Carved in Stone: A Private Lagoon Retreat

Saddle River, NJ

Project Description

This Saddle River home had the land, the privacy, the hillside, but not yet the story. The clients dreamed of a backyard that would feel like a true getaway. A place that blended resort luxury with natural beauty, rugged textures with refined experience.

Magic Landscaping used the natural slope of the land to sculpt a secluded lagoon, anchored by a boulder-lined water feature, a cascading spa, and a freeform pool that feels born of the earth, not built into it.

Layered hardscaping, lush plantings, and defined outdoor zones now offer distinct invitations: swim, lounge, cook, gather, reflect.

It’s not just a pool—it’s a place to live.

The home’s steep terrain could have made this space unusable, but instead, it became an asset.
Magic Landscaping embraced the hillside, using it to create enclosure, movement, and drama. Natural retaining walls and expert grading allowed the pool and patio to nestle into the slope, rather than fight it. The result is a space that feels protected, intimate, and expansive all at once.
Organic, Resort-Like, Naturalistic, Sculpted, Inviting, Sensory, Immersive
Lagoon-Style Pool, Boulder Waterfall, Spillover Spa, Multi-Level Paver Patio, Outdoor Kitchen, Fire Feature, Poolside Cabana, Stone Retaining Walls, Hillside Grading, Lush Plantings
Budget: $150K
Saddle River, NJ
Residential, Backyard Transformation