Why Ever Leave Home?

Design by Welington Gomes, SJ Pools and Landscaping
Photography by Jimi Smith, Jimi Photography
Text by Nayda Rondon

An impressive, 7,000-square-foot, Georgian-style colonial in Tenafly called for an equally spectacular outdoor space with all of the resort-like bells and whistles. And that’s just what president/designer Welington Gomes and his team at the Oradell-based SJ Pools and Landscaping delivered.

Daniel and Susan Zausner and their two sons loved their home, which the couple had built in 2008 on a 1.1-acre lot. At that time, Danny had wanted to include a pool as part of the construction, but Susan, then a new mom, dissuaded him. She reminded her husband, the chief operating officer of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Tennis Center, that summers were his busiest time at work. “She wasn’t eager to be home with babies entertaining by herself,” he explains.

Fast-forward to 2021, with the tots now teens and the pandemic’s shelter-at-home limitations making the family rethink their backyard-living situation. “Post-COVID, everyone wanted to spend more time outdoors,” says Danny Zausner. “We wanted to take full advantage of what our property could offer. My wife asked if we could put in a pool, and I was eager to make it happen.”

The inviting Archpot gas fire table is at the heart of the lounge hotspot, which also boasts an oversized sectional couch and two double chaise lounges, all from Restoration Hardware.

Zausner lost no time in contacting Gomes, whom he’d met in 2007 when the latter worked on a commercial project for USTA. “Since then I kept seeing Welington’s trucks around Bergen County and reading about the amazing pools he was doing in my area,” he recalls. “I couldn’t imagine working with anyone but him. He came with a stellar reputation, was full of incredible ideas and, at each step, showed us in 3D what our pool would look like based on criteria we established.”

Collaborating closely, Gomes and the owners envisioned an “entertainment centerpiece” with “luxury resort vibes.” The project, accomplished from April to November 2021, started with Gomes’s crew building retaining walls to level the space. (The elevation drop was more than 30 feet from the street, 20 feet at the back.) Since the slope made machinery access challenging, the crew built a temporary road to bring in trucks and equipment for construction.

The project’s glittering jewel is the 45-feet-by-20-feet swimming pool, which features deep blue, sandblasted marble pavers, copings and waterline tiles from Carlstadt-based Marmiro Stones; an automatic cover; a sun shelf with two in-water Ledge Lounger chairs and a raised 11.5-feet-by-6.5-feet hot tub with a spillway. But, reasoning that no matter how fabulous and fun their pool was, people would not be spending all their time in it, Gomes and the homeowners lavished equal emphasis on creating other luxe amenities: an outdoor kitchen and bar, a sound system and an 85-inch outdoor TV, a spacious eating area stylishly furnished with a teak dining set with seating for 12, and a relaxed yet refined lounge/firepit section.

Graceful Archpot fire-water vases add a distinctive spark.

Every decision—from installing an IntelliCenter system providing centralized control of the multiple pool devices and water/fire features to ensuring that the louvered pergola, installed by Sparta-based Deck Remodelers, had an automatic screen to block out the strong west-facing sun—was made with the homeowners’ ease and comfort in mind.

“Welington doesn’t know the word ‘no’!” says Zausner. “After he installed the pool steps I had requested, I sheepishly told him I didn’t like the depth of each stair. If I were him, I’d have lost my mind, but he simply had the team make each step deeper.”

Attentive design, strategic placement and lush landscaping elements were carefully incorporated to enhance the resort-like aesthetics. Simultaneously offering the soothing sounds of water cascading into the main pool and the dramatic flair of flames, two Archpot fire-water vases serve as elegant exclamation points, one on either side of the spa tub.

“Fire next to water brings an energy to the space that feels peaceful and luxurious,” says Gomes, adding that the spa tub and vases were situated on that particular side of the pool so that they’d be visible from the home.

“It’s amazing how much joy you can get from a pool, even when you’re not in it, simply from looking at it out the window,” says Zausner, noting that now his family gets to enjoy year-round views that are “serene, picturesque and inviting.”

Thanks to designer Welington Gomes of SJ Pools and Landscaping, an imposing Tenafly colonial got the pool and backyard amenities it deserved. Says Gomes: “It’s a true family retreat with a stunning outdoor kitchen, cozy fire features and space to entertain or relax year-round. At sunset, you see the fire flickering, the coconut trees swaying and water spilling gently into the pool. It’s surreal and magical.”

The backyard’s slope opens to a wooded area, creating an oasis that evokes the luxuriant grounds of a secluded retreat. “We added evergreens for privacy, hydrangeas, catmint and boxwoods,” says Gomes. “Every summer we bring in the stars of the landscaping: two real 20-foot coconut trees to reinforce the resort-like feel of the space. We also used artificial grass around the stepping stones to keep a clean, fresh look.”

“The new pool area has allowed us to take great advantage of it April to June and September to October while I’m still around, and for my wife and kids to enjoy even when I’m working,” says the homeowner. “We now spend more time than ever before as a family in our backyard and less going elsewhere for pool time and entertainment. Our backyard weekends are full, and we relish any work-week evening when we can have dinner poolside.

“No matter how tough a day any of us might have at work or school, everything goes away once we walk into the backyard,” says Zausner of his family’s piece of paradise. “All that’s a reality because of the thoughtful design and attention to detail that far exceeded our greatest expectations. We love when friends come over and say, ‘Welcome to White Lotus!’”

Evoking a White Lotus vibe, this Tenafly backyard is a recreation haven. Little pockets of relaxed luxury adorn the landscape, offering “something for everyone,” notes Gomes.