The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh is a custom concrete swimming pool and complete outdoor living project in North Raleigh, NC, inspired by the warmth, texture and timeless character of the Tuscan countryside.
The homeowners had a very specific vision. They wanted their Raleigh backyard to feel as though it belonged somewhere in Tuscany, but they did not want the design to become overly themed or ornamental. Our approach was to capture the qualities that make Tuscan landscapes feel authentic through natural stone, aged materials, architectural details, water, fire and a landscape that balances intentional composition with a sense of natural growth.
The result is a luxury pool and outdoor living environment that feels established, relaxed and deeply connected to its wooded North Raleigh setting.
The design began with the idea that the swimming pool should feel integrated into the landscape rather than placed on top of it.
The custom concrete pool became the central element of the property, surrounded by natural materials chosen for their texture, variation and connection to traditional Tuscan architecture.
Rather than creating a perfectly polished contemporary environment, the design intentionally combines refined architectural elements with materials that show character and age. The goal was to create a space that feels as though it could have evolved naturally over time.
This balance between architecture and landscape defines the entire project.
Natural marble was selected throughout the pool environment for its warm coloration, subtle movement and visible fossil characteristics.
Those natural inclusions give every piece of stone its own character and introduce a sense of permanence that manufactured materials cannot reproduce.
Traditional bullnose pool coping was incorporated around the swimming pool along with substantial natural stone capstones. These details reference the classical foundations of Mediterranean and Tuscan architecture while maintaining a level of refinement appropriate for a luxury custom pool.
The marble creates a bright and elegant frame around the water while its natural variation keeps the installation warm and organic.
One of the defining elements of The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh is the natural stone water feature wall positioned along the rear of the swimming pool.
The stone was selected specifically for its rustic texture and soft beige coloration, recalling the fieldstone walls that have shaped the Tuscan countryside for generations.
Patinated copper scuppers project from the stone wall and introduce movement, sound and another naturally aging material into the design. As the copper develops additional character over time, it becomes even more connected to the stone and landscape surrounding it.
The combination of stone, copper and moving water creates a focal point that feels architectural without becoming overly formal.
The landscape behind the water feature was intentionally designed to feel looser and less structured than a traditional pool planting.
Layered plant material, flowering perennials and naturalistic planting soften the masonry and allow the landscape to visually move through and around the stone.
Instead of creating a conventional row of foundation plants, the planting was designed to suggest the type of vegetation that might naturally establish itself around an old Tuscan fieldstone wall.
This softer planting composition also creates a transition between the pool environment and the mature North Raleigh woodland surrounding the property.
Some of the most important materials in the finished landscape were already present beneath the property.
Large natural boulders uncovered during excavation were preserved and intentionally incorporated back into the completed installation.
Rather than removing them from the site, we positioned the boulders throughout the planting beds and around the water feature. This allowed the new pool environment to connect directly with the existing geology of the property.
Their scale and irregular forms help create the feeling of a pool nestled into a natural hillside while also referencing the rocky terrain associated with the Tuscan landscape.
This approach gave the project something that could not have been selected from a material sample. It gave the landscape a genuine connection to the land on which it was built.
Tuscan landscapes often create beauty through the relationship between wild countryside and highly composed estate gardens.
We wanted the Raleigh project to capture that same contrast.
While the planting around the water feature remains loose and naturalistic, other areas become considerably more structured.
Large stone slabs are arranged within turf to create strong architectural walkways and lounging areas. Carefully aligned holly plantings introduce repetition and formality. Furniture groupings and destination spaces reinforce the geometry of the pool.
These more composed elements create the feeling of a Tuscan estate garden while still allowing the surrounding landscape to remain relaxed and natural.
A natural stone gas fire pit creates another destination within the outdoor living environment.
The fire pit carries the same masonry and capstone language used throughout the pool and water feature, allowing it to feel like part of the original design rather than a separate addition.
Positioned away from the water, the fire pit creates its own gathering space for conversation and entertaining while providing a visual counterpoint to the swimming pool.
Water and fire become complementary elements within the landscape, helping the backyard transition naturally from daytime recreation to evening entertaining.
The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh was designed as much more than a swimming pool.
Multiple seating areas, chaise lounges, turf and stone walkways, landscaping, water features and fire features create a series of destinations throughout the backyard.
Each space serves a different purpose while remaining visually connected through a consistent palette of natural marble, rustic stone, copper, turf and planting.
The swimming pool remains the center of the composition, but the experience extends well beyond the water.
That approach is fundamental to our philosophy of custom pool and outdoor living design in Raleigh. The best pool projects do not simply occupy a backyard. They transform how the entire property is experienced.
What makes The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh distinctive is not any single material or feature.
It is the relationship between them.
Natural marble brings refinement. Rustic fieldstone introduces age and texture. Copper scuppers bring movement and warmth. Excavated boulders connect the project to the original landscape. Naturalistic planting softens the architecture. Formal turf and holly alignments introduce the order of a traditional estate garden. Fire creates another gathering destination within the property.
Together, these elements create a backyard that feels refined and rustic, architectural and natural, formal and wild.
The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh is not an attempt to recreate Italy in North Carolina. It is an interpretation of the qualities that make the Tuscan landscape timeless, expressed through a custom concrete pool and outdoor living environment designed specifically for its North Raleigh home, property and family.
The Tuscan Hills of Raleigh is a custom concrete swimming pool and outdoor living project in North Raleigh, North Carolina. The backyard was designed around the homeowner’s request for a landscape inspired by Tuscany while remaining appropriate for the architecture, natural setting and climate of a Raleigh property.
The Tuscan influence comes from the combination of natural materials, traditional architectural details and landscape composition. Fossil rich marble, rustic beige fieldstone, patinated copper scuppers, traditional bullnose coping, substantial capstones, natural boulders and layered planting work together to reference the materials and landscapes associated with the Tuscan countryside.
The project features a fully custom concrete swimming pool designed specifically for the North Raleigh property. The pool integrates water features, architectural stonework, lounging areas, and surrounding outdoor living spaces into one cohesive design.
Natural marble was used throughout the pool environment. The stone was selected for its warm coloration, natural variation and visible fossil characteristics. Rustic natural stone with soft beige tones was used on the water feature wall to create additional texture and reference traditional Tuscan fieldstone construction.
The swimming pool includes a natural stone water feature wall with patinated copper scuppers. The copper introduces warmth and character while the flowing water creates movement and sound within the landscape. They will continue to tapitina as they age and the landscape grows continuing to add a sense of space to the project.
Many of the boulders were uncovered during excavation for the swimming pool. Instead of removing them from the property, they were preserved and incorporated into the finished landscape. This helped connect the new construction to the existing geology of the site while reinforcing the natural hillside character of the design.
The landscape combines naturalistic planting with more structured garden elements. Plantings behind the stone water feature are intentionally loose and layered, while turf alignments, holly plantings, and stone walkways introduce the formality associated with traditional estate gardens.
Yes. A custom gas fire pit provides a separate gathering destination within the backyard. Natural stone and traditional capstone details connect the fire pit visually to the swimming pool and water feature architecture.
Yes. The goal does not need to be a literal reproduction of a Tuscan landscape. This project uses the underlying principles of Tuscan design, including natural stone, warm materials, architectural masonry, water, fire and layered planting, then adapts those ideas to a wooded North Raleigh property.
LYFE Pools designs and builds custom concrete swimming pools and complete outdoor living environments in Raleigh and throughout the Triangle. Projects can integrate pools, spas, water features, fire features, natural stone, hardscaping, landscaping, lighting and other outdoor living elements around the architecture and character of each property.
