Ep 126 The Truth About Infinity Pools: Skip Phillips on Mastering the Vanishing Edge

On the Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast, Mike and Trey Farley interview renowned pool designer Skip Phillips about his career path from a family tool business and pool service company to pioneering vanishing-edge, zero-edge, and perimeter-overflow pools, and his role elevating industry standards through education and expert-witness work. Phillips explains his design premise—intentional water/deck relationships, minimal materials, quiet and reflective water surfaces—and how vanishing edges blur water with surroundings.   Discover more: https://skipphillips.com/ https://www.farleypooldesigns.com/ https://www.instagram.com/farleydesigns/ https://www.instagram.com/luxuryoutdoorlivingpodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/poolzila/   00:00 Skip Phillips Legacy 00:57 Podcast Welcome 02:39 From Tools to Pools 04:36 Vanishing Edge Origins 06:28 Designing for Daily Use 10:08 Common Edge Misconceptions 11:31 Weir Details and Sightlines 13:30 Robb Report Recognition 16:31 Where Edges Work Best 19:12 Overflow Into the Garden 20:50 Genesis Education Mission 23:43 Engineering and Surge Basics 25:54 Surge Tanks and Failures 28:23 Edge Tolerance Basics 29:40 Equipment Placement Strategy 30:56 Keeping Water Mirror Calm 32:53 Bigger Pipes Smaller Pumps 34:38 Clients Ignoring Engineering 36:18 Wet Coping Vs Latner 38:22 Vent Pipes Stop Gurgle 40:11 Avoiding Lawsuits 43:12 Designing The Full Experience 47:03 Hardest Builds St Lucia 49:22 Rapid Fire Favorites 51:45 Wrap Up And Contact