Determined to move forward, Sheldon turned to contractor Robert Bledsoe, the self-proclaimed “King of Backyard Bling,” who has built a reputation for precision and craftsmanship through more than 30 years of pool-building business. (He doesn’t call what he builds “pools” though—his projects are outdoor experiences.) At the time of Sheldon’s call, Bledsoe had been contemplating retirement. Sheldon’s request, however, was met with a simple response: “Let’s get ‘er done.”

Designing for the senses

Bledsoe approached the project as an opportunity to create the dynamic outdoor living experience that is his claim to fame.

“Designing a space is like writing a song,” Bledsoe explains. “The homeowner is the producer, telling me what they want to hear. It’s not about my preferences; it’s about capturing their vision. In this case, the homeowners love music, frogs and contemporary design.”

The metaphor works for Sheldon and Megan, both music lovers—Megan holds a doctorate in classical saxophone performance. Music even appears in the landscape as two life-sized bronze frogs playing instruments in a reflecting pool. Once intended by the original contractor to be a hot tub, the space is especially magical at dusk, when LED-lit glass casts a soft, atmospheric glow across the water’s surface.