When a St. Charles, Illinois homeowner dreamed of trading a blank backyard for the opulence of the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, the project evolved into a sophisticated engineering feat requiring 300 tons of weathered limestone.

The client’s request: replicate a luxury resort experience by marrying high-end landscape design, unique watershaping and naturalistic stone masonry. Platinum Poolcare (Wheeling, IL) led the transformation.

Larry Carnes, president of Reflections Water Gardens (West Dundee, IL) and a PowerHouse SMART member, designed and executed the intricate rockwork and waterfalls, including crafting stonework into a naturalistic environment and private sanctuary. This past February, the result received Gold and Platinum awards from Landscape Illinois.

The project began substantially smaller in scope, initially requiring only 55 tons of stone, said Tony Smith, Platinum Pool’s general manager. However, the homeowner’s design vision evolved during the construction process. “Rather than a standard pool, they wanted more of a resort-style pool, with waterfalls cascading from huge boulders,” he said.

The shift in scale turned into a technical stone-setting challenge requiring specialized expertise.

“We partnered with Larry and Reflections Water Gardens because of their ability to design and execute a large, intricate project and flawlessly integrate stone and rockwork into our pool,” Smith said.

Increasing the stone volume from 55 tons to 300 tons required detailed structural planning and engineering. Soil from the pool excavation was repurposed to shape a substantial berm running along the rear far edge of the pool. The berm would provide structure for the waterfall, while naturally blending the water feature’s elements with the custom-graded topography.

A massive limestone grotto with a 13-foot-wide signature waterfall took shape as the project’s centerpiece. Several miniwaterfalls cascade into an adjacent cove inlet, beckoning the homeowner to rest, relax and reflect within its shallow depth. Serene lighting by Night Light Inc. (Lombard, IL) adds a soft layer of luxury to the evening experience.

Every rock placement is designed for permanence. The team installed 2-foot-wide, rebar cages and backfilled them with 40 cubic yards of concrete. Stone was then dry-set, drilled and pinned with epoxy rebar. Engineering to this level of detail ensures the structure remains stable and secure within the overall pool design, providing a durable foundation capable of supporting the limestone’s weight and volume.

The primary challenge of this project was the shifting design vision that occurred after construction was underway. Carnes and his team at Reflections Water Gardens had to redesign elements of the rockwork and waterfalls on the fly to accommodate the changes. However, success was achieved through constant collaboration between Platinum Pool and Reflections Water Gardens. By applying engineering solutions to the mid-construction pivots, the teams met the new requirements without compromising the structural integrity of the build.

The clients were thrilled with the outcome, Smith said, proving that complex design shifts can be managed through professional collaboration and technical expertise. The result is a luxury resort experience that brings the experience of a Florida escape to an Illinois backyard.