Although each Craig Bragdy swimming pool design is unique, a recurring theme among clients is often that of diamonds and other precious stones. It is an endlessly adaptable motif that exudes the luxury and beauty clients seek to capture in a design. The project featured here was the first of many Craig Bragdy swimming pool mosaics to incorporate diamonds as a subject matter. This one has since served to inspire other clients to explore options for their pools.

A subterranean grotto – In the limited space of an exclusive central London neighbourhood, this particular project was a subterranean one. With its scarcity of natural light, the environment lent itself very well to a diamond theme. It was turned into an underground grotto bathed in turquoise waters, a scene of rock and crevices developed, with diamond encrustations lodged between them awaiting discovery.

An optical illusion – A beguiling aspect of the design was its illusion of extra depth. The entire floor of the pool is one metre deep, but the colour and cut of the tiles suggested a deepening crevice: colours became significantly darker and the cut of the tiles gave the impression of fissures. All this created the look of downward spatial expansion, while in reality, the floor is flat with a wonderful texture underfoot.

Precious gems – Diamonds are a theme that has become an inspiration, then turned into exciting visual features. Like the jewels themselves, it rewards regular users over and over, while the first-time bather is unfailingly wowed by a swimming pool the likes of which they have never seen before.