This urban pool and pool house, created by architect and designer Roger Brown for his own family, takes advantage of every inch of space. Landscaped acreage in the city is rare, and the Browns are lucky enough to enjoy views of four acres from the windows of their home. So when they decided it was time for a pool, they selected a site that would not obscure the view.

Once the question of location was solved, the Browns faced the problem of what to do with their antique car, which was parked on the pool grounds. Solution: Build a pool house to contain -- not showers or a bar -- but the car.

The use of French doors, multipaned windows and a skylit roof created an extremely attractive exterior for this poolside garage, but something needed to be done about the look of the interior. The walls were constructed of unglamorous cement blocks that easily could be seen by those using the pool area. The Browns brought the interior in line with the luxurious look of the surroundings by faux-painting the walls in pale shades of yellow and gray, giving them the impression of marble. Now swimmers rise from the water to see a magnificent antique auto set like a

jewel in its own hand-painted case.