Pool News
Ciprianos Violin Pool Takes Social Media By Storm
Today we’ll be looking at the iconic Violin Pool and talking with the builder behind it. The most seasoned and experienced pool builders are capable of creating interesting shapes that evoke emotion and defy architectural boundaries. This is definitely the case with Chris Cipriano owner of Cipriano Landscape Design & Custom Swimming Pools, a 4 time Top 50 PSN Builder with numerous awards and accolades spanning over two decades in the pool industry.
Joe Trusty, Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine and CEO of Pool Marketing had a chance to catch up with Chris Cipriano recently and discussed one of his projects. An incredible violin shaped glass tile pool that has taken social media by storm.
The Violin Pool has become known as The Mariah Carey
The Violin Pool or known to the rest of the world as the Mariah Carey Pool is probably become one of the most iconic images associated with modern inground swimming pool designs. The pool itself is shaped like a 1700’s Stradivarius violin and incorporates realistic visual elements from the chinrest to the bow that runs across the neck.
Is This Mariah Carey’s Pool?
Multi-platinum artist Mariah Carey has been residing in the six-bedroom mansion during the Covid-19 pandemic. The diva super star vacated her glamarous penthouse with her twins in March ahead of the lockdown and has been renting the Westchester country estate since according to Variety Magazine.
Cipriano was the lead builder and designer for this impressive 1,350 square foot pool that is composed of over 440,000 individual pieces of hand cut mosaic tile. We asked him to shed a little light about the history of this pool and what it took to build it.
“The homeowner had the idea for a modern pool design based off the shape of a violin, particularly a Stradivarius. We started from a copy of the violin to base our design concepts from.” said Cipriano. “The challenge was incorporating all of the elements of the violin such as purlflings, f-holes, a bridge, strings, a tailpiece, and a chinrest but still have it be a useable swimming pool.”
Violin Glass Tile Pool With Custom Features:
- 12-person perimeter overflow spa, with independent LED lighting.
- 2 fish filled koi-ponds, built to resemble the “bow” of the violin, are visible to swimmers via 2 transparent acrylic panels, and are outfitted with 250 fiber optic star-lights.
- Nearly half a million translucent glass tiles designed with a unique 4-way gradient pattern.
- Fiber optic rope lighting detail that illuminates the entire periphery of the pool.
- Violin strings represented by 5760 strands of fiber optic lighting, which glow beautifully at night and can be synchronized with music playing externally.
- Riverflow jet system capable of creating a 2000 gallon/minute current that is strong enough to kayak or swim against.
- 1,000,000 BTU heater makes year round use of the pool and spa enjoyable.
- Wireless technology allows the homeowner to adjust any pool settings and landscape utilities directly from an iPhone.
- Underwater audio system makes listening to music possible while swimming laps or playing underwater.
One of the most eye catching aspects of the swimming pool is it’s mosaic tile interior. “It’s near impossible to achieve a seamless 4 direction gradient with mosaic tile but we were able to pull it off. Oceanside Glass Tile was really instrumental in helping us with this project. Not to mention Ron Jackson of Tesserae Tile & Stone and Dave Peterson of Watershape Consulting both of whom really helped to make this project such a success”.
Ciprianos team used ¾- x ¾-inch tiles — from Oceanside’s Muse collection to form the interior for the 90-foot-long pool, measuring 31 feet at the widest point and 16 ½ feet at the narrowest. “Oceanside plotted, designed and prepared sheets of tile from 1 to 15 for the gradient transition. Our team then mapped out in Auto CAD each sheet of tile on the main pool floor,” Cipriano went on to say. “While we were performing the installation, we had a person on site whose entire job was to color correct the sheets as they were being installed.”
Even with 2 decades of pool construction experience under his belt, Cipriano said the project did have it’s fair share of challenges. “This project is the first time that glass tile and fiber optic lighting have been used together in a swimming pool, so we had no reference to go off of for that type of installation.” The design process itself took over 10 months. Installation took Cipriano and a team of 8 workers over 2 months to complete.
“I’m not a builder that has to do 100 pools a year” Cipriano said “I’d rather work on projects that inspire and challenge me.”
Chris cipriano – owner of cipriano landscape design & custom swimming pools
Cipriano also integrated many custom pool features that truly make this a one-of-a-kind inground swimming pool. His team constructed a 12-person perimeter overflow spa with it’s own LED lighting system to accurately represent the chinrest of the violin. Swimmers in the pool can view Koi fish swimming through 2 see through panels in adjascent ponds, built to resemble the bow of the violin. These are outfitted with 250 fiber optic star-lights and over 6,000 strands of fiber optic lighting which represent the violin strings. The strings themselves can be illuminated and synchronized to play along with an external music system that can be controlled with an iPhone.
The $1.5 million dollar Violin Pool project was a collaborative effort of Chris Cipriano, Dan Shea and William Moore. Their remarkable design has won numerous awards including CID’s “Residential Tile Installation” award in 2014. Representing the very cutting edge in modern pool design and a true testament to why Chris Cipriano has become recognized as one of the leading builders in the pool industry today.
- Pool Designer/Pool Builder: Cipriano Landscape Design & Custom Swimming Pools, Mahwah, NJ
- Tile Manufacturer/Supplier: Oceanside Glass Tile, Carlsbad, CA
- Stone Supplier: Valders Stone & Marble, Inc., Valders, WI
- Installation Products: Mapei, Deerfield Beach, FL
Poolside Adventures and Landmark Aquatic have joined forces to bring big-impact attractions with a small footprint to aquatic facilities across the country. The partnership pairs Poolside Adventures’ AquaClimb®, AquaZip’N® and AquaNinja® FLX attractions with Landmark’s expansive nationwide reach and proven expertise in aquatic facility design, construction, renovation, and maintenance.
Poolside Adventures attractions add excitement to aquatic facilities without a major renovation because they anchor directly to an existing pool deck with no water hookups, special tools or added concrete and reinforcement. In fact, the modular AquaClimb® walls can start with one section and grow with budgets. The AquaZip’N® is rapidly becoming a new, safer alternative to diving boards as it only requires four feet of water depth, can be installed in just a few hours, and has a throughput of six riders a minute.
“Some municipalities can’t afford a new water park or perhaps cannot renovate their pool this year,” said Cherie Moy, VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for Poolside Adventures. “Our products are an easy answer: a big impact with a small footprint, adding an ‘active attraction’ that makes the pool more exciting.”
“Landmark has a large footprint across the country, and we’re especially excited about their reach into HOA communities, a growing market where our partnership has already led to multiple installations,” said Moy. “Together, we will help clients find the right fit for their space, their budget and to add action and adventure to their pool experience.”
Matt Cappello, Vice President of Design at Landmark Aquatic agrees saying, “We’re excited to collaborate with Poolside Adventures to promote the versatility, ease of installation and entertainment value their products will bring to more pools across the country.”
About Landmark
Since 1967, Landmark Aquatic has helped communities and organizations bring complex aquatic facilities to life and keep them performing. Today, we are the nation’s largest integrated commercial aquatics platform, providing design, construction, renovation, restoration, and maintenance services nationwide. Our construction-led expertise and long-term service capabilities give customers one trusted partner across every stage of a facility’s lifecycle. For the life of your pool. Learn more at www.landmarkaquatic.com.
About Poolside Adventures
For more than 20 years, Poolside Adventures’ flagship AquaClimb® has led the market for poolside climbing walls. Its full line, including the AquaClimb® Luxe, AquaZip’N® and AquaNinja® FLX, delivers challenging, safe fun for swimmers of all ages. For more about Poolside Adventures visit www.aquaclimb.com.
Vic Harshman brings extensive pool building experience to key leadership role
- Decades of proven pool construction experience across Nevada, Arizona and Texas
- Previously served as Shasta Pools’ exclusive excavation contractor
- Predecessor handpicked Harshman to grow position under new leadership team
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (October 5, 2026) – Shasta Pools, Phoenix Metro’s most recognized pool builder, named Vic Harshman as Head of Residential Construction. Harshman joins the new leadership team with more than three decades of hands-on industry experience and a long-standing relationship with the company to one of its most critical leadership roles.
Harshman has held senior construction leadership positions in Arizona and Texas, and worked closely with Shasta Pools, developing firsthand knowledge about the company’s standards, culture and customers. The appointment reflects the momentum Shasta Pools has built since its August 6 acquisition by Dansons Capital Group, Accrual Equity Partners, and Hydro Construction, and positions the full-service 60-year old pool company for continued growth.
Leadership Perspective
“Vic brings exactly the kind of no-nonsense, customer-first leadership our residential construction division needs,” said Jeff Thiessen, President, Dansons Capital Group. “His philosophy is deeply aligned with ours. Keeping customers’ needs as the foremost priority at every stage of the build process is at the center of everything we do, and Vic lives that every day.”
Harshman’s career in pool construction began at age 19, when he purchased a backhoe and launched a business digging plumbing trenches and footings. When the housing market declined in the late 1980s, he relocated to Las Vegas and began excavating swimming pools, a move that led to the creation of Harshman Excavating.
Harshman built and operated excavation businesses in Nevada, Arizona and Texas, primarily serving the pool industry, and served for a period as Shasta’s exclusive excavation contractor.
In 2012, Harshman joined A&A Manufacturing, serving pool builders across an eight-state region and growing annual sales by 10x. In 2020, he joined Keith Zars Pools in Texas as Director of Construction, where he brought together decades of ownership, leadership and industry knowledge.
A Return Rooted in Relationships
“I have always believed that strong relationships, hard work, accountability and taking care of people are the foundation of a successful business,” said Vic Harshman, Head of Residential Construction, Shasta Pools. “Shasta has been a meaningful part of my career for many years. I am genuinely excited to come back and help lead this team into a very exciting future.”
Harshman steps into the role with the full support of Dan Thiessen, Chairman of the new ownership team, and John Mortensen, the outgoing head of residential construction. Mortensen recommended Harshman for the position and will now serve as the company’s lead trainer. That transition reflects Shasta Pools’ commitment to investing in its people and preserving institutional knowledge as the organization continues to grow.
ABOUT SHASTA POOLS:
Shasta Pools is Arizona’s trusted name in custom pool building, proudly serving the Valley since 1966. For 60 years, Shasta has transformed backyards into beautiful, functional spaces where families relax, entertain and enjoy life. The company specializes in new pool construction, remodeling, pool service and landscape design with plans for expansion into the home services market to provide customers with complete home care solutions. Learn more at ShastaPools.com.
ABOUT DANSONS CAPITAL GROUP:
Dansons Capital Group, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a family-owned and family-managed investment firm built on shared values, integrity and long-term vision. The firm was established by the founders of Dansons, Inc., the company that launched and sold Pit Boss Grills. The company takes a hands-on approach, actively seeking opportunities across global markets and multiple asset classes. Its growing portfolio includes strategic real estate development holdings across multiple countries, oil drilling technologies, and limited partnership investments. Guided by a deep commitment to quality and the communities they serve, the Thiessen family leads with gratefulness for the blessings God has given them and in turn supports those less fortunate. Dansons Capital Group continues to identify and cultivate opportunities that reflect their family’s values and generational vision.
ABOUT ACCRUAL EQUITY PARTNERS:
Accrual Equity Partners (AEP) is a founder-led, privately funded private equity group built on the belief that every person, every percentage, and every product matters. This commitment, known as the “Power of One,” drives AEP’s mission to empower businesses and secure legacies across fragmented, service-based industries. AEP partners with founder-led and family-owned businesses to overcome barriers and unlock their full potential through strategic investment, operational performance enhancement, and advisory services. For more information, visit AccrualEquityPartners.com.
ABOUT HYDRO CONSTRUCTION:
Hydro Construction, LLC (HydroCon) was founded in 1986 to serve Arizona’s commercial pool construction and renovation market. Under the leadership of Curt Lonsdale, the company’s commercial pool construction division now manages some of the largest and most complex projects in the country.
Flowood, MS, October 1 – The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is pleased to announce the addition of Jennifer Ibe as Membership and Sponsorship Sales Manager and Rachel Smith as Membership Marketing Manager. The two new positions strengthen NTCA’s focus on membership growth, retention, engagement, and delivering greater value to members.
“Growing and strengthening our membership is a key priority for the NTCA, and Jennifer and Rachel bring the experience and expertise to help us do that,” said Jeremy Sax, Deputy Director of NTCA. “Their complementary skills will allow us to take a more strategic approach to both membership development and the overall member experience.”
Jennifer Ibe, Membership and Sponsorship Sales Manager
Ibe brings more than 10 years of experience in association events, sales, sponsorships, relationship management, and strategic growth. Most recently, she served as Director of Sponsorship and Sales for the Global Workspace Association, where she led major conferences, sponsorship development, budgets, and initiatives that increased attendance by 33% and profitability by 30%.
At the NTCA, Ibe will lead membership recruitment, retention, re-engagement, and relationship development while supporting sponsorship and partner revenue opportunities. She will also represent the NTCA at major industry events and help strengthen relationships with members and prospective members.
Ibe holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Rachel Smith, Membership Marketing Manager
Smith brings extensive association experience in membership, communications, digital engagement, and member programming. Most recently, she served as Digital Communications Manager for the Association of Electric Companies of Texas. Previously, as Director of Membership for the Texas Economic Development Council, she managed more than 1,000 members and developed programs to increase member engagement and networking. She also served as Membership Coordinator for the Texas Association of Community Health Centers, where she managed more than 5,000 members and led new-member onboarding and retention initiatives.
At NTCA, Smith will focus on member onboarding, retention campaigns, communications, digital engagement, webinars, events, and community development. She will also support membership analytics and digital initiatives aimed at strengthening the member experience.
Smith holds a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Social Justice from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
“Jennifer’s focus on relationship-building and membership development, combined with Rachel’s experience in member communications and engagement, gives us a strong team focused on every stage of the member journey,” Sax added. “We’re excited about what this means for our members and for the future growth of NTCA.”
About NTCA
Established in 1947, the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to the professional installation of ceramic tile and natural stone. It is widely recognized as the largest and most respected tile contractors’ association in the world. For those seeking to improve their tile business, NTCA provides unparalleled educational experiences, supportive peer interaction, unique cost-savings programs, and a commitment to help develop the skills needed to improve your work, recruit, train, and manage your employees, and ultimately, make your business more profitable. Find out more at www.tile-assn.com.
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