By Meda Kessler
Photos by Ralph Lauer
When Brian and Melanie Gittiban moved from Mansfield to Colleyville, they wanted something unique for their pool. The couple love to spend as much time as possible outside year-round, and they wanted a pool area that offered options for summer and winter use. Inspired by a project that mixed fire and water at an Arizona resort, Brian tasked Southlake-based Claffey Pools to design a pool that met his requirements and vision. Caitlin Mims, a landscape-architect-turned-pool-designer, checked all the boxes on the Gittibans’ wish list, including a walk-in conversation pit with a fire bowl in the center of the pool. The circular built-in bench seating is made of the same travertine used for the pool deck, as is a wide ledge that holds a trio of smaller fire bowls, all fueled by natural gas. A flat walkway running from the poolside pavilion, also part of Claffey’s outdoor living design, allows water (and swimmers) to flow underneath it. “In the winter, the fire pits make it comfortable to sit outside. We can feel the heat even if we’re sitting in the pavilion,” says Brian.
