The Backyard Planning Studio is Astorga’s working alternative to a pool gallery: transformation studies with before-and-after comparisons, the reasoning behind every design call, phased build paths, and Houston-specific planning insight, so you understand what you want before anyone asks for your signature.

See what a good plan does for a Houston backyard, whether you’re starting from an empty yard, an aging pool, or an outdoor space that no longer works for the family.

Current studies

Aging Pool Restoration

Keep the shell, fix the water, renew every surface, phase the rest.

Large Houston Backyard

Pool and spa placed for the patio view, kitchen where the cook faces people, the oak kept.

The same pool fully restored with new surfaces and travertine deck

Aging pool with faded water and stained deck

The same lot with a pool and raised spillover spa, kitchen at the house, and the oak preserved

Large open lawn with a single mature oak and a plain fence

Full Outdoor-Living Transformation

The complete program: pool, spillover spa, water wall, kitchen, and fire lounge.

Family Backyard Retreat

Ledge-first flowing geometry, spa spillway, fire corner, and real lawn kept.

The same yard as a complete outdoor living program with pool, spa, water wall, kitchen, and fire lounge

Bare slab and empty lawn behind a suburban home

The same yard with a family pool, tanning ledge, raised spa, and fire corner

Plain family lawn with trees and a covered patio

What every study includes

Interactive before-and-after comparison
Why this design, with the actual reasoning
What we deliberately rejected, and why
A phased evolution with future-proofing
A Houston-specific planning insight
A design-confidence checklist
What you can take to any builder, including us

One studio, more than one shape

Pool geometry is a lot decision, not a house style: rectilinear where the architecture sets a strong axis, soft geometric where a family lot wants warmth, L-shapes when the pool must serve two zones, courtyard pools for enclosed side yards, and, sparingly, where a wooded setting argues for it, a restrained modern freeform. Every study on this page states why its shape fits its lot; upcoming concepts deliberately explore the range.

The current studies use concept and inspiration imagery while our first documented Astorga projects complete. The analysis, the reasoning, and the Houston planning detail are ours.

Planning an upgrade instead of a new build?

The studio covers restoration thinking too. See Backyard Restoration & Remodeling for the service pathway, or start with the restoration study above.

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