This Side of Paradise - Pool Perfection

What is your fantasy of pool perfection? Ferns, fountains, natural stone and perhaps an infinity edge? Why settle for a boring pool when you can have a vacation paradise in your backyard? Want to gently drift into the saltwater bliss of your own beach or enjoy a drink on an underwater barstool while arched fountains shoot overhead? Consider giving a call to John Rigo, founder and owner of Stonebridge Pools & Outdoor Living.

That’s what Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak did when he wanted a pool. Rigo was the go-to guy for the Woz because Rigo doesn’t just build pools. He creates award-winning visionary waterscapes that can turn any yard into the paradise of a homeowner’s most cherished dreams.

“I chose the name Stonebridge because I like to make people’s dreams come true. My work bridges everyday life and dreams,” says Rigo who founded the company 33 years ago. “I also create real bridges. They are a charming way to connect the home, garden and water features and they are fun to swim under.”

Wozniak’s dream included a series of bridges with seven connected pools and fountains. As befitting an Apple pioneer, it was the first computerized pool ever. Wozniak also had Rigo develop an underwater speaker system that’s become an industry standard.

But then there was also the young family who’s longing for a pool was greater than there almost non-existent backyard. No backyard? No problem. Not for Rigo who is known for his seamless site problem-solving.

“You wouldn’t think an entire pool could be cantilevered over a cliff, but that’s what I did. The house was built on a hill and the site opened on all three sides so I created an infinity pool for them with a fountain. The family now enjoys all of the property and views of the property beyond the infinity pool’s edge.” he said.

Site challenges only serve to inspire Rigo to creativity in serving his Peninsula and Silicon Valley clientele who include CEOs and pro-athletes. “Every site has its problems. What I do is work with them so that everything fits together perfectly. No one sees them and thinks, oh so that’s what he did about that.”

Rigo does more than produce a great design. He actually works at the site every day making sure every detail is realized exactly the way he planned it.

“I am the one on the site supervising the work crews. I am not just a salesman. That is why people who want only the best choose me for their pool projects. I create what I design.”

No wonder Rigo has been honored as top in the field internationally, nationally and within California. An international team producing a coffee table book on swimming pools chose Rigo as the only professional profiled because of his outstanding ability to design pools to mesh with the home’s architecture, the exterior environment and the client’s wish list.

An outdoor architecture magazine rated him as the best in California. And his peers voted him as #1 in the U.S. in a contest featured in a pool and spa trade journal.

“We were all asked if you had to vote for another pool company other than yourself, who would you vote for?  Turned out it was me,” he recalls with a modest chuckle, “Out of seven regions in the U.S., including Florida, Texas and Southern California, I received the most votes.”

Rigo, who is currently building an infinity edge pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Oahu for San Mateo clients, has become an expert on energy efficiency in pools. The innovative designer who was among the first to use saltwater in pools, is now perfecting passive solar design eliminating big solar panels. He is also working on new ways to design one-lane lap pools into home landscapes.

Spas are another specialty of Rigo’s. He recently received an award for a multi-level triple spa including a cooling spa, a hot spa and a fountain spa plus a pond with a bridge. With waterfalls that cascade into each other, the project includes four different types of water features and lush landscaping with twin Italianate pergolas flanking the spa.

Rigo puts his creativity into overdrive for swim-up bars. For a client in San Jose’s Silver Creek community, he created a swim-up bar with arched fountains overhead illuminated by color LED lights. He also crafts beach entries with permanent troweled-in sand and gentle steps for seating.

A sincere desire for his clients to fully enjoy their lives drives Rigo to craft stunning pools for them.

“You look at a pool every day. It is literally a reflection of you. For what it costs to put in a pool, I want my clients to have a pool that transforms their lives, not just a utilitarian rectangle. With the pool of your dreams you will feel differently about yourself and you will be more productive.”