In search of real estate, Laure ARANCIO acquired a mansion from 1890 in the heart of Salon de Provence (Provence Alpes-Côte d´Azur). This building, to be completely renovated, in its 1960s juice, has a courtyard below that one would not suspect to exist, enhanced in its center by a fifty-year-old Magnolia.

After two years of renovation, Laure, interior designer and decorator at the agency La Nostra secrets d´interieur thinks and imagines the exterior layout. In order to preserve the Magnolia, whose roots extend over the 160m² of the courtyard, Laure has chosen an above-ground swimming pool. In order to bring a dynamic and an aesthetic rendering, this swimming pool will be dressed with a wooden terrace.

A 40cm reinforced concrete slab was dug and poured by hand. Indeed, with not overlocked, this courtyard has no exterior access, implying that the evacuation, but also all the handling of materials, is done by hand, crossing the house. The slab has been oversized to guard against possible movements related to the roots of the tree.

After having thought and designed the swimming pool, it was supplied and installed by a carpenter in just 3 days with structural timber known for its strength. Laure chose an anthracite liner to get darker water. Measuring 2.5mx4m, the depth is 140cm. The swimming pool has a 2.5mx60cm step to facilitate the descent into the water.

A 55m² terrace was built around the pool in cumaru, an exotic wood of a reddish brown color. In order to ensure long-term solidity, the terrace was mounted on reinforced concrete foundations 50cmx50cm spaced every meter.

A large bench integrated into the terrace has always been part of Laure's idea for a visual and aesthetic integration into the staircase.

The technical room is thus hidden under the terrace integrating the swimming pool pump, filtration, heat pump, brominator and water monitoring.

Below the terrace, Laure has chosen a high quality synthetic lawn vegetated on each side by Mediterranean plantations: olive tree, thyme, rosemary, agapanthus ...

Laure, interior designer, but also manager of the decoration boutique La Nostra Interior Secrets, delighted in decorating the outdoor space (garden furniture, light decoration, lantern, Moaï statues, etc.) .

At nightfall, all the elements are highlighted by carefully positioned and chosen lighting. An LED strip under the bench and the staircase to bring dynamics, bidirectional lighting highlighting the swimming pool and the height of the walls, as well as integrated spotlights to highlight the stone walls.

4 months of work for a result that met the wishes of the interior designer.

Materials used:

1. Tailored pool, aboveground, douglas wood structure
2. Armed concrete slab
3. Liner charcoal grey
4. Surelevate terrace, exotic wood, cumaru
5. All outdoor furnitures come from our store, La Nostra Secrets d’intérieur

6. Filtration system under the terrace

7. Heat pump under the terrace

8. Kei Stone - Cumaru excotic wood terrace

9. Synthetic grass 45mm

10. Philips Hue - Lightstrip

11. Goodnightlight - Duck Duck