acrylic wall sculpture by Somar Creations. We wanted to continue the organic shapes seen throughout the space and play off the black ceilings. All accessories inside the pool house are sourced from the Megan Molten Shop.
To the left of the seating areas, we installed a slab of granite and mitered it to get a 12” overhang. We use this space to serve food and drinks while entertaining - one of our favorite finds of the decorating process is this vintage acrylic ice bucket to keep the beverages chilled.
All landscape design was done by Tilly, including lots of locally found plants that create a rather lush and private spot. Some of the plants we included are Fishtail Palms, Banana Trees, Japanese Forest Grass, Silver Giant Elephant Ears, and Sword Ferns. We wanted it to feel like our pool is extremely secluded and give a nod to a tropical environment.
Our pool was installed and designed by Aqua Blue Pools which is a local pool installer. With pool tile by Mosa and coping by Pacific Stone, we love the simplicity of this pool. The pool finish is called “Madagascar Lunar Quartz” by Wet Edge Technologies.
Floating atop our pool, you may notice the LED Color Changing Glow Balls - these fun floating objects not only look intriguing by daylight but illuminate the area at night - giving off a soft, warm glow. They come in 4 different sizes to offer some variation.
One of the most unique elements of the Mod Pod Pool Pad is the bathroom - which was sponsored by Kohler. We chose to have a mirror along the whole wall as you walk in, featuring a neon sign which is the only light in the space. Because the space was so small, we chose a pedestal sink, a wall-mounted toilet, and a wall-mounted urinal - all in a black finish. On the wall, we featured one of Hugh Molten’s famous photography prints.
We were excited to include an outdoor shower - made with the same fluted wood design as the ceiling of the pool house. Outdoor showers are a great way to keep your house cleaner - you can rinse off your kids or pets outside before coming in. It is also just a relaxing way to be in touch with nature. We fastened a 3 Chamber Shampoo Dispenser on the wall which includes shampoo, body wash, and conditioner.
While photographing this space, we drew inspiration from one of our favorite photographers, Slim Aarons to create a pool party-inspired shot. We wanted to capture the pool with as much life as possible - as the purpose of the space is mainly for entertaining and to create long-lasting memories.
Thank you to those who followed along the long journey of the Mod Pod Pool Pad Build. To see more on the process, head to our YouTube channel for the full video series!