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Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast

Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast

Mike Farley 138 episodes Nov 10, 2026

Dive into the world of pools and outdoor living bliss with 'Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast', designed for homeowners eager to transform their outdoor spaces into havens of relaxation and entertainment. Join hosts Mike & Trey from Farley Pool Designs as they share over 30 years of industry experience, offering tips on selecting pools, spas, design, landscaping, and maintenance. Each episode answers listener questions and discusses pool industry vocabulary. Whether you're a first-time pool owner or a seasoned enthusiast, this podcast provides inspiration and insider knowledge to create your backyard paradise.

Episodes

Ep 158 Why a Pool House is the Ultimate ROI Booster for Luxury Properties
Ep 158 Why a Pool House is the Ultimate ROI Booster for Luxury Properties Nov 10, 2026 1:24:16 In this episode, Mike and Trey Farley welcomes Garrett Davis of Backyard Elements to discuss creating backyard structures beyond pools, clarifying the difference between an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and an accessory structure, often determined by having a bedroom and a full kitchen with stove. They highlight jurisdictional restrictions using Flower Mound examples (e.g., ADUs requiring two acre
Ep 157 The Slab Effect: Reimagining the Luxury Backyard with Crossville's Large-Format Panels
Ep 157 The Slab Effect: Reimagining the Luxury Backyard with Crossville's Large-Format Panels Nov 3, 2026 58:13 Thanks for tuning into another episode of the Luxury Outdoor Living podcast. Today,  Mike and Trey Farley interview Paul Hale of Crossville Studios, a U.S.-based tile manufacturer, about his path from pool service and sales in Oklahoma to leading Crossville’s eastern pool and outdoor region in Florida. Paul explains Crossville’s origins and expansion from commercial porcelain manufacturing into di
Ep 156 Building an Elite Lap Pool: Performance Engineering for Home Athletics
Ep 156 Building an Elite Lap Pool: Performance Engineering for Home Athletics Oct 27, 2026 50:51 Listeners are invited to send in questions about anything regarding outdoor living. In this episode Mike and Trey Farley respond to Sarah from Kingwood, Texas about designing backyard pools for lap swimming and competitive-style training. They distinguish exercise pools from competition-focused pools and discuss common lengths (around 39–45 feet, with longer options including 75 feet and 25 meters
Ep 155 Great Basic Backyard to Elite Oasis: The Ultimate Hardscape Blueprint with Oldcastle APG
Ep 155 Great Basic Backyard to Elite Oasis: The Ultimate Hardscape Blueprint with Oldcastle APG Oct 20, 2026 1:00:38 In this episode of Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast we interview Joe Raboine, VP of Design for Oldcastle APG, who shares his path from contractor to manufacturer and discusses Oldcastle’s “Live Well Outside” focus on designing outdoor spaces for daily health and wellness. We cover how outdoor living has shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a “need-to-have,” the rise of outdoor kitchens, micro-space desig
Ep 154 What's Next for Luxury Outdoor Living? Insights from the Pool, Spa & Patio
Ep 154 What's Next for Luxury Outdoor Living? Insights from the Pool, Spa & Patio Oct 13, 2026 52:05 The Luxury Outdoor Living podcast welcomes Megan Magana, show manager for the annual Pool Spa Patio Expo, a yearly show for pool, spa and deck professionals. It's being held in New Orleans, this year 2026, on November (Nov. 17–19) and returning to Las Vegas next year. Megan shares her career path into trade shows and explains the expo’s three pillars—education, networking, and products—offering ce
Ep 153 Sunken Fire Pits: How to Bring Five-Star Resort Vibes Home
Ep 153 Sunken Fire Pits: How to Bring Five-Star Resort Vibes Home Oct 6, 2026 55:47 Mike and Trey Farley discuss why sunken fire pits are popular—shelter from wind, increased privacy, warmer heat retention, quieter and more personal conversation—and what makes them succeed or fail. They explain depth options (from shallow 12-inch drops to ~36 inches for real comfort), typical sizing for 6–8 people, efficient bench layouts, and practical clearances (often 24 inches between bench a
Ep 152 GFRC Archpots: The Science Behind Luxury Planters, Fire & Water Bowls
Ep 152 GFRC Archpots: The Science Behind Luxury Planters, Fire & Water Bowls Sep 29, 2026 45:02 Pots can enhance your luxury outdoor space by unifying design elements and adding durable planters, fire features, and water accents. Mike and Trey Farley of Farley Pool Designs interview Tim Hall of Archpot, a Southern California manufacturer of handmade, made-to-order GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete) architectural site furnishings including planters, fire bowls, fire-water bowls, water bow
Ep 151 The Ultimate Backyard Flex: Using Your Luxury Pool All Winter Long
Ep 151 The Ultimate Backyard Flex: Using Your Luxury Pool All Winter Long Sep 22, 2026 1:01:30 Mike and Trey Farley host the Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast and interview Wellington Gomez of New Jersey, a Brazil-born builder who started in hardscaping and landscaping, then began building pools after repeated issues managing unreliable pool subcontractors. Gomez describes focusing on full-scope luxury outdoor environments, emphasizing client collaboration based on lifestyle, entertaining style
E 150 Engineering Paradise: How Lucas Lagoons Builds Million-Dollar Waterfalls
E 150 Engineering Paradise: How Lucas Lagoons Builds Million-Dollar Waterfalls Sep 15, 2026 1:06:41 Organic, natural pools with boulders and waterfalls can create a true outdoor retreat, but they demand serious artistry and engineering to be safe, efficient, and long-lasting. Mike and Trey Farley host Lucas Congdon of Lucas Lagoons, who recounts growing up in Vermont doing stonework, leaving Montana State to build hands-on, and moving to Florida where a first pool remodel led him to start Lucas
Ep 149 Smart Shade: Cantilevers & The Future of Architectural Aluminum with Umbra Solace
Ep 149 Smart Shade: Cantilevers & The Future of Architectural Aluminum with Umbra Solace Sep 8, 2026 1:08:07 Discovering next level shade in luxury outdoor living, Mike Farley hosts the Luxury Outdoor Living podcast (without co-host Trey, who is sick) and interviews Derek of Umbra Solace about engineered, contractor-supplied aluminum shade structures. Derek shares his path from storm restoration (2001) to founding and selling Hamilton Steele (2008), starting Outdoor Elements, shifting toward commercial m
Ep 148 The Secret to High-End Naturalistic OutdoorDesigns: Fontana Ponds & Water Features
Ep 148 The Secret to High-End Naturalistic OutdoorDesigns: Fontana Ponds & Water Features Sep 1, 2026 1:05:11 Ponds, fountains and natural pools can transform luxury outdoor living into a daily retreat, and in this Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast episode, Mike and Trey Farley of Farley Pool Designs interview Diego of Fontana Ponds & Water Features, an Aquascape Master Certified contractor and Aquascape Artist of the Year. Diego shares his path from landscaping to specializing in ecosystem ponds and wate
Ep 147 Form, Function, & Fire: Emberhaus on the Ferrari of Outdoor Cooking
Ep 147 Form, Function, & Fire: Emberhaus on the Ferrari of Outdoor Cooking Aug 25, 2026 57:08 Luxury outdoor cooking is evolving beyond gas grills and ceramic kamados into architectural live-fire ovens designed for performance, aesthetics, and experience. Mike and Trey Farley host Bobby Brennan, former co-founder of Kamado Joe and founder of Emberhaus, who explains how his corporate exit led to building Kamado Joe and later creating Emberhaus to bring restaurant-style charcoal ovens into l

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